The Reemergence of ANA’s Dark Past: Why Bala Musa Nagidi is unfit for the upcoming election
By Wole Adedoyin
Numerous illicit activities are presently taking place within ANA. One such occurrence is the reintegration of individuals who previously plunged the association into crisis in 2019.
The aftermath of the chaotic 2019 elections still haunts our memories. I recall how supporters of a particular presidential candidate funded literary insurgent posing as ANA members. These impostors disrupted the Enugu Convention and shamelessly tarnished the reputations of our esteemed ANA Elders, Trustees, and Advisory Council members. Notable figures such as Prof. Ernest Emenyonu, Prof. Femi Osofisan, Prof. Olu Obafemi, and the late Prof. Jerry Agada were among those abused and dragged in the mud.
However, a disconcerting development is that many individuals responsible for this heinous act have returned to ANA. Some of them gained entry through the ongoing ANA Membership Validation Exercise. Not only have they been readmitted, but shockingly, one of them is even vying for a position in the upcoming ANA Election.
The ANA President has sparked discord within the association. Among those who plunged the association into crisis in Enugu is Bala Musa Nagidi. He played a significant role in the historical chaos that plagued ANA years ago, a situation the association has yet to fully recover from. Nagidi was instrumental in tarnishing the reputation of ANA Trustees, Elders, and members of the Advisory Council. Surprisingly, Mr. Camillus Ukah, the ANA President, is aware that Nagidi, hailing from Niger State, is ineligible to vote, let alone contest. Despite this knowledge, the President has permitted Nagidi and others to register as members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) through the Membership Revalidation exercise.
Recently, certain NEC members, who were well aware of the political maneuvering orchestrated by Camillus Ukah, publicly condemned the membership validation exercise. They did so with the understanding that this exercise was inherently biased, politically motivated, and self-serving. The President is utilizing this exercise to admit individuals who had previously thrown the Association into disarray and tarnished the reputation of ANA elders.
Remarkably, Bala Musa Nagidi has never expressed remorse for his involvement in the past unscrupulous activities in Enugu. He has yet to apologize to esteemed ANA elders such as Prof. Femi Osofisan, Prof. Olu Obefemi, Late Prof. Jerry Agada, Prof. Ernest Emeyonuand others, whose names he dragged through the mud. Despite his lack of contrition, Camillus has chosen to embrace him for his own selfish reasons.
Camillus has included him in the Membership Revalidation exercise to enable his participation in the upcoming election. The President has utilized Bala Musa Nagidi and his literary supporters to undermine his vice president, who is also vying for the top position in ANA. During the revalidation process in Niger state, the Vice President’s name was deliberately excluded, and the procedure took place in her absence. The individuals responsible for bringing disgrace to the association and its elders are now being paraded by Camillus as ANA members in Niger state. This raises concerns about the President’s intentions regarding the upcoming election. Members of the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) should be aware that the same literary disruptors who interfered in the Enugu election have resurfaced within ANA through the ANA Membership Revalidation Exercise.
