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By Lukman Olabiyi and Faheem Lawal
The Supremost Kegite Club International (SKCI) has taken a major step toward institutional reform with the adoption of a new constitution aimed at strengthening unity, restoring structure and entrenching accountability across the organisation.
The decision was reached during the Comradium Global Summit recently in Ikeja, Lagos, where members from Nigeria and the diaspora converged to deliberate on the club’s future.
Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BOT), Chief Clement Oghene, also known as Methuselah Ovia, described the gathering as a defining moment in the club’s history, emphasising that participants were not just attendees but delegates entrusted with shaping a new era for the organisation.
“We are here to transform our collective intentions into a binding legal document,” Oghene said, noting that the constitution, once adopted and ratified, would regulate the conduct and operations of members.
He explained that the reform process was inspired by a renewed spirit of unity among members, which led to the establishment of the Comradium platform on April 2.
The process, he added, involved the contributions of eight committees, whose work was harmonised into the draft constitution presented at the summit.
Oghene stressed that membership of the non-student body would be voluntary and guided by shared values rather than automatic transition from campus chapters.
“There is no compulsion. If you believe in our values, you are in the right place. If not, you are free to exit,” he said.
He further noted that the adoption of the constitution signals the beginning of a new phase for the club, including the election of officers to run its affairs, while the BOT assumes a policy-guidance role.
Former World Chief, Kolawole Kazeem, attributed the club’s longstanding internal crises to lapses among senior members, admitting that a lack of continuity and structure had weakened the organisation over time.
“There was a vacuum. We left and did not sustain the structure we built. We must take responsibility,” he said.
Kazeem criticised the disconnect between various chapters and the club’s traditional headquarters in Ile-Ife, describing it as a structural flaw that undermined accountability.
He also raised concerns over leadership ambiguity within the Chiefs’ Conference.
“Where everyone claims equal power, there can be no leadership,” he noted, expressing optimism that the new constitution would reset the organisation’s direction.
Chief Olumide Oniyire, a World Chief of the Comradium and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, described the development as the dawn of a new era for the club.
“For a club with nearly 60 years of history, operating without a formal constitution was no longer sustainable. This document provides clarity, structure and legal grounding,” he said.
Oniyire revealed that the reform process began as far back as 2012 and involved extensive consultations and stakeholder engagements aimed at repositioning the club for modern realities.
He acknowledged existing challenges, particularly in coordinating student membership across campuses, but expressed confidence that the new constitutional framework would address them.
The highlight of the summit was the formal presentation, adoption and ratification of the draft constitution by members, marking a significant milestone in SKCI’s reform journey.
Participants described the move as a critical step toward rebuilding the organisation into a more united, structured and accountable body.
