Constitution of Nnobi Indigenes Living In North America
Article 1 NAME
1.1 This Organization shall be known as Nnobi Union in North America (NUNA)
Article 2 Headquarter
2.1 The Headquarter of NUNA shall be in Atlanta, Georgia USA
Article 3 AIMS and OBJECTIVES
3.1 To provide an official forum for general discussion by Nnobi indigenes and their families
living in North America.
3.2 To foster mutual love, unity and cooperation among the people of Nnobi.
3.3 To promote social, cultural, and educational activities in the Federating
Branches.
3.4 To promote social, cultural, educational, and other charitable activities in Nnobi.
Article 4 MEMBERSHIP
4.1 Membership shall be open to the following categories of Nnobians living in North
America.
4.2 All adult Nnobians (18 years and above) male and female.
4.3 All Nnobi females married to non-Nnobi men living in North America.
4.4 All non-Nnobi females married to Nnobi men.
4.5 i) Membership to NUNA shall be via the branch unions of NUNA.
- ii) Where there is non-existent of a branch union in an area due to fewness of
Nnobians, an individual can join the NUNA as “member at large”. iii) An individual may join NUNA without being a member of a branch union, if
he/she has a cogent reason for not joining a branch union; such issue will be
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treated as it presents itself.
4.6 i) A minimum of five (5) families of Nnobians are eligible to form a branch union;
(here a household of one person is considered a family) i) There shall not be more than one union in one Metropolis; ii) An individual is free to join any branch union of his/her choice.
4.7 There shall be three categories of Membership:
- i) Individual Membership Category ii) Family Membership Category: A nucleus family (husband & wife) and their minor/s
can register under family membership. iii) Student membership: An individual who is within the age bracket of 18 and 22 and is
student in a school; and an adult who is a student with the approval of his/her local branch union, can register under student membership.
Article 5 Financial Obligations
5.1 Enrollment Fee: There shall be three categories of enrollment fees;
ι) For individual Membership……………………$50 ιι) For Family Membership ………………………$75 ιιι) For Student Membership …………………….Free
5.2 The enrollment fee is payable on admission into NUNA.
5.3 Annual Dues: There shall be three categories of annual due:
- i) For individual member ……………………..$100. ii) For individual who is a branch member ……$80 iii) For family member ………………………….$150. iv) For family that is a branch member ………..$120 v) For student member ………………………..Free
5.4 Annual due is subject to increase anytime the members deem it
necessary. Each member is expected to, fully, pay up his/her annual due by the end of June every year.
5.5 The financial year of the union shall be from the first day of July to 30th June of the
following year.
5.6 Annual due defaulters shall incur a penalty of 10% of the annual due. Failure to
pay the annual due for three consecutive years shall incur deregistration of the member.
5.7 There shall be options for levy and free-will donations to raise funds for specific
projects whenever it is necessary, as the members determined.
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5.8 The enrollment fee, annual dues as specified in (5.1 & 5.3) above may be modified by a
motion of the executive and/or of the general meeting, and approved by a 2/3 majority of the active members.
5.9 Financial Secretary shall provide financial report, twice within the financial year, to the
members and inform all members of their financial status.
5.10 Active Membership: A member of NUNA is considered active when,
- i) he/she is current on all annual and membership dues; ii) he/she is current on levies and financial obligations of the union; iii) he/she attend at least 1/3 of the NUNA meetings; and iv) only active members of the union are eligible to all the benefits of membership.
5.11(a) Inactive Membership: An active member of this union becomes inactive
member when: i) he/she fails to meet any of the requirements of 5.1(i, ii, & iii). ii) Inactive member shall lose all the rights and privileges, including the right to vote
and/or to be voted for.
5.11(b)To regain active status, such a member must fulfill these requirements;
- i) pay all his/her outstanding dues and levies ii) he/she shall pay 10% of the total amount (dues and levies) owned; and if defaults in
5.10 (iii) he/she shall pay a fine of $25.
Article 6 Officers of the Organization
6.1 The organization shall have the following officers whose functions shall be as
stated below:
6.2 President:
The president shall preside at all meetings of NUNA at which he/she is present, shall direct and control the affairs of the union; shall be the Chief Spokesperson of the organization.
6.3 Vice President:
The Vice president shall perform the functions of the President when the later is absent or otherwise unable to perform his functions for the union. If both the president and the Vice President are absent or otherwise unable to act, the house shall appoint an official of the executive committee to preside over the meeting.
6.4 Secretary:
He/she shall prepare and circulate (read) the minutes of all meetings; shall carry out the union correspondence in consultation with and under the directions of the president; shall keep the books of the union.
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6.5 Assistant Secretary:
He/she shall assist the Secretary in his/her duties and shall perform the functions of the Secretary where the later is absent or otherwise unable to carry out his/her functions.
6.6 Financial Secretary:
He/she shall collect all monies due to the union and issue official receipts, keep proper and accurate account of all monies received, and hand such monies over to the Treasurer immediately after collections.
6.7 Treasurer:
He/she shall receive funds from the Financial Secretary, deposit them into the union’s bank account within 48 working hours of receipt, payout funds only as directed by the executive and signed by the signatories.
6.8 Public Relation Officer:
The Public Relation Officer’s duty is bringing to public notice such activities, intentions, and aspirations of the union as approved by the executive and the union.
6.9 Provost:
The provost shall assist the presiding officers in maintaining order and decorum in meetings and functions of the union. He appoints members to speak during meetings with the directive of the president.
Article 7 Tenure and Election
7.1 The term of each office shall be for four (4) calendar years
7.2 No elected officer of NUNA shall occupy the same office for more than one term.
7.3 All active members may vote and/or be voted for.
7.4 All elections of the executive officers shall be by secret ballot.
7.5 There shall be the option of electronic voting by the active members.
7.6 The office of presidency, only, shall be won by simple majority and obtaining 2/3 of the
total votes cast in each of the five (5) zones.
7.7 There shall be a run-off election for the two presidential candidates with the highest
numbers of votes in event where (7.6) is not fulfilled.
7.8 The run-off election shall be conducted two weeks after the main election.
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7.9 The other executive offices shall be won by simple majority of the total votes cast.
7.10 There shall be an electoral committee to handle all the union elections.
7.11 Election of the officers shall take place three (3) months before the end of each
term.
7.12 For the purpose the first election taking place at this Atlanta convention the electoral
provisions of the constitution shall be suspended, an interim executive shall be elected by an open and simple majority votes, for a two-year term, by those in attendance to this convention.
7.13 In situation where an election fails to produce a president or election could not be held in
the year of election, the board of trustees shall convoke a general meeting to elect a provisional executive to conduct elections within 90 days.
Article 8 Executive Committee
8.1 The organization shall have an Executive Committee comprising the president, vice president, secretary, assistant secretary, financial secretary, treasurer, public relation officer, and provost.
8.2 Subject to the provisions of this regulation, the Executive Committee shall take decisions
on small matters, provided she reports all decision and actions to the general meeting for consideration and ratification.
8.3 The Executive committee must not spend more than $500 in between meetings outside
the provision of this constitution.
Article 9 BOARD OF TRUSTEES
9.1.1 There shall be a Board of Trustees of at least 5 members whose term shall be five years; here shall be no limit on the re-election of the members of the board of trustees.
9.2 The members of the Board of Trustees shall, each, come from these 5 zones, North East,
North West, South East, South, West, and Canada, purposefully carved out for the management of NUNA’s board of trustees. Full details of the 5 zones are given in appendix A
9.3 A member of the board of trustees shall be from 40 years and above.
9.1 The Board of Trustees shall play advisory role to the Executive and the union in general.
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9.4 The Board in conjunction with Executive members and/or members of general meeting
will perform adjudicatory functions with regard to disputes concerning union matters.
9.5 Upon sufficient evident of non-performance of duty and/or misconduct by a Board
member, such a Board member’s term will be terminated.
Article 10 Ad-hoc Committees
10.1 The union shall have ad-hoc committees, which will include but not limited to the following:
- i) Business and Finance; ii) Culture and Enlightenment; iii) Communication and Information; iv) Social welfare; v) Election Committee; vi) Nnobi Public Affairs;
10.2 The number of each committee members shall be determined by the need of the Union.
10.3 Members of the standing committee shall be either by voluntary or appointed by the executive.
10.4 The membership of each committee shall be for a period of one year, renewable in
increment of one year.
10.5 Each committee shall have a chairperson elected by the committee members.
10.6 Each committee shall report to the executive.
Article 11 Resignations and Vacancy
11.1 Any office holder may resign his or her position in writing to the general meeting via the
president.
11.2 When an office becomes vacant for any reason, the electoral committee shall publicize the office for potential contestants and conduct election within three (3) months of the publication.
11.3 Any office holder can be impeached and removed from the office, by the 2/3 of the active
members for any serious offense and/or incompetence.
11.4 The office holder shall have been duly notified and given an opportunity to defend
himself/herself before a special committee or general meeting.
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Article 12 Relation with the Federating Union
12.1 NUNA shall strive to maintain a cordial relationship with all the branch unions in North
America.
12.2 Already existing branch unions shall join NUNA with a letter of intent.
12.3 New forming branches shall indicate interest to join NUNA by writing a letter of intent
and fulfill the requirement of 4.6(i).
12.4 The general assembly shall vote to accept the prospective branch union by the simple
majority.
12.5 No branch union shall organize any event or activity that may jeopardize or conflict with
NUNA interests within NUNA convention year.
Article 13 Banking
13.1 The bank of NUNA shall be the one approved by the union.
13.3 All monies belonging to NUNA shall be deposited into the union’s bank account not later
than 48 working hours following date of collection.
13.4 All monies must be withdrawn via bank check. The signatories shall be the president, the
financial secretary, and the treasure. The president and the treasure are the principal signatories; the financial secretary shall sign in absence of either the president or the treasurer.
13.5 There shall be a general audit of the Union’s account at the end of every two-year term.
Three months before the end of any term, the general meeting shall appoint auditors to audit the account.
Article 14 Meetings and Convention
14.1 There shall be three (3) meetings of NUNA in every calendar year. There shall be
a meeting in every four (4) months. The executive may summon an emergency meeting if the need arises.
14.2 There shall be a Convention of NUNA in every two (2) years. The president shall provide the members with necessary information regarding convention
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well ahead of the time.
14.3 NUNA Convention shall be hosted by a willing branch union. NUNA shall provide
financial support to the hosting branch.
Article 15 Code of Conduct and Disciplinary Measures
15.1 Every member of NUNA is expected to conduct himself/herself with respect,
gentility, honesty, and integrity.
15.2 Every member of NUNA shall be treated with due respect.
15.3 There shall be no cursing, altercation, name calling, fighting among NUNA members.
15.4 NUNA’s mode of operation shall be characterized by responsibility, accountability, and
transparency.
15.5 NUNA member shall be warned, or suspended, or expelled from the union depending on
the severity of the offense. The expulsion of a member shall require 2/3 votes of the active members.
Article 16 Benefits
- Only the Active members of NUNA shall be entitled to the following benefits: (i) wedding benefit ………………………………………($200.00) (ii) death a member ……………………………………….($1000.00) (iii) death of a member’s child …………………………….($500.00) (iv) death of a member’s spouse who is not a member ……($500.00)
Article 17 Conflict Resolution
17.1 When any misunderstanding or conflict arises between a member/s
and the union, the board of trustees shall mediate and seek to resolve the matter. .
17.2 The union may help to resolve conflict between members, only when the parties
in conflict, in writing, seek the mediation of the union. Then, the board of trustees shall adjudicate the matter.
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Article 18 Constitution Amendment
- The union may amend any section of this constitution as need arises; the majority in the
meeting can move for the motion for the amendment. Any amendment to the constitutions shall be subjected to votes and must be supported and approved by 2/3 votes of the active members.
Constitution Committee Members
- Prof. Peter Ezekwenna 2. Agustus Ogbuka 3. Ken Okafor 4. Ben Eruchalu 5. McGodwin Bob Eruchalu 6. Samson Okafor 7. O G Bright Eruchalu 8. Edwin Enwedo. 9. Rudolf Okonkwo Coordinator
- Charles Ezeoranu Chairman
- Okee Okagbue Secretary
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