THE CONSTITUTION

OF

UMUTU MIXED SECONDARY SCHOOL OLD STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION

UMUTU

Preamble:

We, the old Students of Umutu Mixed Secondary School, Umutu having come
together as Alumni of the School, do in a recognition, acknowledgment and
appreciation of the quality of education, training and moral upbringing impacted
on us as Students by the School have agreed to constitute ourselves into an
Association by this Constitution for the purpose of applying our collective strength
towards the preservation and advancement of the core values of integrity,
scholarship, excellence and high moral rectitude that are the bench mark of the
school.

SECTION 1

TITLE: This instrument shall be known as “The Constitution of Umutu Mixed

Secondary School Old Students’ Association, Umutu”.
SECTION 2
MOTTO: The Motto of the Association shall be “ “

SECTION 3

Aims and Objectives:

The aims and objective of the Association shall be:

1. To foster fellowship and positive cooperation amongst its members.

2. To create a link between the School and the Association and to
promote unity and cordial relationship between the two.
3. To promote the growth, welfare and development of its members.
4. To provide a common
 5. platform for its members to attend to all matters affecting the
School.
SECTION 4
BRANCHES AND SETS:

1. Branches may be formed in any Town or City where Old Students reside.
Application for the for formation or inauguration of such branches shall be
addressed to the National Secretary for presentation to the National
Executive Committee for consideration and approval provided there exists
in such Town or City a minimum of 20 Old Students.
2. Members of the Association who share the same studentship year at the
School residing in a City or Town may organize themselves into set provided
there is no Branch of the Association already existing in such Towns or
Cities.
3. No Branch shall exist in any Town or City without the prior approval of the
National Executive Committee and which such Branches shall be registered
with the National Secretariat.
4. Every such set forming a Branch shall be registered with the National
Secretariat.
5. There shall not exist in a City or Town more than one Branch.
6. Every such Branch shall be administered by their elected officers as agreed
by the members of such Branches.

SECTION 5

MEMBERSHIP:

Membership of the Association and its branches shall be opened to the following:

a. Any person who had been once admitted with or without passing out of the
School who desires to be part of the Association.
b. Any person who had been conferred with an honourary membership of the
Association in accordance with this Constitution.

SECTION 6
CONFERMENT OF HONOURARY MEMBERSHIP:

1. Any deserving member of the Society including indigenes of Umutu who is

not an old Student of the School may be conferred with honourary
membership of the Association.
2. Such persons (male or female) shall be persons of proven and verifiable
integrity who had made significant contributions to the growth and
development of the School or Umutu.
Procedure for the conferment of honourary membership shall be as
follows:
a. Nomination shall be called for by the National Secretary from all
branches of the Association for evaluation by the National Executive
Committee.
b. Upon completion of evaluation by the National Executive Committee
selected candidates shall be recommended for ratification at the
National Conference by simple majority of delegates present at the
Conference.
c. Honourary members shall enjoy all the rights and privileges of
membership except right to vote or be voted for.

SECTION 7

REGISTRATION FEES, OTHER DUES AND ACCOUNTS:

1. Every branch shall be registered in the record kept by the National

Secretary.
2. Every member of the Association shall be liable to pay an annual
membership fee in the sum of N6000.00 (Six Thousand Naira) only or
N500.00 (Five Hundred Naira) only per month and such other or further
sum that the National Executive Committee may stipulate and certified by
the Association in its annual Conference.
3. It shall be the duty of each branch to collect all monies due to the
Association from its members and remit 50% of all money collected to the
National treasury by paying same into the designated account as
 nominated by the Association and evidence of such payment delivered to
the National Financial Secretary either physically or electronically while the
remaining 50% is retained by the Branch.
4. At every time, there shall be a minimum of two authorized signatories to
the Account of the Association or any of its branches made up of the
President and the National Secretary or the Treasurer of the National Body
or any of its Branches.
5. All cheque books and all related documents shall be in the custody of the
Financial Secretary while all other documents or records shall be in the
custody of the National Secretary.
6. Cheques and all other documents of the same effect shall be signed by the
National President and the National Secretary or the National treasurer or
that of each branch which function shall not be delegated for any reason
whatsoever except such delegation is ratified by the Executive Committee.
7. All financial transactions shall be receipted and record of such transactions
kept by the National Financial Secretary.

SECTION 8

OFFICERS:

1. The Officers of the Association shall be: The National President, National
Vice-President, National Secretary, Assistant National Secretary, National
Financial Secretary, National Treasurer, National Social/Publicity Secretary,
Assistant National Social/Publicity Secretary and the National Legal Adviser
which offices shall be by election at the Conference.
2. The following officers shall be by appointment at the National Conference
on the recommendation of the National Executive Committee:
a. National Legal Adviser
b. Assistant National Legal Adviser
c. National Auditor
d. Assistant National Auditor.

SECTION 9
DUTIES OF OFFICERS:

A. The National President shall be the alta ego of the Association and shall
perform the following functions:

i. Direct the National Secretary to summon meetings of the National

Executive Committee, National meetings and Conferences;
ii. Presides over all such meetings as convened on his directives.
iii. Be the Chief Spokesperson of the Association after due consultations
with the National Executive Committee.
iv. Carry out such other administrative functions as may be assigned to him
by the Association.
v. Where for any reason he cannot perform any of his functions on ground
of any reason whatsoever, the National Vice-President shall perform his
functions.
B. The National Secretary shall:
i. Send out notices of meetings/Conferences upon the directives of the
National President.
ii. Take records of minutes of such meetings/conferences as authorized by
the National President and maintain the custody of same. He shall also
maintain the custody of the official seal of the Association.
iii. Keep a membership register of all members and branches and all other
records he is authorized to keep under this Constitution.
iv. Produce minutes of meetings/Conferences and all other Reports and
distribute same to members after each occasion of meetings.
v. Perform all other Secretariat functions as may be directed by the
National President or as empowered under this Constitution.
C. National Financial Secretary shall:
i. Collect all monies on behalf of the Association either from individual
members or branches pay them into the account of the Association
promptly and send receipts and tellers thereof to the treasurer.
ii. Present financial reports at every National Conference.
 iii. Propose Financial Policies jointly with the National Treasurer for the
consideration of the Association.
D. National Treasurer shall:
a. Keep an account of the income and expenditure of the Association.
b. Keep the Association’s Banks and Financial documents
c. Keep an impress account.
d. Present an Audited account of the Association at every national
Conference.
e. Assist the National Secretary in the preparation of Financial Policies for the
consideration of the Association.

E. National Social/Publicity Secretary shall:

a. Publicize all the programs and activities of the Association in consultation
with the National President.
b. Organize Social Activities/functions as directed by the National Executive
Committee and or the National President with the approval of the National
Executive Committee.
c. Attend to other Social and Publicity issues assigned to him by the National
Executive Committee.
F. The Legal Adviser shall:
Advice the Association on all legal matters and handle all legal issues arising
therefrom when required in conjunction with other lawyers within the
Association.

G. The Auditor shall:

Audit the Account of the Association and present such reports at every
national Conference which audit shall be carried out once every year.

H The National Vice-President, Assistant National Secretary, Assistant National

Social/Publicity Secretary, Assistant National Legal Adviser and the Assistant
National Auditor shall respectively cooperate with, work with and stand in for
their respective incumbent principal officers of whom they are assisting in the
absence of their said respective principal incumbent officers.
SECTION 10

ELECTIONS AND TENURE OF OFFICES:

i. ELECTIONS:
a. All Officers of the Association shall be by election at the National
Conferences of the Association except those earlier said to be nominated.

b. No person shall be eligible to vote or to be voted/contest for any office of

the President unless such person graduated from the Alma Mata (the
School) at least 20 years before the date of closure of nomination for the
election.
c. Voting at such elections shall be by secret ballot system and shall be
personal except for the overseas members/branches and delegates from
branches in which case it may be by proxy.
d. Every Financial and qualified member in line with this Constitution shall be
eligible to be voted into any office or to vote for any nominated candidate
personally except where proxy under this Constitution is permitted
provided he is up to date with his financial obligation to the Association.

e. At least 90 days before the date for such Conferences, the National
Executive Committee shall constitute an Election Committee made up of
Financial members drawn from the headquarters and all branches of the
Association which Committee shall be responsible for the conduct of
elections into the various offices at the National Conferences.
f. TENURES: All Officers of the Association elected into any of the offices or
appointed into office shall hold office for a single term of Four (4) years only
from the date of such elections or appointments.

SECTION 11

VACATION OF OFFICE AND FILLING OF VACANT OFFICES:

i. Officers of the Association shall vacate their respective offices upon the
expiration of their terms thereof or upon a motion passed by 2/3
 majority of members at the Conference on ground of gross misconduct
and for the avoidance of doubt gross misconduct in this context includes
abdication of duties without notice to the National President or failure
to attend Executive Committee meetings without an approval or any act
capable of damning the integrity of the Association or negatively
affecting the running of the Association.
ii. Any officer may resign his or her office before the expiration of the term
for which he or she was elected by a notice in writing to the National
President through the National Secretary and in the case of the National
President, the notice shall be written to the National Executive
Committee through the National Secretary.
iii. All notices of resignation from office shall be written 30 days before the
effective date of such resignation except the circumstance of such
officer does not allow for such long notice which circumstances shall be
stated in the notice.
iv. Whenever a vacancy occurs either by resignation or death in between
National Conference, National Executive Committee shall appoint any
suitable Financial member to act in that capacity until the next
Conference and which appointment shall be communicated to all
branches within a month of such appointment for their information
only. However if such offices are vacated three months before the next
election or conference such office shall remain vacant until the next
conference in which case the Assistant in that office will take charge.

SECTION 12

AD-HOC COMMITTEE

Ad-hoc Committees may be constituted by the National Executive Committee and

or the National Conference for specific purposes as the need arises which tenure
shall be only for the period of such need(s).

SECTION 13
PATRONS:

The Association may on the recommendation of the National Executive

Committee appoint as patrons persons of exemplary character/reputation and of
high moral standard in the Society as and when considered necessary.
SECTION 14

BODIES OF THE ASSOCIATION:

1. NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

There shall be a National Executive Committee which shall consist of all
elected and appointed officers of the Association and Chairmen of all the
Branches of the Association.
DUTIES
The National Executive Committee shall:
i. Be responsible for the day to day running of the activities of the
Association.
ii. Formulate Policies in consonance with the aims and objective of the
Association.
iii. Attend to the registration and or recognition of the various branches
and or sets of the Association.
iv. Be responsible for the implementation of all the decisions and
policies of the Association.
v. Hold quarterly meetings of which the quorum shall be 1/3 of the
members of the National Executive Committee with the National
President and or Assistant National President and the National
Secretary and or the Assistant National Secretary in attendance
whose decisions shall be subject to ratification by the Association at
its Conferences by a simple majority of members at the Conference.
For the avoidance of doubt no meeting of the National Executive
Committee shall hold without either the National President and or
the Assistant National President and the National Secretary or the
Assistant National Secretary being in attendance.
 vi. Nominate or recommend persons to be conferred with honorary
Membership of the Association which recommendations shall be
subject to ratification by members of the Association by a simple
majority at the Convention.
SECTION 15
EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETINGS:

An extra-ordinary National meeting shall be called or summoned by the National

President on the recommendation of the National Executive Committee as and
when the need arises to deal with a specific issue or issues as the need may arise.
SECTION 16

NATIONAL MEETINGS:

1. National meeting of the Association shall hold once in a year in the month
of December.
2. The National meeting of the Association shall be attended by all Financial
members.
3. The National Conference of the Association shall hold once in every year
from the date of inauguration.
4. During the National meetings reports from elected officers whose functions
requires reports shall be rendered.
5. During the inaugural Conference all elective offices shall be filled by
election to be conducted by an Election Committee of the Association and
thereafter elections shall hold every four years.
6. Such Election Committee shall serve for only one election thereafter a new
Election Committee shall be constituted.
SECTION 17

CONVENTION:

The Conference is the Supreme Organ of the Association and shall be held every
Four years at UMUTU.
ATENDANCE:
 i. Representations for elections at the Conference shall be on branch and
delegates basis. All financial members/alumini who are not delegates
are entitled to attend Conference and participate fully in the
deliberations at the Conference. They may be voted for but cannot
themselves vote.

ii. The Conference shall be convened by the National Secretary after

consultation with National Executive Committee.
iii. The quorum shall be at least half of the total financial branches for the
time being in the Register of branches kept by the National Secretary or
branches that sent delegates to the Conference and who are up to date
with their financial obligation to the Association.
[

iv. Every branch shall be entitled to 10 (Ten) delegates at every Conference

on the basis of equality of branches.
v. Every branch shall send the list of their delegates to the National
Secretary one week before the date of Conference failing which such
branch shall not participate at the election.
vi. Any branch that fails to send delegates to the Conference for two
consecutive times shall be deregistered.

SECTION 18
ENDOWMENT FUNDS:
i. The Bankers of the Association shall be as approved by the National
Conference whilst in the case of a branch, it shall be a Banker approved
by the Branch concerned.
ii. The Association or any of its branches shall have powers to accept gifts,
donations and bequests and set up Endowment Funds for the funding of
scholarship awards to deserving students with high moral standard
which funds shall be administered by the National Executive Committee
in the case of the National body but in case of the branches, the elected
officers of the branch concerned.
iii. The awardees shall be recommended by the National Executive
Committee and ratified by the Conference.
 iv. The National Executive Committee shall present its oversights report of
the Endowment Funds at every Conference of the Association.
SECTION 19
AUDITING:
Without prejudice to the National Financial Secretary’s Conference Reports, the
National Financial Secretary shall make available to all registered financial
branches an annual statement of the account of the Association duly audited by
the Auditors of the Association and certified by a qualified Accountant not being a
member of the Association a month before the Conference.
SECTION 20
STANDING ORDERS AT THE ASSOCIATION’S CONVENTION AND MEETINGS:
1. A motion shall not be valid unless it is seconded.
2. Anybody who wants to speak shall indicate by raising of his hand and shall
not speak until recognized by the presiding officer.
3. Voting shall be by show of hands unless the National President or in his
absence other presiding officer decides otherwise in the interest of fair
play.
4. In case of equality in votes, the National President or other presiding officer
shall have a casting vote.
5. Any allegation of infringement of this Constitution or order at any meeting
may be prompted by a member on a Point of Order or Point of
Observation.

6. All members shall comport themselves at the Conferences or any meetings.

7. Any indecent language or misbehavior shall be instantly call to order and
reprimanded by the National President or any other presiding officer as the
case may be.
8. No member shall go out of a meeting without permission first sought and
obtained from the National President or any presiding officer as the case
may be.
9. Nobody shall interrupt an authorized speaker when he is still on his feet.
10.Side talks and audible use of phone sets are strictly prohibited.
 11.Smoking is not allowed at the Conference ground or meetings of the
Association.

SECTION 21
DISCIPLINE:
a. Any member whose conduct in a private or public life is incompatible with
the values of integrity and decency of the Association may be suspended or
expelled upon a decision of the Association taken at a National Meeting by
2/3 majority of the members present at the meeting following a motion to
that effect by members of the branch of the person in question PROVIDED
that no one shall be recommended for such suspension or expulsion unless
he had been given an opportunity to be heard and defend himself before a
disciplinary Committee set up by the branch where he belongs before the
National Meeting.
b. Any member who fails to meet his financial obligations as at when due shall
not be eligible to vote or be voted for.
c. Any branch in default of payment of its financial obligations to the National
body which is thus certified by the National Financial Secretary shall not be
eligible to send delegates to a National Conference.

SECTION 22
GENERAL PROVISIONS
INTERPRETATION:
In this Constitution, the expression
i. The “Constitution” means the Constitution of Umutu Mixed Secondary
School, Umutu Old Students Association.
ii. “Alumni” means the Old Students of Umutu Mixed Secondary School,
Umutu.

iii. “The School” means Umutu Mixed Secondary School, Umutu.

iv. “Members” means the old students of Umutu Mixed Secondary School,
Umutu and anybody conferred with honourary membership of the
Assoiation under this Constitution.
 v. “Conference” means a meeting of all members of the Association and
election delegates of branches of the Association in election years.
vi. “National Meeting” means a meeting of all financial members of the
Association.
vii. “National Association” means Umutu Mixed Secondary School, Umutu.
viii. “Set” means a group of all students who share the same studentship
years at the School.
ix. Every reference to the masculine “him or he” includes the female “her
or she”.

SECTION 23
This Constitution shall come into effect upon its ratification at the Inaugural
Conference.
SECTION 24
This Constitution may be amended at a Conference on a motion forwarded by a
Financial member to and received by the National Secretary duly seconded by
another financial member at least 20 days before the Conference preceding same
and approved by 2/3 majority of the delegates present at the Conference.

PREPARED AND PRESENTED BY THE CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE.