The long running crisis raging amongst founders and executives of Nigeria’s foremost music organisation, the Performing Musician Employers’ Association of Nigeria, seems to have been refuelled as the parties are currently at loggerheads over alleged fraudulent activities in the organisation.
The current crisis, which seems to be a renewal of that which rocked the house during the regime of former president Dele Abiodun, has led to some of its executives, visiting the Nigerian Police Zone 2 command, after a petition was filed by the association’s national treasurer, Hariz Ibezim, who is also known as Dr. Zimakoy.
Pretty Okafor’s wife runs PMAN’s purse – Zimakoy
Ibezim, while speaking with The Point, alleged that the chairman of the caretaker committee of the association, who paraded himself as president, Pretty Okafor, was involved in several fraudulent activities. While alleging that Okafor had diverted several millions of naira to personal accounts, he said, “As the national treasurer of PMAN, I have the responsibility to run PMAN’s finances, but since we got into office, Pretty Okafor has given the position to his wife. Pretty Okafor, his wife and Kenny George are the people that are directly involved in this scam. And they were arrested by police in Zone 2. Their statements were taken and they were later granted bail.
“Police invetigations will continue. Though the Police advised us to settle the case among ourselves, I don’t think anybody will agree with that arrogant and wicked man. Instead, after the expiration of the time given by the police, we are definitely going to court. As I am talking to you, Pretty Okafor has been going about, harassing all the leaders of PMAN. He is not the kind of person we want in PMAN.”
It’s fight to the finish – Pretty Okafor
Meanwhile, Pretty Okafor has said that he is ready for a showdown with his antagonists. In an exclusive chat with The Point, he said, “If there was misconduct in PMAN, it is not the police that can say that and if there was misconduct, it is not somebody that was suspended for fraud and corruption that will caution me. The person that wrote the petition, Zimakoy, was suspended for fraud and corruption, and that was about six months ago.
“He couldn’t defend the suspension, and he begged, but we said no, not until he returned the money he misappropriated before he could be allowed back into the union. And to be sincere with you, these were the set of people that ganged up against Dele Abiodun, but this time around, I will not take it lightly with them.”
Speaking on the alleged police arrest, he said, “When the police invited us and saw the evidence of our accounts, all the evidence of sponsorship with the evidence of the fraud he committed before being suspended, they had to turn to him, (Zimakoy) to arrest him.
“If I may tell you, this is what they have been doing for years, but it just backfired because, they wrote the petition to the police on a fraudulent letterhead, which the police later discovered.”
Responding to the allegation that his wife was in charge of PMAN’s purse, he explained, “That is not true. My wife is the general director of our joint company, and when I was made the president of the organisation, she had to lend her office to PMAN to operate because PMAN did not have any office again. This same set of people fighting me sold PMAN properties before I came on board. Or would I say my wife should leave her office because I brought in PMAN?
Okafor and his team will go to jail – Tee Mac
As the crisis rumbles on, founders of the association are apprehensive about the direction of the raging war. Among these people