NIGERIA’S diaspora community in the UK is planning to hold its 2022 annual general meeting on Saturday May 21 onboard the Golden Sunrise boat along the River Thames in an unprecedented break with tradition.
Historically, Canuk has held its AGM at the high commission’s premises but of late, the association was forced to hold virtual meetings due to lockdown precipitated by the Covid-19 pandemic. This time around however, the Canuk executive committee has opted to have the AGM on a boat in true corporate fashion.
This AGM is one of four major events Canuk plans to hold this year. Others include a Nigerian Cultural Day UK that will take place in August, an independence day seminar on October 1 and an end-of-the-year gala dinner in December, taking place on Saturday December 17.
Canuk’s 2022 AGM will be sponsored by Providus Bank, who will be offering Canuk delegates bank verification numbers (BVN) while opening accounts for them. This year’s AGM will kick off around 11am on Millbank Pier. Delegates will be treated to lunch aboard the boat which sails from just opposite Temple underground station along The Embankment in central London
Just a stone throw from the high commission, Temple Station is where Golden Sunrise will leave and then return to after sailing along the River Thames. Lasting from 11am until 5pm, this year’s AGM will come with light entertainment after deliberations conclude around 3pm.
Canuk general secretary Titi Danso, said: “For the first time in the history of Canuk, we have decided to hold the AGM on the Rivers Thames. Providus Bank approached us to sponsor the event in exchange for them being given access to delegates to sell the idea of bank verification numbers (BVN) to them.
“This fits in with our idea of offering a range of goodies to those who are members of Canuk associations. Going forward, we are looking at offering our members a Canuk embossed credit card, a BVN, a discounted national identity number (Nin), discounted shopping at selected stores and maybe access to a Nigerian drivers licence too.”
Olajumoke Ariyo, Canuk’s first vice chair, added: “It is now compulsory that you have an Nin before you are issued with a Nigerian passport, so Canuk has had to get involved. We are offering all our associations mass registration of their members at £35 each and have decided to extend this package to other areas for everyone who has a Canuk membership card.
“Once we have got the AGM out of the way, we will them seek to consolidate on our success by organising a Nigerian Cultural Day UK on August 27 that will display our rich culture to the whole world. When we are done with that, we will then finish off the year with an independence day seminar on October 1 and an end-of-the year party in December.”
This year’s AGM will be attended by about 100 organisations, the first time ever that such a large number of associations have been members of Canuk. Delegates will also have the opportunity of opening bank accounts with Providus Bank, getting a BVN and applying for a Nin on the day.
Canuk chairman Ayo Akinfe added: “When we started this journey, there were 35 association in Canuk but by the time of our end-of-year party last year, we had got that number up to 70. By the AGM we will have 100 member associations and aim to make this 200 by the end of our tenure next year.
“One way in which we aim to achieve this goal is to launch Operation Alumni next year, whereby we will seek to recruit every single alumni association in the UK. Our vice chair associations will be in charge of the operation and we hope that by this time next year, we have recruited at least 50 Nigerian alumni associations in the UK into Canuk.”
For more information contact:
Princess Moradeun Adedoyin-Solarin Mohammed Yiosese
Publicity Secretary Assistant Publicity Secretary
CANUK CANUK
07427 512739
PrincessDeun1@gmail.com yiosese.m@outlook.com
