MAZADU SLAMS BOK OVER PPA CRISIS
B:y Labaran Ahmed
Shabul Mazadu, publisher of THE BEACON Newspaper, and Chairman Independent Publishers Association, IPA, has slammed Daniel Bok, the Chief Executive Officer of Horizon Magazine and PPA 2 renegade leader, for being the albatross of smooth running of Plateau Publishers Association, PPA.
Speaking with newsmen in his office yesterday, Mazadu lamented that since the amalgamation of all factions of the Publishers into one body, PPA, by then ITF Director General, Joseph Ari, for the purpose of unity, peace and progress, the association couldn't achieve its aims and objectives by virtue of Daniel Bok who recruited his kind to cause multiple commotions as a ploy to ascend to the chairmanship position which he is currently holding as PPA 2 leader.
Mazadu narrated that Dan cunningly chose to deputize for others and set traps for their failures so that when vote of no confidence is passed on them, he will jump into their shoes.
According to him, when Nash Vongdip, the pioneer chairman held sway, Bok did nothing to support him, and when Nash tendered his resignation, and the members pushed for a new chairman, Dan Bok stood up and declared that if Nash failed what was his fault. He should be made the chairman, but members of the EXCO declared that they should all be dissolved, and that crashed his first ambition.
Mazadu said, "When I was appointed as interim chairman, the House chose Bok to be my secretary, but I protested in caution of how he poorly supported Nash and the ambition he was nursing. But Bok said I shouldn't entertain doubts.
"But as time went by Bok started plotting to cause my failure. First, he came with his crew and invited me to a courtesy call on Dr. Danlami Lengkop at Hwolshe Medical Centre, and after that they whispered in my ears that they and I should have a clique to overshadow Nanyah Daman and his crew, to heavily source means of survival for the cabal and to skeletally consider the general association. But I laughed in my spirit and said what a wicked advice. First I will not be the source of polarising the association and I will not give them a chance to have something against me.
"After this failure, I led the PPA EXCO on a courtesy visit to Dasuki Nakade, the proprietor of Unity FM, Jos, for the second time and he advised us to register with PLASMIDA, so that he can help all the publishers secure grants that will help our businesses grow. He brought N10, 000 and gave us as his support, we added N5000, making it N15, 000 and assigned Bok to do the registration on behalf of the association. He accepted to do the job, but frustrated the exercise and kept giving unnecessary excuses. To this day he didn't tell us what transpired. I supposed he did it deliberately so that I will not succeed and get support of the members.
"There was a time after we gave then Governor, Simon Lalong, an award on peace, Plateau Internal Revenue Service, called and gave PPA adverts congratulating him. When we got the funds which only ten mediums will benefit, Dan Bok whispered to me to choose those that will be given the adverts, but I told him to do the selection to avoid uncertainties that could come from him. After sharing the adverts for ten papers so that if another chance comes, others who did not get, will have it, Dan Bok collected the advert but didn't carry it on his medium to this very day. I saw that as a ploy to frustrate the success of my work.
"The body language of his crew members depicted terrible agenda against my leadership in the following areas: we gave letters to the treasurer and Godfrey Sumwar to take to the National Assembly for Honorables Yusuf Gagdi, Idris Maje, Komsol Longgap and for then Minister of Women Affairs, Dame Pauline Tallen. Luckily for them, Komsol was in Jos then, and they gave him, but they didn't travel to Abuja to give the letters to those written to. One day, I called the PA of the Minister Alhaji Baba Bala, and asked why they didn't reply our letter. He asked me to send the acknowledge copy, that was when I discovered we were played. The crew didn't go to Abuja despite the transport given to them.
"Another member of his crew, Philip Zhatau, who got the PIRS advert, did not use my picture when I was presenting the award to the governor. He only used the governor's picture. They never knew that I knew their ulterior motive and plans.
"There was another time when we got honorarium, and I said something should be kept in the coffers, Godfrey Sumwar, his right hand man protested, saying everything should be shared. I then told him if we engage in that, we will not get resources to run the association. He said he had a brilliant idea, and I told him to cough it out. He then said I should write letters to ministries and agencies of government begging for resources to run the association. I looked at him and laughed in my spirit, and said that what you were looking for, you won't get.
"When all attempts to make me erred failed, the next thing was, I got a message twice at different times from one of Bok's crew members telling me that after my six months interim leadership, I will be stripped off the chairmanship and be replaced with Dan Bok. I laughed and told the PRO that Bok and his crew are bad schemers. And promised to allow them complete their schemes and then strike hard a lesson they will never forget.
"Closed to the expiration period, and was a period of Ramadan, I told the PRO to collect some money from the treasurer who happened to be very close to Bok, so that we can make greeting cards wishing Muslims well on Ramadan but she refused to give. She told the PRO she won't be given a dime. I then told him not to mind. I brought some money and gave him and we printed the cards. Since then I told the PRO I will run the association with my money, since we just have very few weeks to go. And so I did.
"Knowing the plans of Bok, I asked him when our six months will expire, he refused to tell me thinking I will be carried away and exceed the day, so that they will use it against me. When Bok refuse to tell me, I asked the PRO to get it for me, and he did.
"I called for a meeting in preparation of our handing over, but Dan Bok and the treasurer refused to attend.
"Sumwar, Dan Bok's right hand man kept attacking and condemning my services to the association. I never collected any fund on behalf of the association. It was the treasurer who always did and then disbursed. I never collected any allowance from the association neither collected whatever above anyone. Everything was shared equally.
"When I took over the chairmanship, I found an empty treasure with lots of debts, but I raised N313,000, for the association, and left N36, 000. I wasn't given handover notes, but I gave when leaving. In all these, Sumwar in connivance with Bok, kept bashing me falsely.
"Two weeks to the expiration of my tenure, I called for a general meeting and Nanyah Daman told me that they learnt there was a crack in the EXCO and the BOT has decided to take a decision. He then asked whether it was okay by me. I said yes.
After reading my hand over notes. Dan Bok stood up and said if a day is added to me as chairman, he will not be part of the EXCO. In addition to this, Sumwar kept attacking me badly.
"The association dissolved the EXCO, and appointed ELCOM which will conduct elections in six months. I sworn the ELCOM, and left the association over the looming crisis I envisaged. But I wasn't alone, some members left with me and insisted we form IPA. Out of the five EXCO members I led, two went with me.
"After six months, PPA could not conduct elections and it chose interim EXCO. Nanyah Daman was made chairman and Dan Bok his deputy. But Nanyah was ignorant of Bok's ambition, and fell prey to it. Dan Bok staged coup de tat and claimed to ousted him from the chairmanship, while Daman insisted Dan and his crew were banished from the association. Check those that are with Bok. They are Sumwar and Philip Zhatau. The same people who fomented problems for me when I led PPA.
Daman is claiming legitimacy while Bok is doing same.
"If you look at it, who failed to help Nash succeed? Dan Bok. Who kept setting traps for me to fail? Dan Bok. Who is now fighting Nanyah Daman for the chairmanship? Dan Bok? Who are his right hand men? Sumwar and Zhatau.
"Since IPA left, we never had crisis, but what is happening in PPA? That goes to tell you where the problem is, and its architect.
"Dan Bok did not stop there he came to IPA seeking our support to join him, but we said no. He then went about telling organisations they visited that we had resolved and are now one. I learnt that they impersonated us saying the Deputy Chairman of IPA is part of them, Danjuma Bali. IPA never had a deputy chairman. And we have since sacked Bali from IPA. He is not with us and will never be. We have never been part of PPA 1 or PPA 2.
"I will like the public to know that there are factions of publishers association on the Plateau and one of them, the PPA is into faction 1 and 2. IPA for now remains independent of others. We are not under Dan Bok and he is not our leader. We have no dealings with him."
