By Gabriel Atumeyi
The Fourth Nigeria Cashew Day and 2026 Cashew Season Flag-Off ended in Abuja with far-reaching resolutions for the growth of Nigeria’s cashew industry. Yet, beyond the policy debates on processing, finance, and global trade, one decision stood out for its institutional weight and long-term implications. The National Cashew Association of Nigeria, NCAN, formally expelled Mr. Ademola Adesokan from the Association.The decision was taken at the Annual General Meeting held on the evening of Thursday, 22 January 2026, at the NCAN Secretariat in Garki II, Abuja, after a full review of events that the Association described as a direct assault on its constitutional order.According to the resolutions adopted by the AGM, Mr. Adesokan unlawfully convened what he termed an Interim Executive Council on the 29th September 2025 and organized an unauthorized Annual General Meeting in Lagos on 20th January 2026. NCAN described these actions as a deliberate attempt to undermine the integrity of the Association and destabilize its governance structure.At the heart of the matter was a clear breach of the NCAN Constitution. Mr. Adesokan, who registered as a member in June 2025, sought to assume leadership roles and initiate electoral processes within three months of joining the Association. This, the AGM noted, violated Section 28(d)(v) of the NCAN Constitution of 2017, which stipulates that no member is eligible to contest, be nominated for, or hold executive office unless they have paid annual dues for at least two consecutive years and have actively participated in NCAN activities.The AGM further cited Section 24(a) of the Constitution, which vests the sole authority to convene Annual General Meetings and set their rules in the President of the Association, Dr. Ojo Joseph Ajanaku. Any parallel process, the meeting resolved, amounts to illegality and institutional sabotage.In expelling Mr. Adesokan, the AGM also called for a full investigation into the roles of Mr. Babalola Faseru and other individuals allegedly involved in the unauthorized activities, with recommendations for possible disciplinary action to be presented at the next AGM.For NCAN, the decision was framed not as a personal dispute but as a necessary act of self-preservation. The AGM emphasized that allowing parallel structures or unconstitutional actions to stand would weaken the Association at a time when the cashew sector requires unity, credibility, and disciplined leadership.This firmness on internal governance mirrored the broader tone of the Summit, where stakeholders repeatedly stressed the need for order, transparency, and trust across the cashew value chain. From resisting hasty export bans to demanding data-driven policy reforms, the Association positioned itself as both an industry advocate and a custodian of standards.The AGM also resolved to commission an independent forensic audit of NCAN’s financial records from inception to date, further signaling a commitment to transparency and institutional renewal. Plans to review the NCAN Constitution, clarify the role of the Board of Trustees, and fill vacant executive offices through due process were equally part of this governance reset.In reaffirming its commitment to constitutional order, the AGM made it clear that NCAN would resist any effort, by individuals or groups, to hijack the Association or compromise the interests of farmers, processors, exporters, and investors who depend on it.The expulsion of Mr. Ademola Adesokan, therefore, was not presented as an end in itself, but as a line drawn in defense of institutional integrity. As Nigeria positions cashew as a strategic non-oil export and a driver of rural employment, NCAN’s leadership insists that the future of the sector must rest on lawful process, internal discipline, and collective purpose.
