Court restrains Nnimmo Bassey from acting as ERA chair

The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has restrained Rev. Nnimmo Bassey from parading   or   holding   out   himself   as   the   Chairman   of   Board   of   Trustees   of Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN) pending the hearing of the motion on notice.

The court also specifically restrains Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) from recognizing or acknowledging him as chairman of the Board of Trustees.

In the case of Incorporated Trustees of Environmental Rights Development Foundation (ERA/FoEN) & 2 ORS v. Rev. Arc. Nnimmo Bassey & 3 Ors (FHC/L/CS/FHC/1421/2020), the applicants counsel President Aigbokhan, Esq argued in its motion ex parte that the 1st Defendant which is Rev. Dr. Nnimmo Bassey is currently the Executive Director and Board Chairman of Incorporated Trustee of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) (a leading environmental and food sovereignty advocacy group) and at the same time the chairman of Environmental Rights Development Foundation (a foremost environmental advocacy group in Africa) before he was removed by a General Assembly on 7th October 2020 on the ground of conflict of interest.

He argued that the affiliate members’ decision on 7th October 2020 should be affirmed pending the hearing of the motion on notice. He reiterated that the activities of Incorporated Trustee of Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF) led by Rev Nnimmo Bassey is questionably in conflict with that of Environmental Rights Development Foundation (ERA) which he founded alongside Dr. Uyi Ojo and Oronto Douglas in 2005.

The court recognized the new board as constituted by its affiliate members and led by Chief Saint Emma Pii and Dr. Uyi Ojo as the chairman and secretary respectively.

The case was adjourned to 29th October 2020 for hearing of motion on notice