I have the honour and privilege to welcome the NATA National President in the person of our amiable brother, Comrade (Alhaji) Magaji Muhammad Sani to Lagos for this historic NEC Meeting of our great association, NATA.
In the same vein, I say welcome to my Zone; to you all the National Trustees, the National Officers as well as the State Councils Chairmen and General Secretaries present here today; while not leaving out our invited Special Guests.
All praises and thanks to Allah, the Most Merciful and Most Benevolent for granting us all mercy journeys to this meeting; the first of its kind in South-West since our commendable election of January, 2018.
I beseech Allah to show us mercy and grant us peaceful atmosphere needed to conduct today’s deliberations.
As for the laudable support extended to us in NATA by our partners which has helped us a lot to forge ahead, I say a very big thanks to the partners and I wish to use this medium to crave for such from all stakeholders in the Nigeria Automotive Industry project; especially the Lubricant Sector.
Automotive Engine Oil is never used by Carpenters, Plumbers, House-Painters, Fashion Designers and Bricklayers, but by Vehicle Repair Technicians, which NATA is known to constitute throughout the country.
Therefore, I don’t see any reason whereby vehicle owners would buy Engine Oils on the shelves and just bring it to us to use for them in our workshops without such Engine Oil producers and or representatives in the country giving us adequate recognition.
I wish to use this forum to call on all genuine engine oil producers and representatives in the country to as a matter of urgency, register with our organisation, NATA before the year runs out and start to lift the association; both in kind and in cash; or else, NATA should instruct its members nationwide to stop using such oils that the proprietors fail to recognize us.
It is time for NATA to use its huge strength as power!
In this wise also, I wish to call on NATA NEC to as a matter of utmost urgency as well as decency to take a binding decision in this forum as to the impostor activities of those who are parading themselves as NATA 2 in some states of South-West and who after forming parallel government are going round some oil companies to collect money.
Significantly however, I want to use this forum on behalf of NATA South-West Zone and indeed NATA National to thank Mr. Samuel Oloyede Oriowo, the Editor-in-Chief of our News Magazine, NATA News for the good job he is doing with his team to project the activities of our association throughout the country to all and sundry.
I want to appeal to every one of us to support this magazine by making it compulsory for all our NATA National Officers, Zonal Officers, State Officers, LGA/LCDA Branch Executives and the Units to buy at least a copy of every edition that is released to us monthly; so that we can always relate with each other on the NATA News platform; before this kind of face-to-face meetings are convened.
And let us take copies of NATA News to relevant Governments agencies and parastatals to show them that NATA should be reckoned with in their schemes of planning too. Through this, I believe NATA will continue to enjoy government’s recognition.
However, as I don’t want to take the whole of your time as there are other pressing issues to deliberate on, I wish to take my seat, but before then, please allow me to thank all the NATA State Chairmen in the South-West Zone for their financial as well as moral support in hosting this NEC.
Let me also quickly extend my appreciation to the Organisations that identified with us particularly in making sure that this NEC is a success.
I am pleased to report to you all that NATA Ondo State Council election was successfully held in Akure, the Ondo State capital recently. And it produced Comrade Babatunde Shobande, the erstwhile State General Secretary as the new State Chairman and Comrade Olumide Akinsuroju as State General Secretary.
The NATA South-West Zone recently lost one of its most valuable members, Comrade (Pa) Alhaji Bello, who was one-time NATA Ondo State Council Chairman. His remains have since been buried. May the departed’s gentle soul rest in perfect peace!
Distinguished NATA officials from across the country, I wish you a very happy deliberation in this NEC, a most pleasant stay in Lagos State, South-West, Nigeria and mercy journeys back to your various states.
God be with you all!!
Up NATA! ….Progress!!
COMRADE (ALHAJI) ADEBAYO JIMOH KOLAWOLE
NATA National Vice President, South-West Zone
Welcome Address presented at NATA National Executive Council (NEC) Meeting by NATA National Vice President for South Western Zone, Comrade (Alhaji) Adebayo Jimoh Kolawole; held in Lagos State, Nigeria on Friday 28th September, 2018