The Association shall have the following purposes:

1. To promote and encourage the fostering of unity among the citizens of Ibeku both at home and abroad.
2. To promote economic, educational, cultural and social needs as well as progress of Ibeku people.
3. To morally and financially support the aspirations of Ibeku people provided that these aspirations are in the interest of Ibeku people.
4. To act as a liaison between our governments, and others, including other organizations both governmental and nongovernmental, and Ibeku people in the United States of America.
5. To support and promote various charitable organizations by either donations or services to such organizations.

Chapter name shall include the phrase Ibeku Association as well as the name of the State or City of jurisdiction. Example of acceptable chapter name is: Ibeku Association Dallas Chapter.

All people of Ibeku origin, and other interested parties/individuals are eligible to become members of the Association. A chapter of the Association shall be formed wherever citizens of Ibeku and their families exist, and where there is no existing chapter of Ibeku Association within (100) one hundred mile radius.

Registration to Ibeku National Association shall be by individual registration through local chapters. On or before end of January of every year, each chapter shall register with the National Secretary the names and addresses of its Executive Members, their total membership and shall pay registration fee of $50.00 (fifty dollars) per member. Every new Chapter (in its formation) shall immediately register with the National Secretary the names and addresses of its Executives and total membership. Chapter membership to Ibeku National Association shall become effective only when registration fee(s) has been received by the financial secretary. Thirty (30) days before the National Convention, or as the National Executive may direct, each chapter shall register with the National Secretary any additional members it may have. Every chapter shall inform the National Secretary in writing, of any change in its executive members and total membership. A chapter that did not pay its member dues by February 25th of each calendar year shall be considered delinquent on its financial obligation and shall lose all membership privileges including voting right.

1 Each financial member is entitled to one (1) vote.
2. Voting shall be by secret ballot.
3. Only financial members shall be allowed to vote.
4. No member shall be allowed to or be voted for in absentia.

Ibeku National Association shall be organized and ruled by the following structure:

1. National Executive Council
2. Board of Directors.

The National Executive Council shall consist of the following officers:

a. President
b. Vice President
c. Secretary
d. Treasurer.
e Publicity Secretary/Director of Information
f. Chief Whip.
g Financial Secretary.
h Cultural Affairs Officer.
i Others that the National Board of Director sees fit to create

The National Board of Directors shall consist of the following members:

1. President of the National Executive Council
2. President of each local member chapter
3. Any other individual designated by each local chapter

Each member expressing interest in a National office shall file its candidacy with the National executive Council/Board of Directors no later than (3) three months before the annual/bi-annual convention, with non-refundable filing fee of $20.00 (twenty dollars). The contesting member(s) shall be both financial and participating member(s). A financial member is that individual member who has complied with article V of the constitution. A participating member is individual member who attends regular local meetings and National Conventions. All members/individuals seeking any office in the national executive council shall be certified by their local chapters. The manifesto of the contesting candidates shall be made available tothe National Executive Council / Board of Directors no later than (2) two months before the National Convention.
No candidate whose manifesto has not been presented to the National Executive/ Board of directors shall be eligible to contest.

a]. One nominating speech lasting no more than five minutes preceding each vote shall be allowed.
b]. Voting shall be by secret ballot.
c]. A member that received plurality of the votes cast shall be declared elected. In the absence of such a majority, the leading candidates receiving three quarters of the total votes cast shall stand for a run-off election.
d.] In case of a tie, there shall be a run-off by the two highest candidates.

Appointment of officers to the National Executive Council by the President/board of directors shall be based on competence, experience, financial participation, and ability to work with others.

The National Executive Council shall have the following powers:

1. It shall execute the policies of the Association
2. It shall call meetings of the National Council
3. It shall represent the views of the Association
4. It shall be responsible for the annual/bi-annual Convention
5. It shall make public all individual and chapters eligible to vote at the annual/bi-annual Convention.
6. It shall encourage the formation of new chapters and the strengthening of existing ones.

The National Board of Directors shall have the following powers:

a. It shall be the policy making body of the Association.
b. It shall encourage the formation of chapter of the Association in all the states in America.
c. It shall keep in touch with members in areas where it is impossible to form a chapter.
d. It shall(in consultation with national executives) have the power to levy chapters whenever necessary.
e. It shall appoint auditors in the event that non-was appointed at the annual/bi-annual convention.
f. It shall create portfolios whenever necessary and or appoint member(s) to the national executive council in case of a vacancy
g. It shall take disciplinary action and/or remove from office any officer of the National Executive
for misconduct and/or negligence of duty.
h. It shall in consultation with the national president set goals, and annual operating budget for the
association.

All National Board of directors meetings shall be conducted according to standard parliamentary procedures. The president shall use his/her discretion to limit the time for each member discussion. A quorum shall be formed by simple majority of members of the National Executive Council and Board of Directors present at the meeting. The National Executive Council and Board of directors may summon its meetings in any city or state by rotation.
The National Executive Council and Board of Directors reserves the right to invite any non-executive member(s) of the association to attend its meetings. Members of the National Executive Council and Board of Directors shall vote in the National Executive Council and Board of Directors meetings.
The president or the presiding member must recognize each speaker before he or she can speak at the meeting. A speaker shall speak without recognition only if he or she is doing so on point of order , point of information , or registering an objection. All points of information or registration of objection shall be addressed to the president or presiding officer who shall either sustain or over rule the objection.

The National President shall:

1. Be the chief executive officer and spokesperson of the Association
2. Summon executive meetings, emergency meetings, and organize annual/bi-annual Convention with
the help of his executive members and local chapter .
3. Preside over all meetings of the National executive and National Board of Directors.
4. Preside over the activities of the annual/bi-annual convention; designate a chairman and members
of high table for the convention.
5. Deliver a written address about the activities and aspirations of the Association at the
Annual Convention.
6. Have a casting vote.
7. Shall act as a mediator where and when conflicts arise between members and or chapters.
9. In the event of unresolved matters relating to the welfare of the Association, the President
shall in consultation with the National Executive/Board of Directors make determinations on behalf of the Association.
10. Assign portfolios to national vice president.
11. The National President shall present in the National Convention, a budget for the incoming
fiscal year

In the absence of the President, the National Executive Vice President shall perform the duties of thePresident or any other duty assigned by the president or the Association

The National Secretary shall:

a. Be in charge of the Secretariat.
b. Record the minutes of all meetings of the National Executive, National Board of Directors and the
National Convention. Shall mail copies of minutes to each member chapter three months after
National convention.
d. Brief member chapters in writing, the decisions reached at the National Executive Council
meetings
e. Notify member chapters in writing of impending meetings and national conventions.
f. Shall in consultation with the national president prepare all meeting agendas.
g. Shall provide meeting agenda to the publicity secretary/Director of Information for circulation

The National Treasurer shall:

1. be responsible for keeping records of all moneys collected and expenditures made and shall present such records to dully appointed auditors when asked to do so.
2. Shall collect all Moines from the financial secretary and deposit such money into the association s bank account within (2) two business days from the day such money was collected.
3. Shall keep record of all deposits and deposit slips and shall make copies available to the financial secretary
4. Shall keep assets of the association not assigned to any other official.
5. Shall perform monthly bank reconciliation with the financial secretary.

The financial secretary shall a. Record and document all the Association s financial transactions b. Present at the annual/bi-annual Convention a detailed account of the financial standing of the Association c. Shall collect all monies due the Association and furnish such monies to the treasurer after meetings d. Shall provide members and member chapters with statutes of their financial obligations semi-annually. e. Shall perform quarterly bank reconciliation with he treasurer

The National Publicity Secretary/director of Information shall:

1. Publicize the Association and supervise all publications.
2. Shall in consultation with the national president and national secretary keep members and member chapters informed of all national events.
3. Be responsible for preparing yearly roster of Ibeku people resident in the United States of America;

The Chief Whip shall:keep time, affirm the rules and maintain order during national meetings and conventions.

The National Cultural officer shall: a. Work with the national president in formulating programs for raising funds for the Association.b. Shall promote/propagate Ibeku culture in United States of America

The finances of the Association shall be drawn from dues.1. Levies,2. Donations.3. Bequeaths4. Solicitations and other legal sources.Every chapter of the Association shall pay annual dues of ($50.00) fifty dollars per member.

The association shall be authorized to accept funds from any individual, Association or Corporation to be used for any reason consistent with the purpose of the association.

There shall be three auditors appointed during the annual/bi-annual convention. The auditors shall audit all accounts of the association. The audit shall be executed and completed within four months from the day the auditors were appointed. The auditors shall submit audit report to the National Executive Council.

The Treasurer shall keep cash balance of not more than $150.00 at anytime for purposes of running the Secretariat.

All payments must be made with checks of the bank account of the Association by the Treasurer and must be supported by vouchers. The checks must be signed by the President and the Treasurer. In the absence of the Treasurer, the Secretary can sign with the President. No expenditure in excess of $500.00 shall be incurred on behalf of the Association without written approval from the National Board of Directors.

The Association shall create an emergency fund, which shall be used in meeting emergencies that may affect any member of the Association. Emergency funds shall be created whether or not the Association has life insurance for its members. Emergency funds shall be raised by each member contributing $10.00 per month (120.00) annually to the emergency fund. A member that did not contribute to the emergency fund shall not benefit from it. Emergencies shall include:

1. Death of a financial member.
2. Death of a financial members spouse, child or parent .In the event a financial member dies in the United States, the Association shall give a total sum of $2,000.00 to the immediate family members.

In the event, the death of a financial member occurred in Nigeria, the Association shall give a total sum of $1,000.00 to the immediate family member(s).

There shall be annual convention of the association until the year 2004, after which the National Association shall hold bi-annual conventions.

1. The National convention shall be held on memorial day weekend.
2. Member chapter willing to host the National convention shall so volunteer at the national annual/bi-annual conventions.
3. If more than one member chapter volunteer to host the National convention, The national executive council shall choose a member chapter to host it.
4. If no member chapter volunteered to host it, the national executive council shall select a city where the national convention shall be held.
5. The cost of planning and organizing the national convention shall be borne by the local host.
6. The national Association shall receive from the hosting chapter (50%) fifty percent of all proceeds from the national convention. The proceed s shall be remitted to the National Association s bank account by the host chapter immediately after the convention, without demand.
7. The National Association shall take no financial loss from the hosting chapter.
8. The hosting chapter may ask for financial assistance from the National Association for the purposes of hall rental. Financial assistance requested for and received by the host chapter shall be returned back to the National Association s bank account without demand immediately after the National Convention.

National Executive meetings shall be called under the instructions of, and presided over by, the President as described in Article VII, Section 107.

1. Three members shall form a quorum for National Executive meetings.
2. Motion shall be carried by a simple majority of the members present.
3. The National Executive reserves the right to invite any non-executive member(s) of the Association to attend its meetings.

Outgoing officers shall hand over all the association s records, documents and property in their possession to the incoming officers within thirty (30) days following the end of their term in office.

In all procedural matters not covered by this Constitution, this Association shall be governed by the latest issue of Robert's rules of Parliamentary procedure. In the event of conflict between the National and chapter constitution, the National constitution shall prevail and override the chapter constitution.

The National Constitution can be amended at the annual/bi-annual convention. Procedure to amend the constitution

1. Signed petition of not less than 15 financial members to amend the constitution must be received by the secretary three months before national convention.
2. Board of Directors shall review the signed petition and forward recommendation to registered member chapters. Proposed amendments shall be included in the annual/bi-annual Convention agenda.

A vote of yes by majority of members present shall be required for adoption. Amendments so adopted shall become effective immediately thereafter.