ART 1 - 1 NAME: This National Association shall be known and called 'The Urhobo National Association (NA)' and herein after in this constitution shall be referred to as 'The National Association'.

ART 1-2  MOTTO: Okugbe, Egba, V'oyan robaro

ART. 2-1 OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this association shall be:-

(a) To foster unity among Urhobo people.

(b) To promote the cultural heritage of the Urhobo people.

(c) To advance the socio-economic and other interests of the Urhobo people.

(d) To co-ordinate the activities of affiliated organizations.

 (e) To promote technical, material and moral support for the needy.

(f) To promote co-operation among all Nigerian and other organizations in the host countries.

(9) To respect and abide by the laws of the host countries.

ART 3.1 QUALIFICATION: (a) Membership of this National Association shall be open to all Urhobo people provided that they are members of affiliated organization of this National Association.

(b) Individual Urhobos resident in areas where there are no affiliated organizations can be non-voting members.

(c) All Urhobo organizations are eligible members 'of this National Association.

ART 3.2 CRITERIA; (a) Geographic spread - A new Urhobo organization must not be within 200 miles radius of an existing Urhobo organization.

ART 3.3 Membership must be in good attendance, current with registration fees and monthly dues.

ART 4.1 ELECTED OFFICERS: The elected officers of this National Association shall be:

(a) President General
(b) IST Vice President
(c) Secretary General
(d) Assistant Secretary General
(e) Vice President - Finance
(f) Vice President - Social/Cultural Affairs
(g) Vice President - Publicity
(h) Speaker (OTOTA)
(i) Deputy Speaker (OTOTA)
(j) Ex-Officio
(k) Ex-Officio

ART 5 - I The duties of the elected officers of this National Association shall be:

(1) PRESIDENT GENERAL

(a) Shall be the Chief Executive and the chief spokesperson of this National Association.

(b) Shall convey and preside over all- regular, executive and emergency meetings of this National Association.

(c) Shall be signatory to all bank accounts of this National Association.

(d) Shall have authority to create ad hoc committees.

(e) Shall submit an annual budget and an annual report at an annual national convention.

(f) Shall not be a president of a local chapter.

(2) 1ST VICE PRESIDENT:

(a) Shall be the Immediate assistant to the President General

(b) Shall conduct all general meetings whenever the President General is absent.

(c) Shall automatically be President General whenever the President General is unable to function due to incapacitation or resignation.

(d) Shall perform other functions as may be assigned by the President General.

SECRETARY GENERAL:

(a) Shall be the Chief scribe of this National Association.

(b) Shall be responsible for all the internal and external communications of this National Association.

(c) Shall record, keep, and update all records of this National Association.

(d) Shall be a signatory to all bank accounts of this National Association.

 (e) Shall perform other functions as may be assigned by the President General.
 

(4) ASSISTANT SECRETARY GENERAL:

(a) Shall Perform all duties of the Secretary General In his absence and or any duties that- may be delegated by the Secretary General.

(b) Shall automatically become the Secretary General whenever the Secretary General Is unable to function due to incapacitation or resignation.

(5) VICE PRESIDENT - FINANCE:

(a) Shall be in charge of collecting dues, keeping ana updating the financial records of this National Association.

(b) Shall deposit all funds collected within 72 hours of receipt.

(c) Shall be a signatory to all bank accounts of this National Association.

(d) Shall provide monthly financial reports to the National Association.

(e) Shall make petty cash available to the executive body.

(6) Vice PRESIDENT-SOCIAL/CULTURAL AFFAIRS:

(a) Shall be responsible for co-ordinating all the social and cultural activities of this National Association.

(b) Shall perform other duties as may be assigned by the President General.

(7) VICE PRESIDENT - PUBLICITY:

(a) Shall be responsible for publicizing all the activities of  this National Association.

(b) Shall be the public relations officer of this National Association.

(c) Shall perform other duties as may be assigned by 'the President General.

(8) SPEAKER (OTOTA):

(a) Shall be the traditional speaker of this National Association.

(b) Shall perform other duties as may be assigned by the President General.

(9) DEPUTY SPEAKER:

(a) Shall assist the speaker.

(b) Shall perform duties usually assigned to the provost.

(c) Shall perform other duties as may be assigned by the President General.
 

ART 5-2 ELECTIONS:

SECTION I - DURATION: Elections shall be held every 2 years in the first weekend of September.

SECTION 11 - ELIGIBILITY: There shall be one vote per organization.

SECTION III - DECISION: Decisions shall be by simple majority. Elections shall be by open ballots.

SECTION IV - ELECTORAL COMMITTEE: An electoral committee shall be selected by the Board of Trustees and the- electoral commission shall conduct all elections.

SECTION V- TENURE: An officer shall serve a term of 2 years and a maximum of 2 terms. No executive officer shall be elected in absentia or by proxy.

ART 6-1 (a) The secretariat shall have a permanent site in New York.

(b) The positions of the Secretary General and Assistant Secretary General Shall be open to Urhobo residents in the tri-state area - New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

ART 7-1 FREQUENCY: There shall be one annual national convention.

ART 7-2 DATE; The annual national convention shall be held in the first weekend of September.

ART 7 - 3 LOCATION: Location of annual meetings shall be known two years in advance.

ART 8-1 REGISTRATION: There shall be a one time registration fee of $500.00 (Five Hundred Collars) per chapter with membership above five persons and $250.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Dollars) for chapters with membership under five persons.

ART 8 - 2  DUES: There shall be a monthly due of $5.00 (Five Dollars) per head from all the various affiliated organizations.

ART 8-3 QUARTERLY REMITTANCE: All dues shall be remitted quarterly.

ART 8-4 LONE MEMBERSHIP DUES: A lone member f rom an area where an affiliated Organization within a 200 mile-radius does not exist, shall pay a monthly due of $5.00 (Five Dollars).

ART 9 - 1 COMPOSITION: Shall be comprised of all the Presidents of the affiliated organizations, the President General and the Vice President Finance of this National Association.

ART 9 - 2 AUDITORS: Shall appoint auditors to audit the books of this National Association.

ART 9-3 CHAIRPERSON: Shall elect its own chairperson who shall not be the President General.

ART 9-4 DUTIES: (a) Shall select the electoral committee-

(b) Shall function in an advisory capacity.

ARTICLES: Articles shall be amended by a simple majority vote of all affiliated organizations present in an annual general meeting.

LAW ART.1 ATTENDANCE: (a) All executive members must attend executive meetings except an expressed permission of the President is  obtained in advance.

(b) Any executive officer that misses 3 consecutive executive meetings shall be relieved of his/her office.

LAW ART.1-2 DISCIPLINE: (a) Any affiliated organization or executive member who defies the rules and regulations of this National Association, shall be subject to a fine, suspension or dismissal.

(b) Any affiliated organization or executive member who works against the interest of this National Association shall be subject to a fine, suspension or dismissal.

(c) Any member who collaborates or engages in any activity that violates the federal, state or local laws of the host countries shall be disciplined.

LAW ART.1-3 LANGUAGE: The primary mode of communication at meetings shall be Urhobo.