How to Choose Your Next Estate Chairman

How to Choose Your Next Estate Chairman (Before He Steals Your Dues)

It happens every year. The estate AGM is called. Someone announces nominations for chairman, secretary, treasurer. You raise your hand and vote for whoever the current chairman suggests or whoever your neighbours are voting for. A month later, you're paying dues to someone you don't really know, and you have no idea what he's doing with the money.

That's how it works in most Nigerian estates. And that's how the financial scandals start.

The UNILAG Magodo residents learned this lesson in November 2024. Their estate held elections, but residents questioned the process. When the results came out, many residents felt the election wasn't legitimate. They protested for a fresh election and an "illegitimate exco cannot collect dues." Whether you believe the claims or not, the lesson is clear: residents didn't trust the process or the outcome.

You don't have to end up in that situation.

Why Your Vote Actually Matters

Your estate chairman controls how your dues are spent. Every month, you pay anywhere from ₦1,500 to ₦15,000 (depending on your estate), and that money goes to whomever the exco decides to employ, contract, or pay off. If you vote for the wrong person, you're funding decisions you'll regret for the next two years.

The Magodo II Estate case shows why this matters. The exco chairman approved ₦4.8 million per year in security allowances without board approval. The internal auditor raised the alarm: "If the amount is running over ₦10 million, it should not be handled by only one person." But it was too late. The money had already moved.

The residents had voted. They'd handed over control. Now they were paying for someone else's decisions.

What to Look for in an Estate Chairman Candidate

Before you vote, ask yourself these questions about each nominee:

1. Has He Held a Leadership Position Before?

Look at his track record. Has he managed a team, supervised people, or made decisions that affected a group? It doesn't have to be in finance. It could be in construction, transport, retail, or any field where he had to oversee people or make resource decisions.

If he's never held any leadership position, he's not the right candidate. You're hiring someone to make decisions affecting hundreds of residents and millions of naira. A first-time chairman is too much of a risk.

If you're not sure whether he's held a leadership role, ask directly: "Have you supervised people or made decisions for a group before?" If he hesitates or can't give a clear example, that's a warning sign.

What matters most: Can he delegate? Will he hire or work with a competent treasurer who handles the numbers? Will he ask the right questions and hold people accountable? A chairman doesn't have to be an accountant. But he has to know how to oversee one.

2. Can He Be Flexible and Available?

A full-time job isn't disqualifying. What matters is whether he can make himself available when the estate needs him. A chairman doesn't need to be free 24/7, but he needs to respond to emergencies.

Ask directly: "Will your job allow you to respond to estate emergencies?" Listen for his answer. Can he take a call if there's a security breach? Can he attend an unscheduled exco meeting if something urgent comes up? Can he visit the estate on a weekend if needed?

A self-employed person with flexibility is ideal. But a full-time employee who has vacation days, shift flexibility, or understanding from his boss can work just as well. The issue isn't his employment. It's his commitment to being reachable when the estate needs him.

3. Does He Own Property in the Estate or Just Rent?

This matters more than you think. An owner has a financial stake in the estate. His property value depends on good management. A tenant might move in two years and not care what he leaves behind. Ask if he owns or rents.

4. What's His Attitude Toward Estate Life?

Pay attention to how he behaves as a resident before the election. Is he engaged in the estate or does he hide?

Does he show up to AGM meetings, or does he skip them? Does he owe past dues, or does he pay on time? Does he volunteer for estate work (maintenance days, security contributions, community initiatives)? Does he complain about problems from the sidelines, or does he help solve them?

A good chairman candidate is already invested in the estate before asking for leadership. He's proven he cares enough to show up, pay his share, and help. That's the person worth voting for.

5. Can He Listen Without Arguing?

Ask a question during nomination. Watch his reaction. Does he get defensive? Does he listen? Does he explain himself, or does he shut you down? A good chairman will defend his idea but remain open to criticism. A bad one will make enemies before the vote even happens.

Red Flags — Don't Vote for This Guy

Red Flag 1: He's Never Held a Job Managing Money

If he's never had to budget, forecast spending, or reconcile accounts, he's not ready to be treasurer or chairman. Being a guard, a driver, a junior staff member is fine experience. But if he's never managed finances, he'll mess up yours.

Red Flag 2: He Won't Answer Questions About His Plan

A good candidate will have thought about what he'll do: security improvements, dues collection method, maintenance priorities, how he'll report back to residents. If he gets vague or says "we'll figure it out as we go," he's not prepared.

Red Flag 3: He Promises No Price Increases on Dues

Inflation is real. Security guards need salary increases. Fuel costs rise. A chairman who promises to freeze dues for two years is either lying or planning to let infrastructure decay. Don't vote for fantasies. Vote for someone honest about the costs.

Red Flag 4: He's Already Offering Money or Favors

Vote-buying happens in estate elections just like national ones. If a candidate is handing out money, buying drinks, or making promises to individuals, he's expecting payback. He's not voting for the estate. He's voting for himself.

Red Flag 5: He Speaks Badly About the Previous Exco Without Specifics

If he says "the last chairman stole everything" but can't point to specific transactions or document anything, he's just gossip-mongering. A serious candidate will have documented evidence of actual wrongdoing.

Virtual voting closes the gap for residents who can't attend the physical AGM. Home Access polling lets all residents vote from home, primary residence (only two vote per unit), or all-resident (everyone in the unit votes). Admins see real-time results, vote counts, and can generate audit reports. No rigging. No missed voices.

Questions to Ask Before You Vote

Find the candidates. Ask them these questions at the nomination meeting or in writing:

On Leadership & Vision:

1. "Have you managed people or led a team before? Tell me about that experience."
2. "What's your biggest challenge as chairman going to be? How will you handle it?"
3. "If you disagree with another exco member on a major decision, how will you resolve it?"

On Estate Priorities: 4. "What are the top three problems facing this estate right now?" 5. "What will you do about each of them?" 6. "If our dues aren't enough to cover what needs to be done, what's your plan?"

On Communication & Accountability: 7. "How will you keep residents informed? Monthly updates? Open meetings? What's your system?" 8. "If a resident challenges a decision, what's the process to investigate and explain?" 9. "Will exco meetings be open to residents, or will you share minutes afterward?"

On His Commitment to the Estate: 10. "Why do you want this position? What's your motivation?" 11. "How long have you lived here, and what do you love about this estate?"

Write down their answers. Compare them later. The candidate who gives specific, thoughtful answers is more serious than one who gives vague platitudes.

How the Vote Actually Works

Before the voting even happens, ask about the voting process itself:

• Will ballots be secret or show of hands? (Secret is better.)
• Who counts the votes? (Should be multiple people, not the chairman counting his own votes.)
• Who observes the count? (Anyone can volunteer; make sure residents are watching.)
• Will results be written down and shared with everyone? (Yes, always.)

In UNILAG Magodo, residents didn't ask these questions. When the votes came back "wrong," they had no way to verify. Don't let that happen in your estate.

What Happens After You Vote

Once he's elected, hold him accountable:

• Demand quarterly financial reports
• Ask for receipts for large payments
• Request an annual audit (hire an independent accountant)
• Attend exco meetings or ask for minutes
• Ask questions at the AGM without fear

If he resists transparency, that's your warning. A good chairman has nothing to hide.

The Real Power You Have

Voting for estate exco is one of the few times Nigerian residents actually have power. You're hiring someone to manage money that's yours. You can fire him at the next AGM if he underperforms. That's leverage.

Use it wisely. Don't vote for your friend because you're friends. Don't vote for the guy the current chairman suggests. Don't vote for someone you've never met.

Vote for someone with experience, a plan, and the honesty to answer your questions. Your dues depend on it.

Before your estate's next AGM, think about who should lead it. Know the red flags. Ask the right questions. Vote wisely.