SAMPLE CONSTITUTION FOR CHURCH REGISTRATION IN NIGERIA

PREAMBLE:

We, the members of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH, a religious, not-for-profit and non-political organization do firmly and solemnly resolve to provide for ourselves a constitution and to be governed by the provisions therein contained.

ARTICLE 1: NAME:

The name of the Organization shall be ARMY OF ZION CHURCH (hereinafter referred to as the “Church.”)

ARTICLE 2: ADDRESS

The Address of the Church shall be situate in Nigeria

ARTICLE 3: AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

The aims and objectives of the Church are:

1. To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ

2. To establish churches and Christian centres.

3. To engage in evangelism and win souls for Christ

4. To establish Bible schools and other institutions for the training of ministers and evangelists.

5. To do such other lawful things that are incidental to the attainment of the objectives of the

    Church.

ARTICLE 4: TRUSTEES

A.    The Trustees of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH for the purpose of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No. 1 of 1990 shall be elected at a General Meeting by two-thirds (2/3) majority of members present and charged with the responsibility of selecting the Trustees.

B.     Such Trustees (Hereinafter referred to as, “The Trustees’’) shall be Three (3) in number and shall be known as “THE REGISTERED TRUSTEES OF ARMY OF CHURCH.”

C.     A Trustee may hold office for life but shall cease to hold office if he:

1. Resigns his office
2. Ceases to be a member of the registered Trustees of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH.
3. Becomes insane
4. Is officially declared bankrupt
5. Is convicted of a criminal offence involving dishonesty by a Court of competent jurisdiction
6. Is recommended for removal from office by a majority of the Board of Trustees or two-thirds majority votes of members present at any General Meeting of the ARMY OF ZION CHURCH.
7. Ceases to reside in Nigeria

D. Upon a vacancy occurring in the number of Trustees a General Meeting shall be held to

     appoint another eligible member of the Church to fill such vacancy with at least two-thirds of

     the members in attendance at the General Meeting to form quorum.

1. The Trustees shall apply in a prescribed manner to the Corporate Affairs Commission for the certificate of registration of the Church under the Part C of the Companies and Allied

Matters Act No 1 of 1990.

      2.  If such certificate is granted, the Trustees shall have the power to accept and hold in trust

           all land belonging to the ARMY OF ZION CHURCH and to acquire 

           land on behalf of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH and subject to such

           conditions as the Commission may impose

ARTICLE 5: COMMON SEAL

A.    The Trustees shall have a Common seal.

B.     Such Common seal will be kept in the custody of the Secretary who shall produce it when required for use by the Trustees.

C.     All documents to be executed by the Trustees shall be signed by such number of them and sealed with the Common seal.

ARTICLE 6: MEETINGS

For effective administration of the Church there shall be the following meetings:

1.      The Annual General Meeting shall be the supreme body of the Church.

2.      The Annual General Meeting shall hold in the month of July every year at a place decided by the Board of Trustees.

3.      The agenda of the Annual General Meeting shall be prepared by the Executive Council.

4.      All Executive officers shall present reports of their activities at each Annual General Meeting.

5.      The Chairman may summon an emergency executive or general meeting of the Church when necessary to deal with urgent matters arising.

ARTICLE 7: QUORUM.

For every meeting of the Church, a quorum shall be deemed to have been formed when two-thirds (2/3) of members are present.

ARTICLE 8: GOVERNING BODY.

Composition: The Executive Council shall consist of all Executive Officers of the Church.

The Executive Officers shall include:

(a) The Chairman (b) Vice Chairman (c) General Secretary (d) Treasurer.

ARTICLE 9: SOURCES OF INCOME

The sources of income for the Church shall include:

1. Willful donations, offerings and tithes by members of the Church.

2. Donations from individuals and charitable organizations from all over the world.

ARTICLE 10: DISBURSEMENT AND APPLICATION OF FUNDS

The Church’s fund shall be strictly and solely used for the pursuit of the aims and objectives for which the Church is set up.

ARTICLE 11: KEEPING OF ACCOUNT.

The Church shall have an account with any bank in Nigeria. The Church shall ensure the accurate keeping of records of all income and expenditure.

ARTICLE 12: APPOINTMENT OF AUDITOR(S)

A.    Independent, qualified and licenced Auditor shall be appointed at the Annual General Meeting to audit the financial records of the Church annually and submit an audited report to the Annual General Meeting of the Association.

B.     The audited financial statements (balance sheet and income and expenditure account) duly certified by independent auditors shall be annexed to the annual returns and filed with the Corporate Affairs Commission.

ARTICLE 12: AMENDMENT OF CONSTITUTION

The Church shall have the power to add, amend, delete or reverse any regulation in the Constitution subject to the approval of at least two-thirds of the entire member of the Church at the Annual General Meeting. And any amendment so made shall be forwarded to the Registrar of the Corporate Affairs Commission for approval

.

ARTICLE 14: SPECIAL CLAUSE

1.      THE INCOME AND PROPERTY OF ARMY OF ZION CHURCH whensoever derived shall be applied solely towards the promotion of the objectives of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH as set forth in the RULES AND REGULATION/CONSTITUTION of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH and no portion thereof shall be paid or transferred directly or indirectly, by way of dividend, bonus or otherwise howsoever by way of profit, to the members of the ARMY OF ZION CHURCH.

2.      PROVIDED that nothing herein shall prevent the payment in good faith, of reasonable and proper remuneration to any officer or servant of the ARMY OF ZION CHURH in return for any service actually rendered to the ARMY OF ZION CHURCH but so that no member of the Council of Management or Governing Body shall be appointed to any salaried office of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH or any office of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH paid by fees and that no remuneration or other benefits in money or monies shall be given by ARMY OF ZION CHURCH to any member of such Council or Governing Body except repayment of out of pocket expenses or reasonable and proper rents for premises demised or let to the ARMY OF ZION CHURCH provided that the provision last aforesaid shall not apply to any payment of any company to a member of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH maybe a company in which such member shall not hold more than hundredth part of the capital, and such member shall not be bound to account for any share of profits he may receive in respect of any such payment.

3.       NO ADDITION, alteration, or amendment shall be made to or in the RULES AND REGULATIONS/CONSTITUTION for the time being in force, unless the same have been previously submitted to and approved by the Registrar-General.

4.       If in the event of a winding up or dissolution of the ARMY OF ZION CHURCH if there remains after the satisfaction of all its debts and liabilities, any property whatsoever, the same shall not be paid to or distributed among the members of the ARMY OF ZION CHURCH but shall be given or transferred to some other institution or institutions, having objects similar to the objects  of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH, and the body or bodies shall be prohibited from distributing, its or their income and property amongst its or their members to an extent at least as great as imposed on ARMY OF ZION CHURCH under or by virtue of the SPECIAL CLAUSE hereof , such institution or institutions to be determined by the members of ARMY OF ZION CHURCH  at or before the time of dissolution. And if effect cannot be given to the aforesaid provisions, then the remaining property shall be transferred to some charitable object.

Dated this 10^th day of December 2016.

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            CHAIRMAN                                                                                  SECRETARY