|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
This
year's WIC annual convention in Los Angeles, California,
is special because it is an event that shall culminate in
a clarification of what stakeholders of the Diaspora premier
organization envision for this entity as it enters its second
decade of existence. A lot of sweat, time and money have
already been committed since 1994 by a broad segment of
Ndiigbo in putting together and positioning the World Igbo
Congress (WIC) to become the umbrella organization for Igbo
Diaspora. Looking back, it has not been an easy accomplishment
to make such a large entity to survive where many of its
predecessors came and succumbed in their infancy. The founding
leadership duo of Dr. J.O.S Okeke and Mr. Ken Okorie, who
were Chairman and Secretary-General of nascent WIC respectively,
ought to have some sense of fulfillment that the baby they
helped to midwife has come of age after overcoming many
dangers of early childhood. Till date, these Igbo patriots
have kept a close eye on this organization as it grapples
with its teething problems and the challenges of transitioning
to adolescence. One thing is clear. The WIC was created
at the right time to fill a gaping void in the organizational
practices of the Igbo Diaspora which, before its debut,
emphasized splinter parochial and provincial groups that
were too small to effectively represent anyone’s interest,
not to mention the large Igbo Diaspora as a community.
|
|
When
all issues in this campaign are taken into consideration,
the need to open up the WIC to its primary constituents,
the Igbo Diaspora mainstream, is by far the most crucial
factor that shall define future success or failure
of this entity. The old-boy clique that is currently
used to control WIC affairs is reluctantly yielding
to the inevitability of change in the status quo even
though most of them are unsure about the benefits
of attempting to fix something that is actually not
broken from their perspective. Opening up the umbrella
group for wider participation, though it has the potential
of broadening WIC’s revenue base, presents great
challenges, particularly to those who lack the ability
to operate effectively under close scrutiny from a
discerning public. Anticipated change in a re-invigorated
WIC must start first with choosing a Chairman who
has demonstrated a credible capacity to operate in
the open and still remain accountable to popular sentiments
of the Igbo Diaspora. This is the single most important
factor in convincing a critical mass of opinion builders
in this community to actively identify with and support
the emergence of a new consequential WIC. |
|
|
The WIC grew as expected in early infancy
but has since begun to exhibit signs and symptoms of retardation
which are making many pundits to question its effectiveness
and to doubt its long-term viability. An umbrella organization
for Igbo Diaspora, which claims to represent interests of
hundreds of thousands of Ndiigbo in the US alone, is still
run out of kitchen counters with no steady contact address
or administrative staff of any type. The vast majority of
Diaspora Igbo population are still unaware of WIC’s
existence and thus have not provided the essential support
base for funding the organization’s operations and
programs. Whatever resources that have sustained it so far
emanate from pockets of good Samaritans and committed stakeholders
who are, as expected, very few in number. Shortage of necessary
operational funds has sometimes pushed past WIC leadership
to seek favor and sponsorship of home-based political operatives
through donations that often come with a lot of strings
attached. Throughout its first decade of existence, WIC
has no completed project to credit to its name either in
Nigeria or in the Diaspora. The much talked-about toilet
paper factory project for disabled Biafran soldiers in Oji
River camp has been on the drawing board for several years,
spanning two consecutive administrations, without any visible
thing to show for it.
WIC
has faced an ever intensifying deluge of angry criticisms
from mainstream Diaspora Igbo most of whom now seriously doubt
the utility of a do-nothing umbrella organization that claims
to be the purveyor of their interests while the lot of the
average Igbo continues to plummet in every aspect one cares
to look. Critics have proffered many solutions on how to restructure
WIC’s organizational and operational strategies to enable
it to mobilize abundant manpower and material resources that
abound within the Igbo Diaspora for the betterment of Ndiigbo
worldwide. WIC affairs are currently shrouded in secrecy and
are exclusively controlled by a reclusive Board of Directors
who account to no other superior body beyond a handful of
affiliate leaders that belong to it. Some have gone as far
as to declare the WIC to be a moribund entity that ought to
be disbanded to clear the stage for formation of a more nimble
and proactive Diaspora organization. Majority viewpoint, at
the moment, still supports mending the WIC instead of ending
it as the best practical way forward. Work has already been
commenced within the WIC to modify its current constitution
to reflect some changes but nothing, so far, has been concretized.
This tide of change luckily corresponds to election season
for selecting new cadre of leaders to pilot WIC affairs as
it enters its second decade of existence. Elections billed
for this year’s convention shall hopefully help to choose
the best talents to put WIC, once more, back on the path to
greatness and effectiveness as envisioned by its founding
fathers.
Osondu Editorial Board, in acknowledgement of this important
election in annals of WIC, created a platform that would help
all leadership aspirants to introduce themselves as well as
explain their visions and plans for making a positive impact
in lot of the average Diaspora Igbo. All the four chairmanship
candidates and one candidate for General-Secretary were promptly
invited to Osondu
Interviews for an interview as soon as their
candidacies were made public. All the four chairmanship candidates
responded favorably initially but only two of them, Ichie
Onwuchekwe and Dr. Ugorji, diligently took their time to respond
to all questions. Their interviews were immediately published
in full as promised. Both Mr. Joe Eto and Dr. Chuka Obiesie
are still to respond even though the election is already at
hand. Dr. Obiesie publicly pledged in Igbo e-forums recently
about his determination to fully answer to all questions posed
to him weeks ago regarding his track record, vision and plans
for WIC if elected to lead it at this time of transition.
The Osondu Editorial Board has carefully reviewed performances
as well as track records of WIC Chairmanship candidates and
has made certain conclusions on who is best suited to lead
the apex Diaspora group at this critical stage of its development.
When all issues in this campaign are taken into consideration,
the need to open up the WIC to its primary constituents, the
Igbo Diaspora mainstream, is by far the most crucial factor
that shall define future success or failure of this entity.
The old-boy clique that is currently used to control WIC affairs
is reluctantly yielding to the inevitability of change in
the status quo even though most of them are unsure about the
benefits of attempting to fix something that is not broken
from their perspective. Opening up the umbrella group for
wider participation, though it has the potential of broadening
WIC’s revenue base, presents great challenges, particularly
to those who lack the ability to operate effectively under
close scrutiny from a discerning public. Anticipated change
in a re-invigorated WIC must start first with choosing a Chairman
who has demonstrated a credible capacity to operate in the
open and still remain accountable to popular sentiments of
the Igbo Diaspora. This is the single most important factor
in convincing a critical mass of opinion builders in this
community to actively identify with and support the emergence
of a new consequential WIC.
Present WIC looks like an organization of aging middle-aged
Diaspora Igbo, run exclusively by them and tailor-made for
perpetuating their take on today’s world that, unfortunately,
moves at the speed of light. What an anachronism! For WIC
to endure beyond the generation of its founders, it must begin
now to open up its doors to bring in youthful talents and
women who possess what it takes to take this body to the next
level. The ultimate success or failure of any living entity
is the ability to refresh and replenish itself to ensure continuity
in a fast-changing competitive world. Good grasp of how to
deploy modern information management and dissemination tools
is an invaluable asset for whoever aspires to provide effective
leadership for 21st Century Diaspora Igbo. The manner in which
ongoing WIC Chairmanship campaign has unfolded thus far, to
a great extent, has revealed the inclinations and abilities
of each candidate to the notice of the discerning public.
When the chips are down, WIC stakeholders must pinch themselves
first before they finally cast the deciding vote which shall
decide the direction that this umbrella group will veer after
all ballots have been tallied.
Osondu salutes and congratulates WIC Chairmanship aspirants
for running a campaign that is unprecedented in organizational
history of Igbo Diaspora. We believe that Dr.
Ugorji and Ichie
Onwuchekwe demonstrated unique sensitivity to dignity
of those they aspire to lead by cooperating with Osondu
Interviews to better tell mainstream Igbo who
they are as well as their vision and plans for effective leadership
if elected. It is also noteworthy that some candidates have
devoted valuable time to travel and interact with Igbo communities
in small caucuses where they could better sell their agenda
at grassroots level. On the other hand, we denounce those
who convene secret meetings of only qualified voters for sole
purpose of brokering backdoor deals that are specifically
designed to circumvent the process of selecting leadership
for Igbo Diaspora in an open transparent manner.
We
particularly commend Dr. Ugorji O. Ugorji for running a vigorous
campaign that shall leave an indelible mark and permanent
impact on how business of organizing Igbo Diaspora shall be
conducted in the foreseeable future. From a first declaration
of his intent in January 2005, candidate Ugorji has granted
revealing
interviews, conferred with various Igbo communities and
has also written extensively, by himself, to convey the passion
and zeal he has for leading a revitalized WIC at a time when
someone with his talents are needed at the driver’s
seat. He is an amiable guy with compelling presence who has
demonstrated unique ability to reach across man-made boundaries
that divide us to forge working alliances in a quest to pull
in new talents and resources for building WIC into a formidable
powerhouse once elected. Based on performance, track record
and natural talents, Dr. Ugorji is clearly the best candidate
in eyes of mainstream Diaspora Igbo. Feedback confirms that
Ugorji attracts popular support amongst youths and women,
a fact that makes him the best tool for immediate revitalization
of the WIC. He goes to the election in Los Angeles next week
with a popular mandate which must be respected by those who
may be tempted to manipulate the voting process to achieve
a predetermined outcome.
If
the people’s will is allowed to prevail in Los Angeles
WIC Convention, Dr. Ugorji O. Ugorji shall definitely emerge
as the next Chairman of the Board. Greater vigilance and transparency
are hereby called for to be the watchwords for all concerned
to ensure that no potentially damaging acrimony shall follow
the conclusion of 2005 convention. We wish WIC a very productive
annual convention in Los Angeles. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Osondu
The Survival Struggle for Ndiigbo |
|
|
|
