About WIC’s LA 2005
M. O. ENÉ
New Jersey, USA
Friday, August 26, 2005
PREAMBLE
Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I am not big on regimented setups. It is proper and okay to have well-ordered setups for the wellbeing of society, but some individuals must always think outside the box, if only to gauge the reality of such setups. Fortunately, the Igbo society encourages such outside-the-box thinking… even when it is on the extremes of sanity-insanity scale. So it is not abnormal to find folks who always perch on the fringes and throw stones. I am not one of those souls, but bless them God for they serve society’s sanity! No, I am more for doing and then stepping aside to assess and gauge the temperature of the setup. It is a tough role. No one knows it all. Often, we get it right; sometimes, we don’t.
I
have not written much about World Igbo Congress (WIC) these past seven years. I
couldn’t because I had the opportunity to chip in at certain corners of the
circle! No pats on the back, but I know how the lizard who fell from the iroko
tree feels. The tenure of Dr. Kalu Kalu Diogu (KKD) will come to an end
in a couple of weeks. I wished KKD could have moved a mountain or two, but
mountains don’t move… not even with an earthquake shattering their tops. Our
problems are many. The problems mount everyday. No excuses here, but it is not
easy. Trust me. You think power is all that? Good luck! Without committed
followers, you are walking alone. KKD did not inherit a rich organization with a
dedicated membership. [Whatever happened with the $10.00 levy?] He did not
inherit an organization with far-reaching influence on the political terrain of
any nation on earth. I guess his greatest successes are that he kept it going
for two terms and that he would be handing over the baton to one of four curious
contenders who cannot wait to take the beatings of Ndiigbo for the next three
years.
DIOGU YEARS IN REVIEW
KKD
has done his best. He deserves our best wishes in all his future endeavors.
Personally, I wish him continued success in the service of our community. I
interacted with him on many occasions. I have been to places with him, most
memorably during the presentation to the US State Department (re: US Consulate
in Enugu and other matters). I have taken him to catch flights at unholy and
holy hours. We have mused over write-ups good and bad. We have talked about
issues of importance and some of no consequence to the world. In all these, I
have not once bothered with the WIC setup itself. Many critics will have their
say about the KKD years at WIC in the coming weeks. In a year, they will get
another head to bash -- just as no one is really writing about the tenures of
Dr. J. O. S. Okeke and Chief Austin Egwuonwu. For now, whatever we think
of KKD, he did his best. His best might not be the best in our estimation, but
that’s all we are going to get from him for now.
I do not intend to open the floodgates of reviews of KKD years; then again, what are friends for! Besides the noted successes, it must be stated that many loose ends are left hanging. The Oji River project is left on the laps of his deputy, Dr. Chuka Obiesie, who is running to replace KKD. The Federal Government of President Olusegun Obasanjo has refused to bulge on Akanu Ibiam International Airport, one thing WIC could have placed on the table as a condition for giving its Chair the nod to meet with the Man in Aso Rock. The link with Ohanaeze remains amorphous at best. The Congress itself is not in a better shape; it remains largely a US-based outfit. Even with an elongated new Constitution that looks more like a coup or power-grab from the House of Delegates (HOD), things are not looking up. To me, the new setup reads like someone was bent on demoting and demeaning HOD. You not only stipulate that its members pay their way --unlike the Board members who get everything paid by their affiliate, you put in place short-term offices and annually rotating headship that sound like those of a debating club. Recorder? Excuse me!
WHO IS AFRAID OF JIMMY?
Assuming the new Constitution holds, I think the KKD-led Board missed a big current in history when it failed to deliver an enduring WIC structure. A new structure should have taken the Executive Committee completely out of the Board, with a president answerable to chairperson of the Board. This way, the Executive Committee is open to every Igbo person who is a bone fide member of a legitimate affiliate and who is neither a member of the Board nor a delegate to HOD. The Board would preserve it electoral and supervisory roles, not headed by the same person it is supposed to be controlling. This leaves HOD with legislative activities, as the famed “owners” of the Congress. Okay, maybe the Board could slot in a Senate-like role, of needing 75% to override HOD rules, but that’s where it should stop. The President, or General Secretary a la United Nations, is therefore set afloat to administer and implement decisions, effectively killing the never-occupied Executive Director position.
The
Board also failed to give a token seat to national State Apex Organizations (SAOs).
I have heard an earful on possible reasons; none makes sense to me, the most
laughable being to “Anakwenze” the ambitions of Anambra SAO President
Jimmy Asiegbu, who is currently working to position HOD on a strong footing.
[For those who don't know, the crass comment was an unveiled reference to the
stopping of prominent LA-based medico and then Vice Chair of WIC, now Chairman
of Anambra State Association Board of Directors and Dr. Nwachukwu
Anakwenze, from contesting the WIC chair in New York 1997.] I use “token”
because one seat is not going to change the balance of power in the already
bloated Board of WIC which, methinks, should have just ONE representative per
legitimate affiliate. The HOD should absorb the proportional-representation
aspect of the Congress, as proposed in the 1997 Obigbo Documents aimed at the
failed move to unite WICouncil and WICongress. I would understand if KKD were
against the inclusion of SAOs. I know he is not. I am yet to discuss the matter
with him. If it ever comes up in a discussion long after he has handed over the
baton, we shall deal with it. For now, let’s deal with what is out there.
SPEARHEADING OF STATEWIDE SEATS
Personally, I am not particularly passive about the move to include SAOs; on the other hand, I am not gung-ho about it either. I believe that there is a role for everyone who is committed to Igbo affairs. Although I am not a WIC Board member, I have done a lot more for the setup these past seven years than some Board members combined. Nothing to brag about, but it is worth stating that membership of Board or HOD is not the launch for labor. Also, the absence of citizens from all Igbo-speaking states has not stopped WIC deliberations from covering all Igboland. Bringing it down to Enugu State, Enuguites can hold their own in pan-Igbo podiums and even beyond in pan-Nigerian associations, as proven by the likes of Prof. Bart Nnaji, Dr. Bato Amu, and Attorney Emeka Ugwuonye. Also, issues of interest to the state in particular and, by extension, the entire Igboland have not been treated lightly.
So why is Enugu-USA spearheading statewide representation? Simple: all politics is local. Some localities in USA or elsewhere in the world do not have direct access to WIC Board. The current chairman of Enugu-USA Board of Directors and a founding member of World Igbo Congress, Attorney Jude Akubuilo, Ph.D., made some interesting observations in a recent write-up posted on WIC Forum. Of great importance here is that the non-existence of SAOs when WIC was formed in 1994, “limited WIC organizers to base the structure on Apex Igbo Associations in various cities across America.” In fact, to date, not all Igbo-speaking states have nationwide associations; the oldest, Enugu Association USA came on stream four years after WIC was formed. It was not surprising that at the Detroit, Michigan meeting of the WIC Board of Directors earlier this year, the admission of SAOs was approved by the WIC legislative committee. Surprisingly, the WIC Board failed to ratify. Dr Akubuilo is hopeful “that no matter who wins the Chairmanship come the Los Angeles Convention, admission of State Apex Organizations will be actualized in a matter of months.” Well, I have news for him: He would have to step on the toes of Engr. Joe Eto to get there—if he wins the converted chair. This is important because, in an energized HOD, Dr. Akubuilo as the possible Parliamentarian would be steering the ship. Then again, it might not be Eto’s to decide -- win or lose.
ETO’S ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
On Sunday, August 21, 2005, Joe Eto came to New Jersey to pitch his campaign to Igbo-USA. I know Joe Eto from the Nigerian Peoples Forum days. He is passionate about his beliefs, no doubt about that. He spoke well, and he is a firm believer in his economic-empowerment policies. The ideas are sound; I like them. However, I have my reservations because our people are not schooled in such stock-market strategies, and many are not interested in American politics. He has other well-received ideas. Question time, I tested the water on SAOs. Eto opined that WIC’s founding fathers based the structure on local pan-Igbo affiliations, so it is up to all Igbo people to participate at local levels and make their way to the Board. Besides Dr. Akubuilo’s argument, it must be argued that there is a reason why all ministers are not from Ogun State, that there is a reason why congresspersons come from diverse quarters, and that there is a reason why proportional representation powers the wheel of democracy. Eto won’t be swayed; he stuck to his gun and declared my vote lost... with apologies, I must add.
My
advice to Eto is not to give up easily on any other group interested in direct
representation. Truth to be told, he has some solid Enugu friends, but he should
not underestimate the passionate position of Enugu-USA on this matter,
regardless of the teacup-storm distraction in Atlanta, GA involving him as
Ezeigbo n’Atlanta and the now president of the local Enugu State association.
The brouhaha in Atlanta is overlook-able, but not an unqualified “wa”
(i.e. “no”) on a token representation of SAOs. To that he would hear a loud “Wa-wa”
and, just in case he doesn’t get the lingo, it simply means that “o nweghi
ebe e ji azu eje’” from thenceforth. The present President of Senate Ken
Nnamani (Onwa Enugu) had frowned at the exclusion of state
representatives in Nashville 2003. Similar thinking got him the turn-by-turn
Senate presidency. I bet he will bring it home to WIC again in Los Angeles.
UGORJI ON A BRIDGE
Dr. Ugorji O. Ugorji came calling to Igbo-USA from his outing in DC area, just as the ex-Chairman of WIC, Chief Austin Egwuonwu, was rushing Eto to the nearby Newark Liberty International Airport. Ugorji is speaking the language many Enuguites understand. It is no wonder Prof. Ezejiofo Udeh, a former General Secretary of Enugu-USA, is unequivocal in his support. To drive it home, Ugorji flew into Atlanta for the 7th Enugu-USA Convention. [BTW, Joe was missing in action, even though some of his Enugu buddies as Prof. Bart Nnaji were in town.] So, if not for Dr. Chuka Obiesie being in the race, Ugorji could have smiled to the bank with all Enugu State goodwill votes. Obiesie complicates things a wee bit for Ugorji; he too is in support of SAOs, even though Imo State national SAO is still taxiing to take off. The strong Enugu presence in LA will most definitely produce one or two votes. So here is the permutation, if Obiesie fails in the first round, Ugorji gets the block, not Eto. And that could make a difference in a close race. Don’t you just hate political permutations!
Fortunately
for Eto, the election is not going to be determined on the admission of State
Apex Organizations (SAOs). No, there are other issues… whatever those are! It is
regrettable that the other contenders are not discussing the issues as openly
and as often as Ugorji. [See Odoziobodo:
http://www.kwenu.com/wic/ugorji/ugorji.htm.] It is no wonder Ugorji is
leading in the court of public opinion, even though majority of the actual
voters remain faceless and nameless. No matter the outcome of the elections,
Ugorji would have brought WIC into the new millennium with his “consequential”
campaign. [A na-ekwu nke o mere, o mekwee ozo!] Not only did Ugorji
establish a website at Kwenu.com, he followed up with a worldwide visual
broadcast at Blacktvonline.com. [See
http://blacktvonline.com/ugorji] The issues are going to pop open as the
countdown begins. If an open debate is allowed, Ugorji will need all the trees
in Niger Delta to make available his position papers. Otherwise, he would have
to make the speech of his life to transfer the favorable public-opinion
advantage to the electoral college of about 73 men and women. Of course, the
others are not denied the gift of garb; it all depends on who charms the new
faces better.
MAKING CHOICES
I
have heard Eto and Ugorji state their proposed policies. Their platforms
are so wide apart the Board will have no problem making a choice -- depending on
the direction it wants WIC to go. While Eto is more on the economic empowerment
of Igbo Diaspora and sanctions for Igbo “saboteurs”; Ugorji is more on
straightening Alaigbo itself, confronting bad policies from Abuja, and putting
the word “world” in WIC. While Eto wants to form a youth forum, Ugorji wants to
include the youth in the setup and ensure continuity. Going by his analogy of
Moses leading the Jews out of Egypt, of David slaying Goliath, and of
Odumegwu-Ojukwu leading Ndiigbo to war in 1967, Ugorji considers himself too old
to lead WIC at 40 -- contrary to what some critics consider a minus! His
generation-bridge pitch resonates with those who want power-shift. To the
applause of those of Anioma extraction present, Ugorji promised to work for the
inclusion of Ndiigbo of Delta and Rivers extraction. His support for SAO helps
here. On women, both candidates shared similar sentiments and struck the right
cords, but Ugorji drove it home with a bottle of wine for women. Earlier on,
while Eto presented kolanuts and a big bottle of Hennessey to Igbo-USA President
Ken Igwe, the women had asked for their “portion”; Eto made it up with cash.
I do not know where Ichie Chibuzo Onwuchekwe stands on the issue of SAO or WIC’s shaking structure. I doubt SAO is his greatest headache. I believe Onwuchekwe is a very nice man. The first day I saw him in the Maplewood, NJ abode of Egwuonwu, our fellow Biafran veteran, he looked like a man on a mission. Though he accompanied KKD to take over from Egwuonwu this late 2001, I could see in his eyes the desire to lead WIC. Don’t ask me how; I just saw it in his eyes. I am sure that given the baton, he will run with it, especially since Houston couldn’t wait to take back its native-born now-walking… even if limping baby. Since Dr. J. O. S. Okeke and Attorney Ken Okorie nurtured and then let the baby go in Chicago 1999, I am sure that Houstonian Igbo would want their Ichie to be victorious in battle. But it is happening in LA, whose own golden guy Obiesie is in the race. Of course, LA has never forgotten the alleged political jiggery pokey that short-circuited the Anakwenze-Okeke duel in New York 1997. Some still believe that the short-circuit switch was located in Houston, not LA. Whatever anyone wants to believe, the bottom-line is the number of votes each candidate can get -- not what happened before-the-war!
SHOW ME THE VOTES
Now, let’s forget all the cyber wars and all the endorsements and all the backyard deals, let’s look at the votes. Where are they? Who are these people? Could Houston beat LA in LA without securing first the entire eleven votes from Texas? Could Ugorji benefit from the Coalition collapse and anti-status quo votes from the new faces? Will there be a strong urge to change the now old guards, as in Chicago 1999? Starting from my home turf, of the 10 New Jersey votes, Onwuchekwe could count two votes as solidly secured, thanks to the Coalition, and one as iffy. Ugorji goes to LA with the three solid votes of his affiliate, and he could count on at least one other solid vote. Obiesie could count two or three votes as iffy or solid, depending on the permutations on the ground and on how he plays the game. With the collapse of the Coalition, I doubt Eto could count on any New Jersey vote as solid; one is iffy. He could also forget the four or possibly five votes from Los Angeles, CA; he lost the votes with his firm stance on non-inclusion of SAOs and to the local contender. History might prove Eto right, who knows; but, sincerely speaking, his stance is not politically practical at this time. The political sentiments are simply too strong to ignore. Then again, the chairmanship race is still not particularly about issues.
Of the 11 votes from Texas, Onwuchekwe theoretically goes West with four from his Houston affiliate. He cannot count on all Austin’s three or on the four or five from Dallas. For being a so-called “status-quo candidate” and for being from greater Orlu (oh yes, that too), Obiesie could lay claim to a chunk of Texas votes. Besides New Jersey’s 10 votes, there are 12 more votes from the north Atlantic corridor. Ugorji is strong in Maryland/DC zone. Obiesie could count New England’s votes as solid, if he runs with the vice-chair candidate from there. Onwuchekwe may scoop the three from my neighboring Philly, thanks to the Coalition; but Ugorji is close enough to dent a Philly sweep, and he could dent the sweep of any other north Atlantic centers -- including New York. No one must forget Eto. He could scoop some of the nine votes from New Orleans and Florida, in addition to the four from his kingdom of Atlanta. However, we must not underestimate the effect of the collapse of the Coalition; if it had held, Eto or Onwuchekwe would have sponged these Southern votes easily and emerged stronger in LA.
AKANCHAWA!
There are 71 +2 votes up for grabs in the WIC elections…too many, if you ask me. The battlefield, as in US elections will be the Midwest, which has 18 votes, the biggest block of unpredictable votes in LA 2005. Whoever gets the biggest chunk from this group will make it to the next round. That’s where Ugorji’s akanchawa (Lady Luck) might appear, and he needs it to make history. Besides the 44 regular Board members (two per affiliate), 22+5 loose-cannon votes are floating out there… plus two from HOD. Assuming the four candidates make their mark and split the 44 regular votes, the 27 + 2 new cardinals will determine the two cardinals that get the gray smoke. If this be a battle of ideas, not man-know-man/woman, Ugorji could scoop a big chunk of the highly impressionable newcomers and make it to the next stage. Hey, you never know; he sounds quite impressive with his modern methods of campaigning on wide-ranging issues. But I don’t expect too many new people with enough independent perspectives. I want to be wrong here -- just so they settle on the right man based on what he can do, not who he is.
Once
the first round is over, the real game will begin. All the badmouthing and the
bad-blood venting will come to haunt those who preached them. From here, the
white smoke will be a tough call. It all depends on how prepared the camps are
to deal with the run-off preps. Let’s assume it is Ugorji and Eto… just to take
the two that spoke to us last Sunday. Ugorji will triumph, no thanks to the deep
division in the Coalition. I don’t think Eto would get the ears of Onwuchekwe’s
camp so easily; the rift runs deep. On the other hand, Ugorji could easily get
the KKD machine and even get Onwuchekwe himself to talk. If it is Obiesie and
Onwuchekwe, the Obiesie foot soldiers are more likely to strike a fast
deal with Ugorji and Eto than Onwuchekwe camp could pull off within the time
frame. This is where home-turf advantage comes to play; LA locals would be
drafted to talk to their “country people.” Eto vs. Obiesie is a no-brainer; it
would follow similar pattern. In a one-on-one with Obiesie, any of the other
three will need the solid 27+2 votes to take the victory away from the KKD’s
so-called “status-quo” machine. In essence, Obiesie is a candidate of the order,
the order of vice-chair taking over from the boss, as Egwuonwu did from Okeke,
and as KKD did after Egwuonwu. I have no insider info. Just look at it: KKD is
willingly retiring; nothing here suggests that he is not pleased with his loyal
#2, and nothing suggests an OBJ-Atiku scenario. So, as in most African
elections, it will take a coalition of Eto, Onwuchekwe, and Ugorji to dislodge
the incumbency factor.
A SURPRISE REALIGNMENT?
I doubt any one of the chairpersonship candidates will win on the first ballot, assuming the elongated Constitution prevails and the elections hold. On taking stock in LA, Eto and Onwuchekwe might, just might, make the Coalition whole again. Ugorji and Obiesie might reach an accord. If this happens and someone steps down for the other in each block (a la Chigbu-Diogu in Nashville 2003), then the rain would be gone, and we would see the white smoke clearly. The other positions would be easier to call. The secretary election would be a repeat of Nashville 2003. Incumbent Augustine Ugo Uzodike has an edge. His opponent Attorney Charles Chikezie, the Ikemba Ngwa, will be very busy with Onwuchekwe’s campaign, which I know he wants to succeed and he will do everything in his power to push it. If Onwuchekwe pulls off a surprise first-round win, then Chikezie would be on the roll. Another interesting race is the PRO position. Without the Coalition, Chief Cy Nwaguru would have a tough fight on his hands; Maazi Chuks Ibekwe might upstage him with some can-do, new-kid-on-the-block politicking before a class of newcomers. In HOD, Dr. Jude Akubuilo, a tested attorney and knowledgeable insider, is expected to prevail. On Recorder, New Jersey and Dallas could strike a deal of sorts. Nuff said.
These are all permutations based on what is known. Events might change and bring any of the contender's akanchawa to the fore. Whatever happens, No one should take these matters with end-of-the-word, do-or-die mentality. Whatever the outcome, the contestants have managed to heighten popular interest in WIC. In the end, whoever wins should be grateful to his opponents and make the most of the new wave, which will be marked by Ugorji's "consequential campaign." However, Ndiigbo should learn to lower their expectations. Three years hence, ihe na-ebe ka ga na-ebekwe!
Everything else is embellishment.
Visit "WORLD IGBO CONGRESS"
For continuous coverage of LA'05