Ojo Maduekwe saved the day in America (3)
ACHO ORABUCHI
Dallas, Texas
Thursday, July 13, 2006
As Chief Maduekwe’s action in Houston on June 24th 2006 continues to reverberate among the stakeholders of PDP-USA Chapter, potential candidates for the chairmanship of the Chapter jostle for advantage. The dissolution of the executive and cancellation of a scheduled election have changed the dynamics of the campaign for the chairmanship of the chapter.
Stakeholders are now discussing the type of
leadership the Chapter needs considering its perennial division and factions
that seemed to mar its progress. People have profusely voiced their opinion on
the kind of leadership the Chapter needs at this critical period. The excerpts:
Mrs. Omololu Ogbeni averred, “PDP-USA Chapter needs a servant leader, a nationalist who can implement new ideas and programs. We do not need a person who will be a hindrance to progressive ideas of the party. PDP-USA needs an inclusive leader who would be able to use PDP-USA as a bridge between Nigerians in the Diaspora and Nigerians at home.”
Hon.
Dr. Caroline Nwosu echoed same, but added, “We need a change even though
some people are afraid of change. The status quo has not been to the best
interest of the Chapter. We sincerely need a facelift—a new breed of leadership;
we need someone who can harmonize the factions and focus on the interest of
party. The interest of the country and support for the programs of the party
should be paramount in the next administration. We do not need selfish people in
leadership again.”
Mrs.
Asuama Akpabio-Sydney opined, “I believe
that for the United States Chapter of PDP to grow and thrive, our men and
especially women must be made to see membership in PDP as a filial relationship,
where personal issues cannot be ignored but put in perspective, while the
collective wisdom in nation building is articulated and emphasized. Committed
leadership should feel the pulse of the led and offer peaceful solutions to
conflicts within the party structure, while yet emphasizing our collective goal
and vision as embodied in the Project Nigeria. Visionary leadership should seek
to bring Nigerians together to assuage the prevailing apathy of many Nigerians
in the United States with anything Nigerian, including political involvement and
membership in PDP. I have not only observed a vacuum in these areas but I have
also discovered a niche and a good fit where my diverse experiences could be
aligned with the executive leadership team to achieve our collective goals of a
formidable and prolific party committed to nation building.”
Dr. (Mrs.)
Loretta Akosa-Mbadugha offers an
interesting perspective to the need for a new leadership in PDP-USA. “I yearn
for our party and our country that honor noble leaders known for their honesty
and integrity as the norm. I hope and envision our country where our president
and elected officials will work together for the good of all citizens; where the
political conversation will focus on collaboration and the common well being of
all; whereby leaders imbibe the spirit of politics without bitterness and that
of hope,” Dr. Mbadugha offered. “It is crucial that leaders promote strong and
sound moral intelligence. This moral intelligence is what directs other forms of
intelligence to do something worthwhile, gives our life purpose and meaning. In
the absence of moral intelligence, we flounder, not knowing why we do what we do
or what difference what we do make. Simply existing without a purpose is not an
option for us,” she concluded.
Piqued by lack of disciple among the stakeholders, Hon. Joseph Ogundu expressed, “PDP-USA Chapter needs disciplined leader, consensus builder, who would obey party rules. It needs a person who will be able to manage people and crisis and not a person who would be forming opinion based on innuendos. We need a principled leader who would be an advocate for the poor, Nigerian masses. PDP-USA does not need a jobseeker as a chairman.”
Dr. Gilbert Abadon summarized it this way: “We need fresh people to lead PDP-USA. We need someone with new ideas and good leadership skills; a person who is neutral and can bring everyone together to accomplish the goals of the Chapter. We do not need the status quo any longer.”
Rev. Daniel Imo impressively enunciated the type of leadership he would like to see in PDP-USA. He said, “My concept of true, progressive and result-oriented leadership in the current dispensation of PDP-USA is characterized by a number of salient qualities: maturity, team leadership, inclusiveness, nationalistic or detribalized mindset, and peace-loving. It must be transparent, honest, sincere, accountable, and above all, loyal to the Party’s constitution and hierarchy. We need a strong but forgiving, charismatic but humble set of leaders that will work relentlessly with the Federal Government to consolidate and entrench the reforms of President Obasanjo’s administration, especially, the war against corruption. That leadership must have a clear blueprint on how to assist the national Party to win next year’s election and to transform Nigeria for the greater good of the grassroots. These are the real servant-leaders.”
Hon. Tony Isama would like someone who is result-oriented to lead the Chapter at this time. He said, “We need someone who will be able to galvanize us and harness our interests to achieve maximum potential.”
Chief George Ugwumadu Akunna elaborately enunciated the leadership qualities he would like see in PDP-USA Chapter. “As a veteran and two-time elected Treasurer of PDP USA,” he began, “I have had the opportunity to work with most of the main characters in this our beloved chapter and in a position to define the Leadership that the Chapter needs at this time.”
“The prospective leader of this chapter must have the experience of what has transpired in the past 4 years. This will enable him in navigating the divergent opinions and characters in the chapter in order not to repeat the mistakes of the past.”
“He or she must be honest and have integrity for people to believe him. He must have the temperament to manage and understand human behavior. He or she must read, understand and respect the constitution of the Party, and should not use the Chairmanship for personal enrichment, in short not selfish. He or she should be eligible to contest for an elected position in this country, the United States. If any person could not contest for an election in the United States, he should not contest for a leadership position in PDP USA.”
“The new Chapter Chairman must have the ability to coordinate and harmonize different warring factions in the chapter. Have verifiable leadership experience and not merely using the chapter chairmanship to pad his or her personal resume. He/She must be able to work and recognize that PDP belongs to all Nigerians and not a state parochial organization and therefore must reach out to all human talents available in Nigerian community. He or she must restore the dignity and independence of PDP-USA in showcasing the knowledge of democratic principles. Although, we should work together with our parent party, but the prospective leader must make PDP-USA viable partner in the discussion of the day to day working of the party.”
“This person must at least have a verifiable college education, able to think on his or her feet and may not necessarily need the services of a speech writer. This is my honest opinion,” Chief Akunna concluded.
Dr.
ICA Okpalobi, Prof. Bernard Ikegwuoha, Dr. Harold Molokwu, Atty. Tex Wariboko,
Mrs. Felicia Hadjesmaili, and also Dr. Tai Balofin and Ichie Fabian Okeke
did their best to advance the interest of the Chapter under the circumstances
they found themselves. Inasmuch as the gong for fresh and new leadership echoes
unabated, we have to thank the previous leaders for their contributions in
building the Chapter.
Interestingly, the daunting task of whoever emerges to lead the Chapter is how meticulously and sensitively he or she manages to bring people together to advance the interest of the party. Empowering stakeholders and building consensus would be paramount. Without a doubt, PDP-USA Chapter needs a visionary leader at this time.
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Ojo Maduekwe saved the day in America (1)
Ojo Maduekwe saved the day in America (2)