People react to “Fundraising in Diaspora: A hoax or candor”
ACHO ORABUCHI
Dallas, Texas
Wednesday, August 4, 2004
Fundraising is a legitimate activity in the United States of America (USA). Non-profit organizations and candidates for various political offices raise money for a variety of purposes. However, what one does with the funds may be subject to scrutiny. Interestingly, in this presidential election, the candidates, including their political parties and private groups, are engaged in massive fundraising activities to sustain their campaign or the campaign of their preferred candidates. A group of Igbo-Nigerians is currently meeting to explore ways to raise money for a particular ticket.
Speaking about fundraising, my recent article entitled “Fundraising in Diaspora: A hoax or candor” has elicited tremendous responses and reactions, especially from the Nigerian community in the United States. Though the article, indeed, ruffled some feathers, yet most of the expressed reactions were constructive.
The
first reaction came from Ejike Okpa II, a principal commercial real
estate appraiser, vice chair of the Board of the Dallas Black Chamber of
Commerce, chair of both International Trade and Relations and Business and
Economic Development Committee, Chair of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community
Center, former head of appraisal function for the Federal Deposit Insurance
Corporation, and the first African-born to run for the mayor of Dallas, is the
founder of The OKPA Company, LLC. Ejike has been espousing various constructive
ways to raise money for legitimate purposes. He frowns at those who betray the
trust bestows on them by their respective communities.
He opined, “Acho, Your piece is nice at least by acknowledging the existence of improprieties regarding fund raising methods and how its proceeds are used or never used for the intended purpose. No one survives or sustains their well being by abusing its common/communal resource. By acknowledging the shortcoming is the beginning of a step and its attendant benefits/opportunities for better-run and managed community organizations.”
The next one came from the Oklahoma-based marketing expert, Nneka Onyekoro, legal practitioner as well as media and marketing consultant living in Edmond Oklahoma in United States of America (USA). A human rights advocate and a former member of Nnaji Dike Chambers, Nneka touched on the corruption that has plagued fundraising activities in the Diaspora. Here are her views
“Your recent article entitled “Fund-raising in Diaspora: A hoax or candour” has obviously provoked tremendous public reactions especially Nigerian communities in the US. From all indications, fundraising has obviously become an inevitable aspect of our society. But most importantly trust must be built through probity and accountability especially with rampant allegation of corruption in high places. With the latest word campaign for globalization, the need to build economic blocks at community levels through fundraising effort is vital to meaningful and sustainable development, in a country such as ours.”
Offering some reasons for the
delay in applying the funds for their intended purpose, Morgan Iroha harangued
the author, ”There are many factors that can lead to the delay of the execution
of a project as planned by an organization. Setting up a reliable framework to
disburse and utilize the fund for the purpose, which it was raised is one of it.
Another one is, the sufficiency of the amount raised to solve the targeted
problem. In an organization that I belong to, it has been nearly two years since
we raised money for our general hospital, but the money wasn't enough for us to
accomplish our goal. So, we have had to wait until we raise some more money
before we can actualize our plan. Any one who is not privy to our plan may come
to the conclusion that our fundraiser was a hoax. Whereas, because we waited we
have been able to secure much more equipment and material help for the folks at
home. Had we sent the little money we raised two years ago, it would have made
little or no dent to our targeted problem.”
Ngozi Echebelem disagrees with the concept of waiting to accumulate funds before using them for the intended purpose. In his response to Iroha’s contention, Mr. Echebelem said, “You can use the little you have collected from the public so far to start something. You don't have to wait till you do another fund raising to disburse the fund you have collected already. You waited for one long month to respond to this posting. Mbaise responded to this call when HEN [Dr. Herbert Emenike Nwankwo] called for accounting of all the organizational fundraising activities. Do yourself and your organization a favor by keeping the record of all you are doing with the money you collected from the public in through fundraising. Since you want to build a hospital with your money, you may use the little you have collected so far to buy the land.”
George Akunna characterized the latest wave of fundraising activities in the Diaspora as another form of “419”. He disgustingly said, “In the Northeast, you have to get a second job to survive community fundraising. Since it is epidemic that every Igbo village has annual fund raising, it will be better if every village should take care of their problems without inviting anybody. My small community, Otulu, Oru West, Imo State has a population of 100 people in the United States. We never had a fund raising; thanks to the leadership of a dynamic chairman, Dr. Theodore Okechukwu, a Dallas-based physician who generously donate to the town’s development. He matches all total donations by our members to get the project done in our community. Since our elected representatives and contractors have failed us, can we raise these funds individually without sending our friends to the poor house? This way, we will eliminate the latest 419 fad.”
Meanwhile, US presidential campaign is still steaming with the Democratic National Convention activities bustling as John Kerry accepts his party’s nomination today, July 29, 2004. More reports will come your way soon.