The tribal detour

[Pita]

Editorial Note:
The following thread will show you a list of comments that bother on
tribal concerns. It is my view that this concern is valid and that
most persons who have spoken out on either side of the tribal issue
have made reasonable points.

We must listen to and respect all views if we truly want to heal. In
that sprit, the following is a chronological listing of all the views
(if I miss any, please post it. You have full post privileges.).

[Pita]

Hi All,

Please see the forwarded email as send out by the ICAE PRO stating
that the NNA president is inviting Ndigbo to NAA meeting and that they
are stakeholders. I see something wrong with this email and
especially this last sentence "Dr. Nnamani sees Ndibgo as
"stakeholders" and is encouraging everyone to attend."

Cheers,

Festus Ofume


---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: icae icaeigbo <icaed...@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Dec 17, 2010 at 10:34 PM
Subject: Nigeria Association Meeting
To: ICAE Edmonton <icaed...@gmail.com>


Dear Ndigbo,

The President of Nigerian Association in Edmonton, Dr. Ndubuisi
Nnamani, is inviting Ndigbo to a meeting of Nigeria Association at the
Nigeria House.The details are as follows:

Venue: Nigeria House, 10047 80 Avenue, Edmonton
Date: Sunday, December 19, 2010
Time: 4pm

Dr. Nnamani sees Ndibgo as "stakeholders" and is encouraging everyone
to attend.


Thanks
Okwuchi Nnani
ICAE PRO

[Pita]

This is unfortunately sad and cowardly.
Olumide Ogundipe

[Pita]

Hello All,

I will assume that someone must have been offended at this meeting; it
is time to set aside right and wrong, and find a solution. Nigeria has
tied us all together.

We are one and must resolve our issues in-house, we have elders and
great bright young minds amongst us, a solution can’t be out of our
reach.

Let us allow our deep to call unto deep.

Adefemi


--------------------------------------------------

Hi Femi,

I cant agree with you less on this issue.

The emails from Festus mostly, and Haruna are both unnecessary and
uncalled for and are capable of inciting trouble and one group against
another if not that the Audience are matured.

I have read that email over and over again, and see nothing wrong with
it. Inviting the ICAE to a meeting of the NAA and indicating ICAE
members are stakeholders, in my view is only to encourage members to
attend. It is wrong to cite ethnic sentiments on it, and this is
rather unfortunate. If there is a separate umbrella association for
the Ijaws, Ibibios, Yorubas, Ikwerres, Nupes etc, they are all
different stakeholders in NAA and a similar invitation going to their
association should not be misconstrued as did Festus and Haruna. If
there are larger issues beyond meets the eyes, then as members you
have the right to bring it up in a formal way so the leadership
addresses it.

Haruna's point on religious diversity/recognition is poignant, and
needs to be addressed through a proper forum.

I am not yet a financial member of both Associations but have interest
in joining, but with this kind of rancour it casts doubts on whether I
should join at all.

Nigeria is one, if an individual makes a mistake lets address that
specific incident and the individual and not inciting ethnicity or
unnecessary name calling.

I thought I should add my voice as an independent observer.

Long Live NAA, Long Live ICAE, Long Live Nigeria.

Regards
Nathaniel
---------------------------------------

> Hello All,
>
> I will assume that someone must have been offended at this
> meeting; it is time
> to set aside right and wrong, and find a solution. Nigeria has
> tied us all
> together.
> We are one and must resolve our issues in-house, we have elders
> and great bright
> young minds amongst us, a solution can’t be out of our reach.
> Let us allow our deep to call unto deep.
> Adefemi

============================================

Dear Mr. Kelechi Madu,

It with deep respect for you, both as a friend and professional
colleague that I respond to your email of December 20, 2010 in which
both the ICAE and the NAA were copied. You being an honorable man, I
feel it will amount to disrespect and total disregard to your person
if I chose not to proffer a response to your email. I owe you that at
least.

Part of the first paragraph of your email contains the following, “…as
you have chosen to distribute it and cause people to interpret it from
the perspective that I think was not the intent.” In as much as I
agree and take full responsibility to the earlier part of that
sentence, because I did effectively send out the email of my own will,
I beg to differ on the latter portion of your statement. I believe
that you have erred in the inference drawn in your statement above. As
flattering as that may be, I do not have the power to cause people to
give a certain interpretation to the email referred to versus taking
the email at face value. I have drawn my own personal conclusions
about the email sent by the ICAE and stand by my own opinion.

I understand that such emails have been sent previously by ICAE to her
members but the issue runs deeper. As far as I am concerned, that does
not make this particular occasion of sending out this particular email
in question right. Why was the email sent on behalf of Dr. Nnamani?
Why not on behalf of the board of NAA? Was Dr. Nnamani calling the NAA
general meeting of his own volition or on behalf of the NAA board? Ola
Rotimi once said, “It is not kindness, but the need for a clean mouth
that makes the hippopotamus to open its mouth wide for the river bird
to land”. That Dr. Nnamani called for the email to be sent to ICAE
members even if given the literary, the golden and the mischief
interpretation is tribal in nature in my personal view. Again like you
rightly questioned in your email “Are people not allowed to express
themselves civilly anymore? Can't we have a debate, argue and disagree
in order to agree?” That begs the question; “Is Festus Ofume not
allowed to express his view without fear or favor?”. All I have opined
in the email I sent out was that I (Festus Ofume) see something wrong

with this email and especially this last sentence; "Dr. Nnamani sees

Ndigbo as "stakeholders" and is encouraging everyone to attend”.

All we (myself and other peace loving Nigerians in Edmonton) have done
is simply shown the mirror to the board of NAA. But, rather than
taking a look at the image in the mirror, the board of NAA and ardent
supporters of the current NAA board purpose to do is cut off the hand
that bears the mirror. Whether the NAA board decides to smash the
mirror, or cut off the hand that bears the mirror, one thing is clear,
they have seen the image in the mirror. We are just messengers of
good will. Now I absolutely understand what the Late Ken Sarowiwa
meant when he said “it is easier to kill the messenger than to kill
the message”.

Lastly, I would like to respond to the last sentence in your email
which reads, “To conclude, honestly and objectively speaking, I do not
see anything wrong with the email from ICAE PRO. I hope you all got
ICAE President's email”. I, Festus Ofume do hereby conclude that I
feel that tribal lines (knowingly or unknowingly) were drawn in the
heart of the email sent by the ICAE PRO.

It is my sincere wish that we all find a quick resolution to the NAA
issue in order to move the association forward for the benefit of
every Nigerian - dues paying or not.

I wish you all a happy holiday.



Best Regards,

Festus ofume



On Mon, Dec 20, 2010 at 4:09 PM, kelechi madu
<kelech...@yahoo.com> wrote:
Dear Festus,

Please know that I am only responding to the narrow issue of the
insinuations from the so-called email from ICAE PRO, as you have
chosen to distribute it and cause people to interpret it from the
perspective that I think was not the intent. Furthermore, as a friend,
I feel I owe you my one cent on this issue, and since we have not been
able to agree on some of these issues, espcially as you are of the
view that the email was tribally motivated.

Be assured that I will not be responding to any rejoinder on this
note.

First, I believe you did receive the email by ICAE President, Obi
Agbarakwe in which he clearly set forth the rationale for the email
from his PRO. I am sure you will agree that there are similar
precedents
and that this will not be the last.

Second, you will note that the email was not written by NAA President,
Ndubuisi Nnamani. Sentiments apart, is there anything wrong with ICAE
PRO asking its members to attend NAA meetings and an important one for
that matter. As I said elsewhere here, it is not uncommon for groups,
individuals, other interested members and stakeholders to urge
friends, colleagues and community members to attend meetings such as
this. Why are you making an issue out of this matter?

Third, I believe that ICAE PRO and indeed any other organizations,
individuals or groups out there reserves the right to urge and
encourage people to attend meetings. After all, there were important
issues that were up for discussion. Is it not part of the democratic
process for people to be involved in community organizing? Is
community organizing not sometimes based upon interests? Are people
not allowed to express themselves civilly anymore? Can't we have a
debate, argue and disagree in order to agree?

Fourth, my understanding is that all of those who are paasionate and
thus have been commenting on the issues and problems facing the NAA
truly wants us to solve the problems. If that is correct, I would very
much like us to air on the side of good faith, trust that we all want
to move the NAA forward and not resort to cheap tribal/ethnic
sentiments that are inflamatory and in the end serves no purpose at
all. We must be able to give people the benefit of doubt and you may
hang them only when they fail that test. I do not think the test has
been failed yet or do you?

I will hope that while it is ok for us to dicsuss and debate the
substance of any matter before us at the NAA, or even at informal
meetings, I will hate to see folks resort to the same kinds of
cankerworm that have made it impossible for us as a people and country
to rise above ethnic and petty politics.

To conclude, honestly and objectively speaking, I do not see anything
wrong with the email from ICAE PRO. I hope you all got ICAE
President's email.

Happy holidays and merry Xmas to you and your families.

Best wishes in the New Year!


Kelechi Madu


=======================================

Fellow Nigerians,
I have followed with interest the e-mail exchanges following the NAA
meeting of Sunday, December 19, 2010; and the diverse opinions being
expressed. I anticipated the current development in NAA several years
ago and have consistently spoken out against the dominance of a
particular ethnic group in the executive of NAA. For anyone to say
that ethnicity does not play a role in the governance and direction of
NAA, is to down-play and turn a blind eye to one of the key problems
confronting NAA.

A case in point is the recent 50 th anniversary of Nigeria and 25 th
anniversary of NAA celebration. The invited keynote speaker (during
the Dinner/Dance session) opened his address by chanting “Igbo Kwenu”
several times. I sat there wondering whether this was an “Igbo
Association” or a “Nigerian” event. It would have been OK if he made
the effort to say the greetings in other Nigerian languages to show
the recognition of other ethnic groups present at that event. I had to
contain myself and show respect for the golden event we were
celebrating, or else I would have stood up to remind him that there
were other Ethnic groups in the room. I am made to believe that he did
this because the organizers of this event who invited him ( an Igbo)
were mainly Igbos. Every Nigerian ethnic group in Edmonton is a
“stakeholder” in NAA and not just Igbos and ought to be recognized at
such public events.

To say that “equal” or “diverse” ethnic representation is a backward
idea or “mediocre and does not represent enlightened people” is a lame
excuse not to face the problem head on. Calgary have adopted this
model and can we say that Nigerians resident in Calgary are less
enlightened than those of us in Edmonton? It is time we do the right
thing and make NAA a more welcoming association for all Nigerians in
Edmonton. I am certain that the current events and discuss will move
us in that direction -

Wishing us all a very Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year that
will usher in greater Unity and Progress for Nigerians at home and in
Diaspora.
Raymond Anana


====================================


Dear readers,



Frankly, I have painfully read the flying e-mails touching on
different issues Nigerians consider as problems; some are good to hear
for a useful debate at the general meeting and some others will
require constitutional and by-law adjustments to accommodate them to
re-organize NAA and respond to the needs of Nigerians at NAA level.
Even so, a couple of committee reports to NAA did in one way or
another highlight some of the related issues for further study and
action.

Yet, I do have a larger concern regarding who composed this selected
few list of e-mails of Nigerians. This list is not a comprehensive
list of Nigerians in Edmonton and I ask if readers in this blog are
feeling comfortable with the few reading and suggesting what to be
handed out to the NAA assembly? I just want to suggest that whoever
initiated this list of e-mails should extend it to all Nigerian
readers to avoid making the issues being discussed a critical gossip
and conspiratory initiative. Felt issues should be brainstormed by
felt people and felt decision makers and felt implementers.

God ideas need to be well directed to those who will best make use of
it. The few reading these informal opinions cannot make the issues
much healthier as such. Essentially, blogging issues like this is one
of the changes we would like to include in the way Nigerians debate on
issues before coming to NAA general meetings. I hope the NAA
administration will quickly enable the NAA website to take up a blog-
column like this where Nigerians in Edmonton can meaningfully,
responsibly and respectfully air their views and make solid
suggestions and contributions to move on. I will always join issues to
those who can discuss meaningfully and respectfully.

Let me be clear, discriminated e-mail discourses like this is not
comfortable for me, realizing the tensions and anxieties NAA is facing
right now, including even the most recent Nigerians who joined NAA by
default of having to apply for passports through the NAA services to
the community. Compelling passport application for membership has been
making such members claim today that they have interest for NAA and
formed a clique to destroy it and move it forward in their own terms -
through petitions, threats, intimidations and name calling flying
around.

I conclude by hoping to react as I consider it necessary to Dr.
Anana's remark that the famous Igbo language way of greeting "igbo
Kwenu" in a gathering of Nigerians and their friends namely at the
50th and 25th anniversaries celebrated last October 23, was highly
ethicized and therefore ignored other Nigerians at the event. Dr.
Anana can feel as he wants to feel and interpret this experience as he
wants to. But the bottom line is in the spirit of multiculturalism,
you enter into others with your own value and your own identity. In
other words, interculturalism begins with your own identity and moves
on to social issues we share commonly. I had hoped to hear if the
guest speaker, an international professor of repute in Nigeria and
abroad can be faulted as Dr. Anana has interpreted his experience to
bother on Nigerian ethnicity? It will be nice if public speakers can
learn other languages and bring pluralism as needed. But if such
speakers cannot and prefer to express themselves with their primary
cultural identity of their own country, does that play out ethnicity?
If the speaker had been drawn from another region as efforts were made
even to bring people from Nigeria - politicians, diplomats, and
academics, I have no doubt public speakers can express themselves in
any language they feel comfortable to deliver their message and warm
up their audience. Making this observation by Dr. Anana an ethnic
issue is very unfortunate and should have been carefully avoided in a
communication of this nature. I do agree with Dr. Anana that learning
and being able to greet our audiences in multiple languages is a good
thing to have, possibly. But again, it is not yet an issue we need to
bother ourselves with here, after all how many Nigerians can greet
others in other Nigerian languages despite the goal of NYSC in this
respect? And even having lived in this country for many years how
many native Canadian languages can Nigerians nicely employ to greet
the gathering of Canadians in Canada? So let us not go there because
the essence of multiculturalism is to encourage cultures to be part of
where the owners live and express themselves with their values. It
will be a wrong thing for any Nigerian to fake his or her cultural
identity in any setting. Use it boldly and responsibly in any
gathering and be proud of your cultural identity in building and
fostering our communities, our nations.



Happy Christmas to you all.


Patrick Iroegbu.

=================================

Fellow Nigerians,
It is not surprising that Dr. Iroegbu should take issue with my
comments, since he was the M.C. for the event. What is surprising is
that Dr. Iroegbu does not see anything wrong in using a language of
one ethnic group to open a discussion meant for all Nigerians. I
expected him to take my comments as a wake up call that when NAA
organizes an event meant for all Nigerians, no particular ethnic group
should be given special recognition. Rather his response that he does
not care how I felt (or other persons from other ethnic groups), is a
mark of “arrogance” and “insensitivity”. Using “multiculturalism” as
an excuse for such action is very shallow and lame! If I choose to
attend any event organized by a particular ethnic group, I anticipate
and realize that such ethnic language may be used; not an event
organized by NAA for all Nigerians.

Let me remind Dr. Iroegbu that I have attended almost all NAA
organized Nigeria Day Celebration for the past twenty years (and even
helped to organize a few of them), and this type of flagrant disregard
for other ethnic groups present at the event have never happened.
This might have been a mistake, which I hoped will never happen
again. It is sad indeed that Dr. Iroegbu does not have the insight
and humility to acknowledge that this was a mistake and an over-sight.
After-all to err is human!

As stated in my previous e-mail, I sincerely hope that we’ll be able
to re-build, re-new and re-structure NAA into an association that will
respect and value every Nigerian, irrespective of their ethnic
background. I will continue to work towards the attainment of this
goal and speak out on issues of concern, no matter how “bitter the
truth” may be at times.

Note: I posted the same e-mail to all Nigerians, using the NAA list,
when I realized that this list was very limited. Blessings, Peace and
Prosperity for us all.
Raymond Anana


================================

A Clarification of Dr. Anana's Comments Needed!



For example: "I expected him to take my comments as a wake up call
that when NAA organizes an event meant for all Nigerians, no
particular ethnic group should be given special recognition."



This is unclear and I am wondering what "special recognition" implies
here. Just explain this nicely to us and avoid attacks.



Which ethnic group here receives special recognition? Are you mixing
language issue with the notion of recognition? I also hope your
assertion is not bothering on ethnic dominance – a situation we can
work out through by-law adjustments to co-operatively contest, not
zone, offices in NAA elections as the later is raising dust with PDP
in Nigeria. Help us understand your intent and argument. Is language
not a human rights issue to express oneself with one's language? I am
aware politicians, diplomats, academics, community organizers and
builders, and indeed lawyers in the law courts in Nigeria and all else
start arguments or open statements with proverbs and idioms,
citations, including common social metaphors associated with regional
languages or societies. To say "Nigeria Kwenu"? as the speaker you
referred to had greeted the audience is a fault and therefore a
special recognition of none Nigerian culture and language is making me
think. Are the words “Igbo” and “kwenu” not part of a living Nigerian
culture, if you like; a way of life? I think I provided a caution that
we need not go to this argument because we cannot ignore the fact that
every Nigerian language is worth being expressed at any Nigerian
gathering. With effort by a speaker to interpret and situate a
language or proverb or idiom of expression should be enough. But to
argue to ignore such a language is in itself wrong. You may agree or
disagree but the fact is language is life and it is culture, in this
case, a Nigerian culture. After all, what is a Nigerian language other
than the languages regional Nigerian communities speak? To celebrate
Nigeria without a Nigerian language will even be ridiculous in the
first place. I think the effort of the speaker who even managed to
bring in one of such Nigerian languages should be commended rather
than using it to play ethnic brouhaha here. I will continue to stand
up for every one of us to make effort to learn how other regional
communities in Nigeria share and socialize with their language of
greetings such as "Nigeria Kwenu! I am yet to understand why this is
bothered! That a Nigerian/s should not represent their language in a
public occasion? I guess until Nigeria adopts a lingua franca,
Nigerians should meaningfully socialize with their ethnic languages –
no matter what language it is as long as it is of a Nigerian value for
a Nigerian gathering. Igbo kwenu, Hausa kwenu, Fulani kwenu, Efik
Kwenu, Yoruba kwenu, Ibibio Kwenu, and of course, Nigeria kwenu is one
of them! Respectfully, let me mention that a number published
articles, including mine are in websites, journals and community
magazines where the meaning of “igbo kwenu” has been explored - and
accessing one of these submissions will help with the depiction of
the notion in a Nigerian cultural context. Hopefully, we can organize
a discourse on what is a Nigerian language and when should a Nigerian
language be used or not used in a Nigerian gathering. It is proper at
this juncture to disagree with your statement that my reaction to your
piece showed arrogance and insensitivity to expressing a Nigerian
language in a Nigerian gathering. Moreso to view the dynamics of
multiculturalism as lame and shallow leaves much to be desired on how
little the concept is motivated, appreciated and expanded in community
organizing and community management. Thank you.

Patrick.

[Ibraheem Haruna]

I want to thank the creator of this group.

What do we stand to achieve by joining this group?

Is it going to be a group that will only just "talk, talk, and talk" with no action? Or a group that will do less talk and act more. From my observations, Nigerians community do more talk than actions.

I was the past president of Association of Northern Nigerians in Canada (ANNIC), Past asst sec gen of NIDO Toronto chapter, was member of Nigerian Canadian Association (NCA) in GTA. And now in Edmonton...thus, I am talking from experience.

I was actually impressed with the number of people that attended the meetings here and I'm sure, we can achieve alot with numbers. All we need is a group of sincere and dedicated people working together and we can build a more cohesive and vibrant community.

Issues like job ads infos need to be introduced into our community message board among others.

Sorry if i divert your attentions to other things, but i think those could be part of our discussions.

Have a great wknds,

Ibraheem

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[Ibraheem Haruna]

Nathaniel,

I have read your mail earlier on but decided not to respond.

All that i have said in my email were all valid points. If you just read my previous post today you will realized I'm talking from experience. I have been part and still part of many Nigerians groups in Canada. In as much as we don't address the real issues and keep pretending we love each other, we will never see peace or have a united community.

There is not nothing wrong in calling members of the community to respect individuals irrespective of political, religion, gender or where you come from.

We can not pretend all is well, let's call a spade a spade.

Ibraheem

[aaal...@yahoo.com]

Invitation to stakeholders should not be to one ethnic group. We cannot be fooled not to know the intent. Do not state anyone's opinion as poignant. Let us be upfront and not cover up what obviously is wrong. The NAA executive members have not been open and transparent and they run NAA as an arm of Ndigbos. Do not get me wrong here for I know several of my Ndigbo brothers and sisters are upfront, right thinking and always standing on th side of truth. The current attitudes of NAA exec members can be replicated by the Yorubas, Hausas, Ibiobios etc. That's why we have constitution and laws to guide affairs of men.

The current NAA board and executive.should be dissolved if the association is to move forward.

Sincerely,
Akadri Ajiboye Alarape

Sent from my BlackBerry device on the Rogers Wireless Network

[Ibraheem Haruna]

NAA have a constitution that guides her affairs. If any part of the constitutions have been violated, then the house should have called the violator out.

[Dr. Boye Alarape]

Mr Haruna,

 

You may refer to the original petition signed by some members of the NAA to confirm again if the constitution had not been violated!! Or what do mean by your last post; or is all these grievances (including yours) that were been expressed for nothing?

 

Do not discourage people from being part of this discourse by going backward and forward.

 

Sincerely,

Akadri Ajiboye Alarape

---

From: Ibraheem Haruna <ibra...@haruna.ca>
To: naaspe...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Fri, December 24, 2010 11:37:24 AM
Subject: Re: [NAA Speaks Out:10] Re: The tribal detour:: The rest of it in one big post

[Dr. Boye Alarape]

Mr Haruna,

 

You may refer to the original petition signed by some members of the NAA to confirm again if the constitution had not been violated!! Or what do mean by your last post; or are all these grievances (including yours) that were being expressed for nothing?

[Ibraheem Haruna]

Mr Akadiri,

Please read my post again. I used the word "If". There was not nothing in my post that is discouraging. This forum is for everyone to express his or her own feelings freely. After all, there is Freedom of expression as expressed under the great charter of rights.....

[Olumide Ogundipe]

Dr. Iroegbu:

How come I did not get your response to Dr. Anana's valid observation? Well, that question is less important to the disturbing comment I found in your message:

Let me be clear, discriminated e-mail discourses like this is not
comfortable for me, realizing the tensions and anxieties NAA is facing
right now, including even the most recent Nigerians who joined NAA by
default of having to apply for passports through the NAA services to
the community. Compelling passport application for membership has been
making such members claim today that they have interest for NAA and
formed a clique to destroy it and move it forward in their own terms -
through petitions, threats, intimidations and name calling flying
around.

It is with deep concern that I find these statements shameful and regrettable on account of the pedigree of Dr. Iroegbu. You always want to be clear, yet you're never clear. NAA is in a state of chaos at the moment partly due to some of your poor advice and constant support of Eugene Nnamani's total disregard for members' concerns. Passport or no passport, anybody in the city of Edmonton can choose to join NAA. I wonder how much you're familiar with that part of the NAA constitution. May I remind you that during my presentation at the 50th Anniversary Colloquium  I complained about the NAA leaders forcing Nigerians in Edmonton to pay association dues before they could access consular services meant for them by the Nigeria High Commission. I only cited that as an example of wrongness elevated by representatives of Nigeria in the UK, Edmonton and Australia. While you, in your capacity as the convener, allowed Kelechi Madu to criticize my position, you prevented me from responding to him, saying that the NAA issue was personal.

 Why is it that you find every complaint personal, threatening and insulting? I am really disturbed by your own sense of judgment. How does a call for accountability amount to personal issues? Or why does a call for transparency warrant an unfounded accusation such as the one in your comments above? Worst of all, you see nothing wrong in a tribal comment which tends to obscure the regard of other non-Igbo members within the NAA. My response is not in any way meant to change your mind, but to make you realize that your arrogance, mendacity and poor judgment cannot help us resolve the NAA crisis. As one of the people whose names are on the letters you advised Nnamani to ignore, I'd like to inform you that we will not stop our agitation for a better NAA. We will continue to speak out for the truth which you consider a threat. That  is a commitment which remains unwavering. Age or no age, stop disrespecting us if you want to be respected.
  

On Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 11:05 AM, Pita <pobi...@gmail.com> wrote:

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--
Olumide Ogundipe
Doctoral Candidate and Principal Instructor
Department of English and Film Studies
University of Alberta

The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of dream.
         ---- Eleanor Roosevelt

[Francis Utulu]

The NAA executive members  have not been open and transparent and they run NAA as an arm of Ndigbos......Dr B.Alarape


Dr Alarape,

This statement is wrong and should not have been mentioned at all.....Oga

If we want peace to reign in the organization, let us not go that side at all otherwise, people will resurrect stories of the past.

Anyway, there are plans to move the assciation forward, when the fullness of time comes, it will hatch....

Go on with one Nigeria......it is task that must be done.


Francis

---

Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 10:43:50 -0800
From: aaal...@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: [NAA Speaks Out:11] Re: The tribal detour:: The rest of it in one big post
To: naaspe...@googlegroups.com

[Francis Utulu]

Mr Haruna,

You seems to be very experienced !!!!!!!!!!!!

May be, we will need to open up a discussion with you and possibly look at your past accomplishments for further ......

May be, power may shift to .......

It is well

Francis

---

Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:15:03 -0700
Subject: Re: [NAA Speaks Out:7] The tribal detour
From: ibra...@haruna.ca
To: naaspe...@googlegroups.com

[Dr. Boye Alarape]

Thank you Francis. The statement I made is correct as attested to by numerous comments by other people in this and previous strings. As I stated, I am not stating this fact out of feelings against any group. If not for tribal reason, why is an ethnic group singled out as the stakeholders and giving invitation to meetings by NAA President or/and his representative? Why is it that at a Nigerian event; the greeting was conducted in one particular Nigerian language, same as the one spoken by the group that had been invited as stakeholders in NAA? I believe we all are.

 

As things are, the executive is dominated by Ndigbos whose election I believe was democratic. I have no problem with that. Why is it that any opinion different from that of the executive is treated as if it does not matter and has no merit by the excutive or those people who are sympathetic to it. Let us be upfront, sincere, and honest for the God we serve does not like dishonesty, injustice, and disregard for other peoples' feelings. Besides, there had been allegation that the executive have not been open and transparent in the operation of the association's business and perhaps its account.

 

There is lack of confidence in the current executive and it cannot move us forward in the right direction - this is very clear.

 

Sincerely,
Akadri Ajiboye Alarape

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From: Francis Utulu <franci...@hotmail.com>
To: naaspe...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Fri, December 24, 2010 1:11:10 PM
Subject: RE: [NAA Speaks Out:15] Re: The tribal detour:: The rest of it in one big post

[Dr. Boye Alarape]

"United we stand". A house cannot stand on mud; it has to be built on solid rock. Any association that wants to achieve anything tangible has to be built on inclussion rather exclussion and division. Let's not digress from building a solid foundation for the association. This forum should not be used for rhetoric and personal aggrandizement. NAA is standing on shaky ground as at now. We should focus on establishing a viable and enduring association whose leadership and members will have respect for its constitution and the welfare of all its' members.

 

Someone was mentioning the fact that some people had become members because of passport application. It was wrong of the association executive to arm-twist anyone into its fold by making it compulsory to be members before they could partake on consular matter of necessity to them - that action on its own was a manifestation of disrepect for individual rights or lack of knowledge in that area. As a member pointed out earlier, irrespective of membership of any association, Nigerians are nigerians anyway and it is their entitlement to have their passport renewed. No favour done; and if anything, one can argue that they have  been swindled or forced into membership of NAA. The executive should not have mingled the two issues together. They could  have just let Nigerians know when the government officials would be here and informed anyone ineterested regarding official and hosting fee attached to whatever needs any one had or has. We should all learn some lessons from that experience. The passport application that took some of us over 6 months to complete (some are still waiting for their passports!!) normally takes a day or two in Nigeria!

 

Let`s not make simple thing complicated - dissolve this executive, set up a committee of people of impeccable and proven character as interim executive pending election to offices.

 

In all these, I will not subscribe to anything that will put anyone in misadventure legally and if there is a way to adopt a safe-landing for anyone or group, we should let that be - but there has to be restitution at the least.

 

Sincerely,

Akadri Ajiboye Alarape  

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From: Francis Utulu <franci...@hotmail.com>
To: naaspe...@googlegroups.com

Sent: Fri, December 24, 2010 1:22:29 PM
Subject: RE: [NAA Speaks Out:16] The tribal detour

Mr Haruna,

You seems to be very experienced !!!!!!!!!!!!

May be, we will need to open up a discussion with you and possibly look at your past accomplishments for further ......

May be, power may shift to .......

It is well

Francis

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Date: Fri, 24 Dec 2010 11:15:03 -0700
Subject: Re: [NAA Speaks Out:7] The tribal detour
From: ibra...@haruna.ca
To: naaspe...@googlegroups.com

I want to thank the creator of this group.

What do we stand to achieve by joining this group?

Is it going to be a group that will only just "talk, talk, and talk" with no action? Or a group that will do less talk and act more. From my observations, Nigerians community do more talk than actions.

I was the past president of Association of Northern Nigerians in Canada (ANNIC), Past asst sec gen of NIDO Toronto chapter, was member of Nigerian Canadian Association (NCA) in GTA. And now in Edmonton...thus, I am talking from experience.

I was actually impressed with the number of people that attended the meetings here and I'm sure, we can achieve alot with numbers. All we need is a group of sincere and dedicated people working together and we can build a more cohesive and vibrant community.

Issues like job ads infos need to be introduced into our community message board among others.

Sorry if i divert your attentions to other things, but i think those could be part of our discussions.

Have a great wknds,

Ibraheem

On Fri, Dec 24, 2010 at 10:46 AM, Pita <pobi...@gmail.com> wrote:

Editorial Note:
The following thread will show you a list of comments that bother on
tribal concerns. It is my view that this concern is valid and that
most persons who have spoken out on either side of the tribal issue
have made reasonable points.

We must listen to and respect all views if we truly want to heal. In
that sprit, the following is a chronological listing of all the views
(if I miss any, please post it. You have full post privileges.).

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[Dr. Boye Alarape]

"United we stand". A house cannot stand on mud; it has to be built on solid rock. Any association that wants to achieve anything tangible has to be built on inclusion rather exclusion and division. Let's not digress from building a solid foundation for the association. This forum should not be used for rhetoric and personal aggrandizement. NAA is standing on shaky ground as at now. We should focus on establishing a viable and enduring association whose leadership and members will have respect for its constitution and the welfare of all its' members.

[Ibraheem Haruna]

Thank you Mr Francis for the compliment.....

I always like to participate and be part of the community where ever I go. Now that i'm in here, I will try my best to contribute and help build the community here.

I'm not in anyway qualify to vie for any position right now, but I will be a floor member...

Ibraheem