OROKO CULTURAL ASSOCIATION – USA
2505 Greenes Lane
Powder Springs
GA 30127
06/14/2020
Minutes for Executive Meeting
The national executive meeting began at 7.30 p.m ET with opening prayer by Tata Emmanuel Ikoe, followed by opening remarks from the National President Iya Dr. Clementine Nanje. She began by saying we have overwhelming concluded that there will be no 2020 national convention but that we should be planning of having a virtual convention using the zoom platform. She later handed the floor to Tata Emmanuel Nanje who is the Georgia Vice President to give us an insight on how the zoom conference will work for the virtual convention. He began by saying that we first of all have to buy the zoom conferencing platform which he said will cost us about $549/year, thereafter we will have the opportunity to learn how to operate the features of the zoom conference, since we were using his own zoom conference at the time. Tata Thomas Elangwe who is the President of Oroko Minnesota weighed in by asking what can we do to enable people partake in this virtual convention? Tata Emmanuel Nanje replied that we can make short videos to keep people entertained during the virtual convention, as well as carry out interviews to keep people engaged.
Tata Elvis Mukete, who is the Houston chapter President also weighed in to asked how long can the zoom meeting go? Tata Emmanuel Nanje replied that it depends how long we are willing to go with the virtual convention.
The National President continued by saying that she is trying to put together a webinar on the current coronavirus pandemic with a group of health professionals with the theme being: The Impact and Challenges of Covid-19 on our Health and Socioeconomic life. However, this theme is subject to modernization as we approach the day for the virtual convention. She mentioned that she has some videos of Oroko people talking about the prevention of coronavirus cases in our dialects which she will share on the OCA-USA executive forum.
The meeting proceeded with the face mask project which is coordinated by Iya Naomi Ebile the National Treasurer, Tata Mosongo Nanje the Vice President and Tata Victor Nanje the Public Relations Officer, through a committee set up for this project.
Tata Victor Nanje said he has contacted tailors already and that K-town association gave some masks to our people but the people were also asking for hand sanitizers. Tata Mosongo Nanje also weighed in by saying that some people have already helped in the distribution of masks from Oroko UK and that we can use those same people to distribute masks for OCA-USA.
Iya Caroline Puffing who is the Financial Secretary weighed in by saying that we need accountability of the mask project. On this light it was agreed that, a contract will be drafted and signed between OCA-USA and the tailors for the mask project before money can be disbursed.
The National President proceeded by saying that she had ordered for six checks and that the checks will be going out by the end of the month of June including the 40/60 between the host chapter Georgia and the National.
Some chapter presidents complain that their members are reluctant to register at the national because they don’t see any benefit to belong to the national. The National President responded by the saying that it is not a matter of choice because you cannot belong to the chapter without belonging to the national and that the chapter presidents should make that clear to their members. She urges Tata Thomas Elangwe, President of Minnesota chapter to come up with the national insurance plan draft which will help to address the issue of benefit for belonging to the national. Tata Paddy Ndole, a representative of Houston chapter weighed in by saying that,we should not be thinking only of the benefits but rather as Orokans we should be thinking of belonging.
On chapter report, the Houston, Georgia, Minnesota, California and DC chapter presidents mentioned that their chapters were faring well and the D.C chapter President mentioned that they have suspended but keep all their reservations for the 2020 convention for next year.
The meeting was adjourned at 9.30 pm.ET
Those who attended this meeting include;
Iya Dr. Clementine Nanje -National President
Tata Mosongo Nanje- National Vice President
Iya Naomi Bebe Ebile – National Treasurer
Tata Victor Nanje – PRO
Iya Caroline Pufong – Financial Secretary
Tata Aldophus Ati – Technical Adviser
Tata Musongo Nanje – Vice President Georgia chapter
Tata Charle Mokwe – California Chapter President
Tata Paddy Ndole- Representative Houston chapter
Tata Elvis Mukete – Houston Chapter President
Iya Hannah Aboko – Georgia Chapter President
Tata Bertrand Etukeni – Deputy Secretary General
Tata Nambili Namongo – Executive Adviser
Tata Dr. Solomon Basame – Executive Adviser
Tata Emmanuel Nanje – Vice President Georgia Chapter
Tata Emmanuel Ikoe – Secretary General
Done by:
Emmanuel Ikoe
Secretary General
OCA-USA