Oroko Cultural Association, USA ( 10/08/2017 )
2505 Greens Lane
Powder Springs, GA 30127
Our first executive meeting was chaired by our National President Iya Dr. Clementine E. Nanje. The meeting began at 7.19 p.m ET with opening prayer by Tata Emmanuel Ikoe. During her opening statement, the National President Iya Dr. Clementine E. Nanje seized the opportunity to thank every member of the national executive branch for accepting their position to serve the Oroko people in the USA, and she hope and trust that we will come up with a plan to help our people. This opening statement was followed by introduction of executive members, and the national president referred members to the constitution so that everyone should know what their duties are. After the introduction, the national president went to the agenda of the day.
The first item of our agenda was Membership Drive. Here the National president urged our local chapters to try and bring in members within their chapters by looking for Oroko people within their community and encouraging them to be part of the Oroko family. Tata Dr.Solomon Basame an Executive Adviser weighed in by saying that the National president made a good point and also any other idea that can help boost our membership will be a good idea.
Our Public Relations Officer Tata Victor Nanje also mentioned that we have to contact Oroko people and make sure they join our Oroko family. The National Vice President Tata Musongo Nanje also mentioned that people should also try and register at their local chapters even if they are registered at the national. Tata Victor Nanje, went on to say that we have to come up with a pamphlet that separates benefits of Oroko Georgia for example and that of the national to help people know what kind of benefits they can get within their local chapters and the national when they register.
The National President went on to the second item on our agenda which was the Creation of our 501(C) (3). The National President mentioned that, all the necessary documentation for the creation of our 501(C)(3), has been put in place except for that fact that she was still waiting on the former National President Tata Prince Fred Mediko to complete the handing over of the bank account to her, which she supposed will be done by Monday October 9, 2017 as they arranged. She continued by saying that the process to get the 501(C)(3) ,may take about three months, and she has contacted an accountant to help facilitate the process.
The National President went on to the third item on our agenda, which was the Creation of an Oroko Global WhatsApp forum. On this issue, the National President mentioned that, the current Oroko USA WhatsApp forum will be converted to the Oroko Global WhatsApp forum and those who are registered at Oroko USA or National will be transferred to a newly created WhatsApp forum which will consist only of Oroko USA registered members. This decision was unanimously agreed by the members of the National Executive Management Committee, who make up the National Executive branch of Oroko USA. On that note, Tata Dr. Solomon Basame mentioned that our Oroko USA forum should be more focused on our Oroko issues. On his part the PRO, Tata Victor Nanje weighed in by saying that the Oroko Global will help us get information from across the globe that can help Oroko people. On his part, our Technical Adviser Tata Adolphus Ati mentioned that, an Oroko Global forum with more than 100 members may be problematic to manage without the setting of Rules of Conduct and posting etiquettes. The National Secretary General Tata Emmanuel Ikoe weighed in by saying that, the Oroko Global forum is very important at this time when we need to get very concrete information as to what is happening back home and specifically in Oroko land. He went on to say that information gathered from sources on the ground that is within the confines of Oroko regions can help us to assess the feasibility of some of the programs or projects we may want to carry in the future. He highlighted some very important issues that are taking place recently within the Oroko Region such as the arrest of our Oroko sons and daughters and also certain communiqués that are circulating within our midst but of which we don’t have anyone from that Oroko Region to validate the claim. He continued by saying that if we have people who are in Oroko Global forum from Mundemba, Ekondo titi, or other Oroko Region with access to the internet, we can get direct information and even pictures on what is going on and what is at stake. The National Vice President also weighed in by saying that even at the Oroko Global forum, there is a need for the rules of conduct, and people should focus on issues that relate to Oroko and their culture. This again was supported by the National Secretary General who mentioned that this rules of conduct will be clearly spelled out for member to read and abide by. On that note, Tata Nambili Namongo who is also an Executive Adviser mentioned that, they should be a watchdog on the forum who can caution people if they go against the rules and to send them a warning through their private account and if they don’t refrain from going against the rules, they will be taken off.
The meeting proceeded with the National President mentioning that we had a handing over ceremony as we can see on the pictures, and she also gave a summary of all the documents that were handed over by the previous administration. She continued by saying that the Financial Secretary Iya Caroline Elangwe also had some financial documents at her disposal of which she will later give us an update of the financial records and standing of Oroko USA. In terms of any project, the National President mentioned that she does not have any project in mind as of now. The Georgia Chapter President Tata Chief Victor Obie mentioned if we cannot do the bench project or whether it was completed. The National President said we can’t do the bench project and the previous project was completed by the previous administration.
The National President continued with her GoFundme campaign. She mentioned our sisters who are sick in Georgia that is, Iya Hannah Aboko and Iya Gertrude Nanje, and also the sister of New York /New Jersey President Iya Olive Beseka, who she said did not need a GoFundMe but only our prayers and some flowers to keep her body and soul together, and she thanked Tata Paddy Ndole who is the Houston chapter president, for his contribution despite what he went through in Texas.
The National President proceeded with another item on our agenda, which has to do with the Washington D.C chapter which for some time now has been having some financial issues from the previous administration. The National President mentioned that, she contacted Tata Ebini Tambe, in regards to the issue, and Tata Ebini Tambe, mentioned that since the account was closed, the bank has sent him to the treasury to get some documents that can enable the bank to open the account before he can get hold of the money. She mentioned that Tata Ebini Tambe confirm to her that the money is still in the account but that the bank just need the documents from the treasury, since the account has being dormant for too long. On his part, the National Vice President who is also the current president of the Washington D.C chapter mentioned that, we still need to double check if what Tata Ebini Tambe is saying is true. On that note, Tata Chief Victor Obie who is the Georgia president mentioned that if the bank has sent Tata Ebini Tambe to the Treasury, there should be a letter from the bank to validate his claim.
Tata Nambili Namongo also brought up an issue with regards to our Cultural Nights. He said our cultural nights should be our cultural nights, and not that people will be coming in with suits, and every chapter should endeavor to have their uniform for the cultural night. The National President weighed in by saying that, chapters should make it mandatory for every member to be in their uniform during our cultural night. The PRO, Tata Victor Nanje mentioned that, the time for the Boston convention was not good in terms of sales of drinks, because when people stay longer it will help us to raise some money by selling drinks. He said during our next convention, we have to find out the time limit for our occasion and how to sell our drinks. The National Vice President also mentioned that in D.C they rent a hall and also rent a liquor license in order to sell drinks. The PRO, Tata Victor Nanje also mentioned that if we want to invite a musician from Cameroon next convention we have to host it in a place which will be vibrant.
Talking about the hosting the Convention, the National Executive Management Committee, headed by the National President has agreed that there will be a new venue for the 2018 National Convention, and this new venue is no place other than the home of the National President in the state of Georgia, after which Iya Olive Beseka had suggested Atlanta or Washington D.C. This decision was taken with reference to Article IX, Section 1, Clause 1(b) which states that “ The venue for the next national convention shall be any chapter that volunteers and shall be made known to the general assembling before the close of each general assembly meeting in collaboration with the host chapters”. It should also be noted that , in accordance of with the provisions of Article IX, Section 1, Clause 3(c) , decisions reached by the national executive management committee during their monthly meetings shall be final and binding.
Following this decision, the National President mentioned that she was going to get in contact with Tata Ekoi and wife of Chicago to inform him about this latest development and also to help them to build a chapter in Chicago, so that they can host the conventions in the future.
The National President proceeded by saying that, during the previous handing over ceremonies there used to be an audit committee before the financial records are being transferred, but since we still have the same Financial Secretary, she believes everything has being taken care of. The National Financial Secretary Iya Caroline Elangwe on her part, mentioned that during the Boston Convention, she sat down with the former National Treasurer, Iya Olive Beseka, and counted all the money to make sure it was correct. The National President mentioned that she want to encourage transparency and that our monthly financial statements will be made available on OCA-USA website for registered members to see. On that note, the National Financial Secretary mentioned that the National President can request a monthly electronic statement which will be uploaded to the website monthly. She went on to give us the net balance on our account which was $1,254.17 in the checking and $3,332.14 in the savings. The Vice President gave us a closing remark, and said the meeting was successful, and we are looking forward for the next meeting. The meeting closed at 9.15 p.m. ET
Those who attended this meeting included:
The National President Iya Dr. Clementine E. Nanje
The National Vice President Tata Musongo Nanje
The National Secretary General Tata Emmanuel Ikoe
The National Financial Secretary Iya Caroline Elangwe
The National Public Relations Officer Tata Victor Nanje
The National Executive Adviser Tata Nambili Namongo
The National Technical Adviser Tata Adolphus Ati
The National Executive Adviser Tata Dr.Solomon Basame
The President of New York/New Jersey Chapter Iya Olive Beseka
The President of Houston Chapter Tata Paddy Ndole
The Georgia Chapter President Tata Chief Victor Obie
The Boston Chapter President Tata Jana Nanje
