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In Defense of Nze Joe Eto – WIC Chairman By KC Prince Asagwara

In Defense of Nze Joe Eto – WIC Chairman By KC Prince Asagwara New York[RR] Toronto-Canada–Some of you have cited section/article 9.5 as your basis for the rebellious BOD meeting called by Chief Cy Nwaguru. But I doubt your deliberations and outcomes, that is, resolutions reached can hold in a court of law, if legally […]

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In Defense of Nze Joe Eto – WIC Chairman By KC Prince Asagwara

New York[RR] Toronto-Canada–Some of you have cited section/article 9.5 as your basis for the rebellious BOD meeting called by Chief Cy Nwaguru. But I doubt your deliberations and outcomes, that is, resolutions reached can hold in a court of law, if legally challenged. I said so because according to the cited article, it is when WIC Chairman failed to call a mandatory BOD meeting and the VC is unavailable to do so that the BOD meeting called by Chief CY Nwaguru can hold. But in this case and why I termed it rebellious, WIC Chairman Nze Joe Eto did not fail to call a mandatory BOD meeting as required by the Constitution. And Chief Cy Nwaguru is neither WIC Chairman nor the VC. The Chairman Nze Joe Eto put out a disclaimer that stated the BOD meeting called by Chief CY Nwaguru in his capacity as WIC Secretary was as unauthorized as it is out of line with WIC Constitutional requirement.

He also stated as it has been the tradition in WIC Conventions, that WIC BOD meeting is scheduled to hold in Houston before WIC Executive elections. So, why the rush by Chief Cy Nwaguru to upstage his boss in WIC Executive? If I recall it correctly, it was after he got wind of the fact that Chairman Eto had criticized his performance as WIC Secretary-General and scouted for his replacement in the coming WIC Executive elections that he realized there was need for WIC emergency BOD meeting. His motive must be question. Is he really altruistic in his action? Going through the motions and resolutions of the rebellious BOD meeting, the following sections in particular are prejudicial and ill motivated:

Whereas the said indictment of Mr. Eto has damaged the image, reputation and credibility of the World Igbo Congress; and;

Whereas the Board of Directors of the World Igbo Congress believes that Mr. Eto’s present legal travail is an undue burden and distraction for him to effectively fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office of the Chairman of the World Igbo Congress, and;

Whereas the World Igbo Congress Board of Directors believes that Mr. Eto needs to concentrate in exonerating himself from the charges brought against him the Georgia Grand Jury;

Be it therefore Resolved that the Board of Directors of the World Igbo Congress on this Twenty-Second day of August, Two Hundred and Fourteen (8-22-2014), votes to that “it is in the best interest of the World Igbo Congress that Mr. Eto resigns as the Chairman of the World Igbo Congress, effective immediately.”

My questions are as follows:

What organizational relationship has an unproved alleged indictment got to do with the works Nze Joe Eto as WIC Chairman is performing?

Where is the evidence except, as adjudged by his detractors that the said unproven indictment of Mr. Eto “has damaged the image, reputation and credibility of the World Igbo Congress”?

Who is to say except his detractors that, “Mr. Eto’s present legal travail is an undue burden and distraction for him to effectively fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the office of the Chairman of the World Igbo Congress”?

Moving on…

There is neither conclusive proof nor evidence presently except in the minds of his detractors that Mr. Joe Nze Eto will be found guilty in the alleged indictment. Then, is it not self-serving and a violation of his fundamental right and world-wide acclaimed de-facto and de-jure position of innocent until proven guilty by a jury of his peers in a court of legal jurisprudence? If that is the case and it is indeed, to peremptorily, conclude in the rebellious BOD meeting, “Be it therefore Resolved that the Board of Directors of the World Igbo Congress on this Twenty-Second day of August, Two Hundred and Fourteen (8-22-2014), votes to that “it is in the best interest of the World Igbo Congress that Mr. Eto resigns as the Chairman of the World Igbo Congress, effective immediately”; is inappropriate and prejudicial.

Recall Raymond J. Donavan, I believe Secretary of Labour in President Regan’s Cabinet, 1981-85 who was accused of multiple wrong-doings and indicted on all of them. The Press and TV made a field day out of his travails and took him to the market place and virtually ruined his name. Remember that in the end, he was exonerated and not convicted in any of the charges and indictment against him. The day his trial was over and he emerged from court amidst flashing of cameras lights and reporters that converged from all over the world to see him pronounced guilty and sentenced to long year of imprisonment; some members of the Press asked him how it felt to be exonerated? He said to them, can you members of the Press tell me, “Which office do I go to, to get back my reputation you have ruined”? None could give a satisfactory answer. So far, from all indications, WIC Chairman, Joe Nze Eto has been very transparent in the management of WIC funds. Please before you ruin the name of WIC Chairman who is yet to be found guilty of the indictment charges against him, have a rethink, folks. Remember that there is the day after.

Now, the issue for me as Nwafor Igbo is not whether Nze Joe Eto stays as WIC Chairman or not. That will be decided by the HOD with voting cards. Rather, my questions for those undermining him using real and fictitious names are as follows:

Where is your manifesto and vision to take WIC from its present position to higher heights never reached, prior, if you are elected WIC Chairman? Also, show us how achievable those, your goals would be and in what time frame. How do you plan to garner the necessary resources to achieve them?

Moving on…

If you are in the race for WIC Chairmanship position or in support of one running, showcase what he/she stands for in the rebuilding of WIC rather than expect to be elected into office by running down your opponent. In so doing, if you are elected, at the end of your term, we will be able analyze and evaluate your services rendered while in office vis-à-vis the promises you made while running to be elected WIC Chairman. Further, why use handles and fictitious names to post disparaging things against your opponent for WIC Chairmanship position? If you really believe in the goodness of your action, be a man enough to use your identifiable name(s). That way, we know how honest you are. If not, why should Ndi-Igbo trust for WIC leadership anyone capable of such mischief?

In the near three years Nze Joe Eto has been in-charge of WIC affairs, he and his Executive have achieved what previous WIC leaderships did not achieve. I appeal to you to read, if you have not his declared State of the Union presently in circulation. The achievements articulated shows a man, a leader with seriousness of purpose in the service of his people, Diaspora and homeland based Igbo. Also, review his articulated projects in the works which he and those serving with him have promised to bring to fruition, if re-elected for another term. Some nay sayers have mocked those projects, calling them, “white elephant” and “mirage” projects. Well; they are wrong. Nothing is impossible to achieve for a leader with a can-do attitude of which Nze Jo Eto is a leader in that mold. You may have heard the saying, “If you Will it, It’s no legend”. Besides, he showed us his road map to achieving them.

Now, let us not allow his detractors to do to him what was done to Mayor, David Norman Dinkins who served as the 106th Mayor of New York City, from 1990 to 1994. You may recall that Mayor Dinkins initiated most of the projects for effective policing against crimes, economic empowerment and social services which his successor, Mayor Giuliani criticized during his election campaign but only to implement them when he replaced mayor Dinkins and took all the credits. In the alternative, a new WIC Chairman with other personal and political interests may kill the Nze Joe Eto led WIC Executive planned projects to serve his political ends. At this juncture, the leadership of WIC should not be handed over to those with political aspirations back in Nigeria wanting to use the platform of WIC to achieve their purpose. I say to you, those HOD members eligible to vote in the coming elections, please, return the current WIC Executive team to see to the finishing of the good works they started. Diaspora Igbo and Ala-Igbo will be better for it.

Moving on..:Why expose World Igbo Congress (WIC) internal affairs, especially minutes of meetings and financial statements for discussions in the wider Nigerian internet forums? Does that kind of behavior augur well for Igbo well being and unity? Do you realize how much your campaign of calumny meant to hurt an individual, Nze Joe Eto is rather destructive of the collective interest of Ndi-Igbo?

Finally, I am more than perplexed by the actions of some of our Mbaise folks in particular in the alleged indictment of a son and brother. Some of them have ran amuck in making vituperative utterances to rubbish his name, image and character without giving him the benefit of doubt. In Nze Joe Eto’s leadership of WIC, his management of WIC’s funds and other organizations he has been involved have remained transparent. I maintain that he “is innocent until proven guilty” and there is nothing “immoral” about that stand. I, therefore, frown at anyone “calling for the immediate resignation of the current WIC Chairman, Mr. Joe Nze Eto”.

As Nwafor Igbo, I believe in my Igbo folklore of Onuru Ube Nwanne Agbala Oso – Standby your kinsman when he/she is in distress.
It Shall Be Well with Ala Igbo, the odds not minding.

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