THE MISAPPROPRIATION OF PRIORITIES: GGAA CHOOSES TRAVEL OVER THE PURSUIT OF UNITY AND RECONCILIATION
admin | Feb 01, 2010 | Comments 2
It has been nearly 8 months since the GGAA national elections, and our Association has been afflicted by the demons of confusion, division, and disunity. We have witnessed court battles, accusations and counter accusations on both sides. Some of us have endeavored behind the scene to find a swift resolution to this conflict but to no avail. It’s being increasingly clear that both camps had shielded themselves behind the wall of stubbornness and having something to proof to the opposite camp. People who were suppose to have served as good advisors with the interest of Grand Gedeh been paramount became instigators to the fullest. Repetitions and integrities were compromised; the greed for power was exposed, men became prisoners of their own ambitions, while others masqueraded as leaders in the face of pending court decision and unhappy and disenfranchised county men. The Board that was to serve as honest broker lost her credibility in the process, a hard blow that the Board continues to suffer till this day. In all objectivity, the blame is to be share by both camps. The outreached effort on either side in bringing about lasting peace and unity was minimum at best, if any.
Despite the above mentioned controversy, the National Leadership was inaugurated. Some of us again did a lot of behind the scene attempts to have the other camp withdraw the case and let us move forward. There was argument from that side that the occasion that was supposed to be a UNITY BALL was changed to an inaugural program, and they considered it as a “GOTCHA” or a “RUB IN THE FACE”. Whatever was the situation, I was hopeful that the new leadership will understand the prevailing animosity and division within our dear association and prioritize the same. It is also no secret that the Iowa Chapter is in chaos and that Georgia Chapter has its own disunity amongst members. True be told, this Administration has a lot of healing to do, member Chapters that need intervention, and disenfranchised Grand Gedeans that need to be reconcile with. Excerpts taken from Mr. Weeks interview with the Board Chairman, he was quoted as saying “I advised the Kannah/Yonly administration to officially document everything it does especially, when it comes to money and try to do little traveling.” If the Board Chairman has advised the President on doing little traveling, why then, less than 4 months after inauguration and less than a month after the case dismissal of the law suit are we hearing about “a ten member high power delegation” instead of a ten member high power unity and reconciliation committee? What is the urgency of now? What is in this trip that it can’t be put on a back burner to unity and reconciliation within our circle? First and foremost, this Administration is a Leader for us here in the Americas, and as such, fostering unity amongst us shall be above all else. Leave your house in order before you travel so that you have a positive and coherent message to deliver to those who you intend to visit. Before the Board Chairman let the cat out of the bag, it has been learned from anonymous source within the Administration that some officials were already boasting of going to meet President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. This is ridiculous and the Association shouldn’t be use for personal aggrandizement. Where is the Board? Where are the well meaning Grand Gedeans? We can’t be silent in this. Right now, some Chapters seem to be well united and organized than the national body. What is the foremost priority of this national leadership? Is traveling to Africa more important than keeping us united?
I was just browsing through our Constitution and came across something that drew my curiosity and will just like to share it. Article II, Section1: The Aims and Objectives of this Association shall be: (a) to promote unity, peace, mutual understanding, brotherhood and cooperation among Grand Gedeans. This is the first part of the aims and objectives of this Association. We need a committee that will foster this effort. Are we oblivious, or simply deliberate in our attempt to pretend that all is well within our organization? We continue to play the blame game because its easy to play. Nearly 4 months after inauguration, we still have the Board Chairman blaming the Glay Administration and the lawsuit for us not yet having a venue for 2010 convention. In spite of this lawsuit, inauguration was still held without hindrance, but when it comes to venue, then lawsuit and Glay become an issue. We have to graduate out of this and take some blame sometimes. Barrack Obama didn’t shift blame after the Detroit plane bombing attempt; instead, he took responsibility, and that what we should do. Mr. Vowal is an uncle of mine, whom I dearly respect and admire, but on this one, I must dissent.
I consider the effort and attempt of this so-called ten member high power delegation to Liberia while other Chapters and our National Association in particular are going through some issues that have the propensity to bring about long term disunity within our Association is ill thought, reprehensible, and deliberate. This is a clear misappropriation of priorities, and I am asking well meaning Grand Gedeans to join me in pleading with this Administration to please seize the opportunity in bringing us together as one people and this should be the foremost important goal right now. In the same birth, I will like to appeal to the Wulu Kalar disenfranchised Grand Gedeans to see reason that is beyond the Kannah/Yohnly issue, but for the greater good of this Association. I believe that you have made your point and because of you our Constitution will be revisited. This in itself is a huge accomplishment; take pride in yourselves and let us move on. Don’t let yourselves be made scapegoats or diversion of administrative failures and blunders, some of which were alluded to by the Board Chairman in his advice and accusation of this Administration of financial mismanagement: using our money on media outlets that don’t reach the main source.
In another development, I will also like to recommend to this Administration and the Board and also to the good people of this Association that a financial audit be conducted going back ten years to present, so as to find out how our money had been appropriated. Majority of the funds that this Association generates comes from the hard earned work of Grand Gedeans and we deserved the right to know how our money has been used over the years and at present. According to the Board Chairman, the Administration submitted a budget in the amount of seventy eight thousand, six hundred thirty one United States dollars ($78,631.00) for fiscal year 2010 to the National Board for approval. Eight thousand of which is earmarked for the 2010 convention. I am amazed by the figure and leave me with the impression that this organization is growing. At the same time, I am eager to know the total dollar amount that is in our coffer. I am not an economist neither am I a financial expert, but common sense tells me that no one will submit a budget that revenue cannot support. Therefore, do we have this amount in our account, or are there undertakings of definite income to meet this budget? I wait anxiously to have these questions answer and to have a better insight of how we intend to meet this goal.
Jeferous Carlton Othavious Diahn I
Tel. 281-995-8432
Filed Under: Commentary
Bro. Diahn, you are right on point. what is the essence of the national president and the chairman of the board going on a joint fact finding mission. Are there no trustful leutenants that can be send on this so-called fact finding mission? Why is this administration so bend on going? Are there other auterior motives? This trip leaves more questions than answers,and i believe this more of self than the association.
Hi there brother_Kwame Weeks good day and hope all is well. I was very glade to spend a couple of minutes tracing and reading what you posted entitle “Watch This” and what it had to say about the misunderstanding/ difference views and opinion between both the GGAA National President Martha A. Kannah and the newly elected President of the MN chapter Alex Barmon, with regard to were the organization is heading next or in a very short future from now…
I also take out my hat to Tarnyon Nyenon for what I personally view as a fair and balance report from both candidate involve. I encourage you to keep up the good work.
As a good citizen and well wisher of not just the GGAA but also a true patriot to the mother land Liberia, I couldn’t agreed more with Bro_Weeks that such publication is to be watch very closely and summit our import or words of advise to both parties.
To Alex Barmon I couldn’t agreed with you more and the act of voicing what you believe is going wrong with in the organization and what needs to be carefully look at…I believe this is something that for far too long we have been missing in our chapter leaders here in Minnesota. You brave move of speaking out not only convince me that you means well for the organization but you also understand leadership and that you was appointed for a reason and that you must undertake at all just cost. Keep up the hard work as you have my support…
To Martha A. Kannah I really can’t take anything from you until I totally follow up the entire story/situation and that I will make my responsibility to stay on top and also with all issue concerning the organization cause it is not just the leadership responsibility’ s but all Grand Gedehians.
After reading what is posted on the national site I will like to remind you that you do have responsibilities and you will be judge upon that and when history is written it could either affect you or help you from generation to generation. Get more active and stop too many appointees issue. You need to get out there and do what we expect of you…
I hope the both involve will have the opportunity to read a few words of advise.
Thanks
Charles Dweh
CDweh@yahoo. com
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