PERSONAL, OR NATIONAL INTEREST?

The Constitution of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas (GGAA), has come under severe attack from both the Right Wing Conservatives and Left Wing Progressives of the National Board of Directors of the Gedeh Union.

Sections of the GGAA ORGANIC (living) laws are being interpreted by both sides of the isle of the National Board, to suit their personal interests over that of the national interest, at the expense of the Gedeh Union’s Membership.

The Right Wing Conservatives, comprise traditionalists, including Messrs. Harrison Saydee and Moses Zohnyan, New England, Miss. Sarah Toe-McKinney, Georgia and Mr. Alphonso Bargblor, Pennsylvania. This Wing is being led by National Board Co-Chairman, Philip Wahblo, New York.

The Right Wing controlled and enjoyed the Union’s power during the Kannah Administration and having tasted and enjoyed power uncontested for two consecutive years, it finds it very difficult relinquishing it easily.

Unfortunately, the Right Wing is finding it very difficult, if not impossible finding formidable candidates who are centrists and moderates to contest the Board’s leadership, if they are to continue holding on to power.

A few notable names were thrown around by the Conservatives. Reports first emerged that Ms. Sarah Toe-McKinney, Georgia, was contemplating contesting the National Board’s chairmanship, but she denied and dismissed the reports.

If this were true, she might have been the first female to contest such a powerful position within the Gedeh Union, especially at this time with the Board controlling the power of the purse.

Another name in the grapevine is that of Mr. Alphonso Bargblor, Pennsylvania, but the Pennsylvania congressional delegation has a very serious constitutional problem.

The problem could derail prospects of any Member of that chapter’s delegation and deny the chapter any national leadership position on the National Board.

The problem is the President of the Pennsylvania Chapter has constitutional absolute power to appoint and recall any of the chapter’s National Board Members at will.

A classic case in point was the appointment and subsequent recall by then President, Todd Garlo, of Mr. Steve Boley, who was Pennsylvania Chapter’s representative on the National Board and also serving as National Chairman of the National Board.

Article VIII Section 1(D) of the GGAA Constitution requires National Board Members to be elected. The Article reads thus, “MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS SHALL BE ELECTED BY THEIR RESPECTIVE CHAPTERS.”

This practice reminds us about our ugly past during the Liberian crisis, when faction leaders partitioned Liberia into enclaves, with absolute power of appointing, recalling and replacing legislators at will.

This practice was very common among faction leaders. If the faction leaders suspected a legislator was not fostering their factions’ selfish agendas over that of the Liberian nation, he/she was immediately recalled and replaced. No questions asked.

That was in Liberia, a third world country and that was during a crisis period, although that did not justify the faction leaders’ actions, but we had no choice. Our primary thought was to apply the first law of nature, “SELF PRESERVATION.”

A challenge or criticism of those guys’ actions could have resulted to one’s life being placed in danger, but we are now in the great United States of America, the beacon of hope, the mother of modern democracy and we are not in a crisis period.

We must not allow the Pennsylvania Chapter to carry us backwards. Its constitution has the propensity of disrupting the smooth operation of our National Board and by extension, the progress of our National Association.

The appointment of chapter Board Members to the National Board also creates room for the open practice of dictatorship. Additionally, the chapter President could appoint his/her cronies against the will of the majority Membership of the chapter. This practice is unacceptable and must stop.

The Pennsylvania Chapter’s constitution also calls into question the sincere and honest practice of democratic norms within the Gedeh Union. We cannot continue with this abnormal practice.

It is also worth noting that historically, the Pennsylvania Chapter is the most populous chapter within the Gedeh Union as such, it must serve as a model of democracy within the Union and not carry the heaviest constitutional baggage.

It may be recalled that the re-call of Chairman Boley also created a power vacuum and nearly cause a power struggle on the National Board. GGAA National President, Henry Glay who allegedly ignited the entire artificial crisis at the time, was no longer prepared to deal with Chairman Boley.

As a result of the Boley summarily recall, the Board’s smooth operation was nearly disrupted, but the situation was averted because power switched hands, as a result of Mr. Glay losing the GGAA National Presidency.

Additionally, then Co-Chairman, Vowal also refused to immediately step-in, and start a power struggle with Chairman Boley, a preposition which could have engender another crisis within the GGAA again.

This practice by the Pennsylvania Chapter is unacceptable and it must be stopped. The Pennsylvania Chapter must amend its constitution in compliance with Article IX, Section 3, AUTONOMY of the GGAA Constitution, which reads in part:

“The National Association shall guarantee autonomy to local chapters in the development of their constitutions, activities and programs, except as expressly stipulated in this constitution and by-laws and PROVIDED THESE INTERNAL ARRANGEMENTS AND PROCESSES ARE IN HARMONY WITH THE CONSTITUTION OF THE ASSOCIATION AND WILL NOT UNDERMINE THE EFFECTIVE FUNCTIONING OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION.”

Besides, it de-legitimizes and calls into question the National Board’s credibility, with the most populous chapter within the Union having appointees sitting on the National Board as its representatives.

The Right Wing Conservative’s strategy worked very effectively in Wooster, Massachusetts, when it staged a silent boycott of the Board’s meeting at which the leadership elections were scheduled to have been held, during the 2011 GGAA 21st National Convention.

The Conservatives’ action effectively denied the Progressives a quorum to hold the Board meeting, thus preventing those (Left Wing Progressives) from electing their favorites, as the new leadership of the National Board.

The Right Wing Conservatives are again strategizing to keep the Left Wing Progressives at bay, not prevent them this time around, since they (Left Wing) appear to have the votes to elect the new national leadership of the National Board at any time.

While all this is going on, the potential beneficiary of the Right wing’s struggle for the new national leadership of the National Board at the moment is current lame duck National Chairman, Isaac Vowal.

Although Vowal is not running to succeed himself, he benefits as the Conservatives’ ultimate hold over choice, as the Board‘s leadership elections continues to be delayed indefinitely. Vowal‘s leadership’s legal tenure ended since 12:00Am on Sunday, May 29, this year.

The Left Wing Progressives comprise both the old, young and abrasive Board Members, including Messrs. Dennis Bowal, South Dakota, V. Marcus Kooler and Randy Kaydea, Minnesota and Columbus Zinnah, Indiana. Their de facto leader is Mr. Joe Kweh, Missouri.

The Left Wing Progressives’ potential beneficiary is Mr. Eric Kohn, Missouri.  He is the indomitable 800 pound gorilla in the room. He is being backed very strongly by the Progressives and some moderates for the National Board‘s Chairmanship.

Political Observers say it is only a question of when and not if Mr. Kohn is elected. Kohn narrowly lost the National Board Chairmanship to Mr. Vowal during the 2009 National Board elections in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

The current debate is over whether or not the GGAA National Board’s leadership elections should be held this year, as per the GGAA William Nyanue Constitution Review Commission (CRC), amended constitution.

The sections being cherry picked and interpreted by both the Conservative and Progressive Wings of the National Board, are under Article VIII, “ELECTIONS AND TENURE OF ELECTED OFFICERS.”

Article VIII, Section 1(A) of the constitution reads in part. “election for national officers, including the leadership of the Board, shall be held once every two (2) years during the National Conference.”

This section is the one being supported by the Left Wing Progressives, who want the Board’s leadership elections held as per of this provision. This wing harbors the hardcore support base of Mr. Eric Kohn.

Under the same Article VIII, Section 1(I), it also reads in part, “Election for the officers of the National Board of Directors and the National Administration shall not be held in the same year.”

The Right Wing Conservatives strongly support this provision, because unfortunately they have no candidates at the moment, as such, are using the lame duck leadership of Mr. Isaac Vowal’s indefinite stay in office as the only means of finding suitable and acceptable candidates.

Whether or not either the Left or Right Wing wins this debate for their respective Wings, is legally immaterial to the Membership of the Grand Gedeh Association.

The most important aspect of this debate however, is the tenure of the National Board, as per the amended GGAA Constitution. The amended Constitution specified the tenure of the National Board; else the Conservatives would have won this debate, hand down.

The Left Wing won the first round of the debate, when the Board voted six to five prior to the National Convention, to hold the Board’s leadership elections in Wooster, Massachusetts.

However, they were out maneuvered by the Right Wing Conservatives, when they staged a silent boycotted of the Board’s meeting at which time the leadership elections were scheduled to have been held. 

So, whoever wins or thinks he/she has won this debate for his/her respective Wing, cannot legally alter the GGAA Constitution by un-specifying the National Board’s tenure again.

The GGAA old Constitution unspecified the tenure of the National Board, but the William Nyanue amended Constitution specified the tenure of the National Board by specifically including a two-year tenure.

Under Article VIII, Section 4(A): TENURE OF ELECTED OFFICERS of the GGAA old Constitution, It reads in part; “All elected officers of the Association, except Members of the National Board of Directors, shall hold office for two years commencing from the date of the National Election.”

The only organ under the GGAA Constitution clough with the authority of altering the Constitution is the National Conference, which is the Supreme body of the GGAA.

What is most significant to the Membership and the Editorial Staff of the Independent Eye News and the MN Web, is the GGAA National Board’s leadership elections must be held in compliance with Article VIII, Section 1(A).

In fulfillment of this noble goal, the Editorial Staff of the Independent Eye News and the MN Web, calls on the Right Wing Conservatives to allow reason to prevail.

The Conservatives must allow this Association complete its leadership structure, by performing its civic duty of electing the National Board’s leadership, because one organ (Executive) cannot function effectively, in the absence of the other (Board).

The Collins Administration must be afforded the opportunity of implementing its platform, by working with a legitimate national leadership of the National Board of Directors of the GGAA.

The Vowal Board leadership has since lost its legitimacy as of 12:AM, Sunday, May 29 this year. It is currently surviving on unsolicited borrowed time, as such, its actions and/or decisions are legally questionable.

We, the Editorial Staff of the Independent Eye News and the MN Web, vowed not to rest until the Pennsylvania Chapter’s constitution is in harmony with the GGAA’s.

We also vowed to ensure the GGAA National Board’s leadership elections are held in Des Moines, Iowa, during the inauguration of the Collins Administration. In so doing, this shall constitute our commitment to our readership.

The MN Web, the most objective, credible, 24/7 Medium Institution within the Diaspora Liberian Community, shall continue to bring you the latest developments as they unfold.

By: Tarnyon Nyenon

Managing Editor & Editor-In-Chief

MN Web-ghrandgedehassocincmn.com

tnyenon59@yahoo.com-(763) 226-3634-Cell