Winning Nigeria; Winning Biafra: Solutions to Nigeria’s Intractable War for Unity and Progress.

Winning Nigeria; Winning Biafra: Solutions to Nigeria’s Intractable War for Unity and Progress.

As a young man, I hated the name Jubril Aminu. Fresh out of Secondary (High) School and armed with admission letter to the Law Faculty at the University of Maiduguri, I was told by Aminu, then Vice Chancellor that the few reserved spots for students from Imo State were filled and only students of Northern origin will be admitted. I was devastated, angry and swore I will not take JAMB again or go to University. What use was that if you won’t be admitted anyway? Luckily my parents did not want any part of my excuses and insisted I must retake JAMB. When I refused to sturdy my Uncle, then a lecturer at the Federal University of Technology, Yola intervened and got me application forms to the College of Preliminary Studies Yola (Now Adamawa State Polytechnic). My outstanding results at Adamawa Poly earned me admission to the Faculty of Law, University of Jos. I recount this preamble for the emphasis that so many young people of Igbo descent have been trapped in this same experience of life in our Country in one way or the other. For most of them they do not have the support of families that shepherd them so that their anger and frustration in their Country do not destroy their ambitions and dreams. At Adamawa Poly and the University of Jos, I was also awakened to the fact that while my parents mortgaged family land and borrowed from everyone to pay my tuition and upkeep, my colleagues from the Northern States received the Bursary payments or full scholarships respectively, not on the grounds of being indigent, but purely based on their State of origin. These funds mostly are payments from the Nigerian Federal Government

So, the question is why is the agitation for Biafra growing louder, half a Century after Nigerias leaders declared at the Aburi Accord meetings to ”… REAFFIRM our faith in discussions and negotiation as the only peaceful way of resolving the Nigerian crisis”. I do not want to rehearse the antecedents leading up to the Nigeria Civil war or the pogrom of the largest peacetime massacre of Igbo people.  Ojukwu  at just 33 years of age was forced to lead a war of secession from Nigeria to save his people from shame and imminent death. But the rest is not history … the last thing Nigeria has attempted is any form of negotiated inquiry into the issues that have beleaguered our Unity as a Country. As I would soon find out, my anger at Jubril Aminu was misplaced. Aminu was only one of several Vice Chancellors, Presidents and Permanent Secretaries implementing a wider systemic discrimination of people of Igbo descent across the Country. So, my sad story was actually the story of every young Igbo man across the board. Nigeria’s policy of Quota system and Federal Character were applied in industries, the Military, Universities and places of employment to deny Igbos who have merited positions a chance at their dreams or chosen career. I will readily concede that governments, especially in multicultural or multi-ethnic Countries have an interest in making sure there are policies in place that favor a disadvantaged group from being discriminated against by other groups or cultures. In the United States this is called the policy of Affirmative Action, Employment Equity in Canada, Positive Action in the United Kingdom, etc. There is a big difference in what is practiced widely around the world in trying to make sure that the less advantaged and those who have suffered sanctioned discrimination in their own Country are given fair and equal opportunity at advancing themselves. Nigeria’s Federal Character and Quota system could be described as the exact opposite, an ‘Affirmative Action Against Igbos, Employment Inequity of Igbos, Negative Action on Igbos’ etc because it targets the people who has been the object of discrimination in Nigeria for further discrimination. The closest analogy I can use is where a father denies a gifted son an education because his younger one was born with a learning disability. Igbos have strived and thrived in spite of the civil war, in spite of the deliberate underdevelopment of the entire Eastern region of Nigeria and hatred or envy of other ethnic groupings in Nigeria. Any other group of people that are meted the injustices and denials thrust on the Igbos would be completely broken and lacking the spirit or will to survive. Nigeria does not need to hold her best talents down or stop them from advancing. The disadvantage in educational or other opportunities by people of Northern origin in Nigeria is not based on any form of discrimination; after all the North has dominated power in Nigeria. We may need to create more awareness about the values and opportunities that education offers in the North, but we do not need to stop the rest of the Country moving forward in order to do that. There are young people in the North who prefer the family business of farming and agriculture and there is no amount of awareness or monetary inducements that can change that. I still remember that at Adamawa Poly, half of the School enrollment will disappear every year after the bursary is paid out. They go back to rearing their cattle or other business of choice after pocketing the federal bursary payments.

I am not one of those that believe that Nigeria must be split into two or three Countries. I do not believe that Biafra is the best solution, even for the Igbos. Nigeria can be a great Country where all ethnic groups can thrive and be proud. But we need to do some work. Too many young people of Igbo origin are growing up in a Country at war with them. Even those who did not witness the civil war believe they are besieged, that they cannot be all they want to b e because their Country will not let them. It is a sad thing for anybody to know that the next person has been given something he has earned, not based on merit but because of their geographical region of birth or religion. For too many, it feels like they were forced into an adopted family who treats them like slaves and when they beg to go back to their biological parents they are told they cannot do that either.  Nigeria will need to tell itself the truth. After the civil war, the leaders declared that there was “No Victor, No Vanquished”. This was a wise recognition that a war does not end simply because the guns have stopped firing. Winning Biafra into Nigeria will require winning the hearts and minds of Igbo people. And all we are asking for is an equal stake in the Country that fought to keep us here. Igbos are marginalized in every facet of the economy and always rigged out of the corridors of political power; are not adequately represented in government or other appointments in industry or administrative offices. For those who survived the civil war, the scars are still fresh. We need a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to chart the war forward. How is it that for the first time in the History of the world, a government that was fighting to keep a group of people whose only crime was to say …”Enough of the killing of our people, since you do not want us among you, please let us go” employed Hunger and food blockades as a tool of war. No one has been held to account for this dehumanizing treatment where you say to another human, I will treat you unfairly or kill you and if you try to get away from me, I will kill you or I will make sure that no one can help to feed you. You will die at my hands or I will force you to starve to death. In South Africa, they recognized the need to heal the internal scars that a prolonged and systemic maltreatment of another human can be for the psychology and progress of their Nation. The South African Truth Commission served for seven years in order to let their Country heal and move forward as one people. We need a Truth commission in Nigeria and not more marginalization. We need advancement and equal opportunities for Igbos, not more ‘Federal Characterization’ of Igbos as the enemies of Nigeria. We need to include the voice of Igbos in building Nigeria and in the determination of the future of our Country. What is the reason for excluding Nigerians abroad from Census counts and the casting of electoral votes other than to marginalize the Igbos. We have been forced to  scatter all over the globe looking for opportunities to live a descent life and we see almost every Country give their citizens living abroad the most sacred right of a vote at elections. If Nigeria values the voice of Igbos in determining how our Country is governed, this issue of absentee balloting has to be dealt with immediately. Consider the American Union that was built between a Slave Master and Slaves from Africa how it has evolved into a more perfect Union. Almost everyone can succeed and in fact excel if you work hard. Armed with an excellent education, Barrack Obama whose father came here in search of greener pastures rose to be the leader of the Free world. America did not do it by keeping a particular segment of her population down but grants opportunities to those who were once discriminated while encouraging everyone to be the best they can be. Consider the number and excellence of Igbos around the globe, contributing and building other economies because their own Country, Nigeria would not afford them opportunities to thrive and contribute to the progress of their homeland.

Buhari and other Nigerian leaders need to realize that the drumbeats for Biafra is a wakeup call to do the work that should have been done in order to give every Nigerian a sense of belonging. You cannot kill enough people or starve enough people or arrest enough people to scuttle an idea. Biafra needs to be recognized for what it is … an idea and an outcry against marginalization; an unmistakeable drumbeat for JUSTICE. Justice for the Igbos The killing of Kenule (Ken) Beeson Saro-Wiwa  and eight other Ogoni leaders did not end the agitation for justice from Ogoni people. This arrest of Nnamdi Kanu as in Ken Saro Wiwa case will turn only turn  Kanu into a National Hero for Igbos because he gives voice to the pain that all Igbos feel. The rest of the world work hard at forming a more perfect Union where everyone thrives but Nigeria believes it can stamp out descent by arrests and killing of her citizens. Buhari can rise up and etch his name in the history books by setting up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission to chart a different part for Nigeria, where everyone can realize their full potentials and the weak or disadvantaged are helped along to being all they can be. May God Bless my Country, Nigeria.

Charles Abiahu Esq.

The father as a Farmer: Submitted by Charles Abiahu on the Occasion of this years Fathers Day Celebration.

The father as a Farmer: 

Submitted by Charles Abiahu on the Occasion of this years Fathers Day Celebration.

Imagine for a brief moment that our world is a vast farmland and you have been called among others to be one of the stakeholders.  A child is your gift of a lease of a portion of the earth to reproduce not according to your ability but to the best intentions of the owner of the land. Now stop imagining it because God is the owner of the farm and we have all been gifted with different seeds of children to reproduce according to his direction and specifications.

Every child will need to be nurtured, watered, trimmed, hedged and sometimes pruned to flourish. At other times we will need to contend with the flood, the weed, birds of air and surely wild animals and pests in order to keep our seed from being swallowed up. This is why the most important duty of a father is to be present at all times and during all seasons of importance in his child’s growth circle. Being involved in your child’s life is the most important validation you can give them about reproducing in the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. Will you be present when your son needs instructing and when your daughter needs a listening ear? Will you lead the way when they are at the crossroads of life? Loving our children is the best fertilizer they need to flourish but every good farmer knows the season to apply this important ingredient and that too much will kill the plant. A father must apply love and discipline as the occasion demands and with the best intentions for achieving steady growth and maturity.

The difference in the quality and quantity of produce between farmers is determined by their respective quality of labor and toil. This is why one farmer has barely enough to eat, another has enough to feed his entire family and the other produces enough to sell. We must seek out the best education and other resources that will impact the life of our children positively. We are called to immerse and hedge them with the word of God to prevent them from being swallowed by the vagaries or vicissitudes of life and living. Luckily, every tool we need is within our reach … We water them daily by our character, our temperament and attitude towards others. And we tend them by the words of our tongue. Our hand is the rod of correction and our tongue is the sharp sword of Praise or Rebuke. Both the rod and the sword are necessary tools for discipline or edifying but If you are not careful with your tongue you could break the tendrils or even uproot the plant. This double edged sword is only to be applied with prudence. When in doubt about what face of the sword to use, apply caution. Prayer is the best caution available to us. Never discipline with anger or curse your children in an emotional outburst because you will reap whatever you sow. God never makes a mistake but it took several generations and even the best seed of God, Jesus Christ  to create a pathway for mankind to return to the farmland. Many of us have condemned the destiny of our children by being brash with our tongue.

As fathers we are called to provide the best farming environment for our children to thrive. Every child has a destiny and unique assignment ordered by our maker. Do not force them to be an extension of your lost dreams or hopes but offer them the tool for achieving and perfecting their missions in life. In this vast farmland Christian fathers must also be their neighbor’s keepers. The quality of your produce will be affected if every farmland around you is fallow and swarming with wild plants, thorns, pests and weeds. Soon they will creep into our portion of the land and make our work harder or infect our crop. So, we must reach out to every abandoned boy, every little girl in despair and every child that has no sense of direction in life and validate them. Luckily again, all every child need to thrive and excel is a little love and  care and we have been freely gifted with an abundance of it by our maker.  When you counsel an abandoned boy you water his spirit with new hopes and new dreams; when you encourage a wandering little girl in despair, she finds herself and lifts many more others beyond their personal imaginations. When we extend love and care to every child we build a community of champions.  A simple impression upon any child that “I know you can do it” or other similar validation of their effort stirs up the best passions and can often be the difference between mediocrity and a resounding success.

But yet, our job as fathers is not complete. Our work in this farm of life is hindered if our helpers feel unhappy or unwelcome. Our wives must know that we will not abandon the farmland when the terrain is rough or the season is dry. Our wives and their labor must be appreciated to give their best. Our children are also looking to how we treat our wives for their best instructions on how to treat their helpmates when they acquire their own farmlands. We must reach out to every widow or abandoned wife or they will produce weeds or thorns that will in turn corrupt or stunt the growth of our plants. Many of the complaints we have about our helpmates in this vast farm of life is only a manifestation that our neighboring farmer abandoned the farm too early or is lazy or did not do a good job at all with his seed. An ill-equipped or untrained worker will not be very good helpmate. Let us break the circle and heal our wives with love and praise, understanding and reassurance. This way we will have the perfect helpmates and we will have a vast community of Godly Children. I have heard many times that children do not come with an instruction booklet. Actually, God has given us a Manual and how to use it to become successful farmers …

Deuteronomy 6:6-7

⁶ And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart:

⁷ And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up.

5-Year Action Policy Projections for Mbaise USA.

5-Year Action Policy Projections for Mbaise USA.

I have just called Mr. Nwanne to thank him for his services for Mbaise people and Mbaise USA. Politics and especially unpaid public service is a grueling adventure. It is challenging and unless you deeply love your people or actually enjoy being in the public eye I will not recommend it. And so, we all owe a big debt of gratitude to everyone and anyone who is willing to put his private life up there for target practices. It causes frictions in family and marital ties and takes away time from loved ones and close friends. But at the same time it is truly the greatest honor that one is acclaimed worthy by his own people for any leadership position. It is much easier for total strangers to recognize your abilities than it is for your own siblings or indeed your people. As such, we expect all recipients of this privileged trust to execute it to the best of his or her abilities. Congratulations to all outgoing executives and Board members and a big thank you to all those who have been entrusted to lead our organization for the next two years. We all hope you will make us proud.

Mbaise USA has come a long way already. I was intrigued with the level of participation and interests in elective offices. Lots of heavy weights and politics at its finest. Some of the campaigns were a little over the top but sometimes it comes with the territory. That is why I have always advocated for MORE Speech instead of less. The only remedy for bad speech is more; so that right thinking people can correct or call out those who are extreme in their attacks or have misrepresented the facts. There was over personalization of campaign rhetoric and we will all be well served in the future to stay with issues instead of besmirching our opponents. I am also very hopeful that very soon the majority of people will totally discredit anyone in this forum who disguises their identity in order to throw mud. If you cannot stand behind your allegations under your own identity we don’t want to hear anything you have to say because there is the higher likelihood that you are lying or exaggerating the facts.

Elections have come and gone and this is now time to pull ourselves together… One Mbaise Nation fighting to survive together. I am encouraged by what I have read about Mr. Nwanne’s maturity in accepting the voice of our people. He has embraced the new administration and congratulated Mazi Osondu on winning the elections. I have not heard the same from Mr. Mbaise himself. In fact I read in one posting that he is contesting the results of the elections. That will be a very dangerous precedent from a man who is highly regarded in our Community. If the facts as I have gathered them are true that the margin of votes is eight to four against Mr. Mbaise; that Mr. Uwakwe who distinctively served as the Electoral Chairman (a personal friend of Mr. Mbaise) is also from New York Chapter as is Mr. Iwu; and that the candidates had personal observers working with the Returning Officers and electoral Committee, it will be hard to maintain a challenge to the results. I will have my faith that Mr. Mbaise will reconsider his positions and even lend his hand to grooming this new regime. If they succeed, all of us will succeed. Mr. Mbaise I am still waiting for your always entertaining Rating of Conventions for this years in  New Jersey.

But moving beyond the elections and our Convention we need to access the last regime fairly and see if there are any lessons that will make our Union stronger. One of them that jumped out at me as an impartial observer is that our electoral circle is too short. A two year term seems to me too short for any serious contemplation and putting in motion a serious policy initiative for our people. I would advocate to the BOD to consider a minimum three year term for elective offices. The current circle will lend itself to the Presidency pursuing only the most populist agenda because elections are right in the corner instead of effectively mapping out a substantive policy outline that will impact our people the greatest in the long term. It is my believe that the short circle of elections and re-elections is why our Presidents have been overly focused on “the next medical mission” instead of figuring out how to improve on it or even consider if there are any ways to achieve same or similar goals. And so I was extremely disappointed when Mr. Nwanne did not take advantage of the opportunity offered on this forum by Chijike Ndukwe. I am looking for leadership that listens or finds ideas and co-opts them for the good of Mbaise. It would have been a no brainer to partner with Mr. Ndukwe on his Medicaid drug program for Ihitte and extend it to all of Mbaise. It would have taken just the same amount of effort, resource allocation, sourcing and commitment to put Mr Ndukwe in charge of an Mbaise Drug Medicaid program to benefit every elderly person in Mbaise. This singular policy would have freed us of the enormous responsibility and expense on an annual medical mission. It is perhaps time to formulate a standard operating process for Mbaise USA to partner with Private Charities operated by our indigenes. If we have processes in place to require that elected officers cannot personally benefit or be paid by a private charity, it may be for good that Mbaise can partner with an already established charity in a particular area of interest to serve our people. On the other hand we can as well tap in to the expertise and personal training or work of our citizens to help us fund raise or think tank in their areas of expertise or service for our people.

There is as well another serious consideration I am recommending to the new Executive and BOD Meeting for consideration … As we know, our cultural bias makes it difficult for the majority if not all of us to be opposed to any form of Insurance option for permanent disability or death benefits. In fact for many of us if our spouse dares to bring up the topic the first thought process flashing in our mind is “hmm, it looks like this woman wants to kill me and enjoy the money”. We can use our numbers to cover every Mbaise Person for pennies on the dollar. This will be easy to fund too. I promise you that every Mbaise family will be happy to pay an extra $5.00 monthly levy to their local affiliate and this gets remitted to the National Mbaise USA Administration. If the National Executives offer our respective Mbaise citizens a death or bereavement insurance, and other peace of mind guarantees in Immigration attorney representation, a scholarship fund for our kids or to kids at home who would otherwise be denied access and other catastrophic events, there is no reason our people will not eagerly pay an extra National Benefit Membership levy. This is only an idea in process but I think we can fine-tune it to make it work. It will also build a strong allegiance to our National administration. There are many cost-effective Community or Group benefit programs out there and there is no reason why we cannot explore them. In fact, if we structure it properly, the National administration can guarantee loans or even fund Community Halls for local Chapters on an equitable sharing formula for the proceeds; We can venture into Community Banking or business loan guarantees for members

I want this new administration to be bold and find its own path for delivering for our people. As much as we try to cater to our aging population, we must think of the new and upcoming generation. Mbaise USA can bring leadership in areas like Trade, Confectionary and or Technical education to stem the tide of youth unemployment at home; We have to explore ways to implement a funding program for scholarships in education or Trade and apprenticeship for orphans and poor children. I have called in the past for exploring how we can partner with Churches at home to give aid and comfort to widows and poor women or training in a trade or microfinance for business startups. I want to see us someday invest in our own hospital or health Center. We can start small by sourcing drugs and medicines to the health Centers. If we sound the right tones we can require the local government Chairpersons to build a computer lab at each LGA Headquarters and we can equip those for education and training of our youths. Let every citizen join hands and lend a positive voice or  idea to this new administration. I know that I have given them a lot to chew on. I am not expecting them to buy into any of it but this is an exercise to let them know that our Union has come a long way. Now is the time to be bold, for big ideas and responsible leadership. Our people expect and deserve it. If we build a strong Union, we will have more clout to influence policies and events for ourselves and at home. Let us rally together behind Mr. Osondu and his regime. We will all succeed or fail together. May God Bless us all. May God Bless our homeland, Mbaise. Long Live ala Mbaise.

--------- Charles Abiahu.  

Ask President Obama to stand up for Christians in Nigeria

Today marks 100 years of the British colonial Amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria purely for economic reasons on January 1st, 1914. In the face of daily mass murder of Christians led by the Islamic jihadist group boko haram; over 10,000 citizens killed in the middle Belt region on account of ethnic unrest; the massacre of over two Million Igbos in the predominantly Muslim states in Northern Nigeria in the 1960’s; a 3 year war of ethnic cleansing of the Igbos for insisting on the accord of the Conference in Aburi that offered self determination to the Eastern Region and after over ten Constitutional Conferences it seems quite obvious that this FORCED MARRIAGE is not working very well.

Ask President Obama to stand against continued wasting of Christian lives in Nigeria and pressure the Goodluck Ebele Constitutional Conference to allow the Conveners to also debate the concept of a “united Nigeria”. It is currently being debated as happened in all previous exercises to foreclose or limit this topic from debate. To deny these public representatives the supremacy and authority to chart a way forward acceptable to all interests will ignore History and a resulting likelihood of chaos as happened in the Aburi Accord, when the Federal Government of Nigeria unilaterally reneged on the agreement. The fact that all recent Nigerian administrations of Babangida, Abacha, Obasanjo and now Goodluck Jonathan has called National Conferences evidences that this marriage is at a serious state of “Crisis” and requires a candid, open and unfettered discussion among the partners. The Igbos and Christians of Nigeria may not continue to tolerate this massacre much longer without trying to “save themselves”. This Conferences offers the best civic option to revisit the 100 year marriage forced on Nigeria.


Nigerian is lagging economically in spite of rich oil deposits. Properly structured Nigeria will be a meaningful contributor to the internal Community. Your voice will move Nigeria forward. On October 7th, 2013, President Jonathan inaugurated a 13-man Advisory Committee to debate and advise him on modalities for the planned National Conference with terms of references ... To consult expeditiously with all relevant stakeholders with a view to drawing up a feasible agenda for the proposed national dialogue and to make recommendations to government on structure and modalities of the proposed national dialogue and to make recommendations to government on how representation of various interest groups at the national dialogue/conference will be determined.


Charles Abiahu
(Union for a Better Nigeria)

 http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/ask-president-obama-to-10

https://www.google.com/search?q=Boko+Haram+Killings&client=gmail&rls=gm&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=bNTEUqT-Bcrs2wX8gYHwCA&ved=0CDgQsAQ&biw=1920&bih=895

The Challenge of being personally responsible for the failures of others.

                                     Happy Fathers Day, 2012.

Do not celebrate yet for the job of a father never ends even when your children can say, "Yes, I know Dad"

Do not stop advising your kids even when you hear them say to perfect strangers ... "My father used to say ..."

The job of a DAD is giving unsolicited advice; Being there when they think 'I don't need help Dad'; Cheering

them on with your last breath; Protecting them from themselves and yourself by switching between 'praise'

or 'panic' in your voice as appropriate; Molding them like clay at the hands of a potter and at other times 

sharpening their rough edges like the blacksmith.

Your hope is like that of a painter ... to produce the best portrait; the pride of the bricklayer ... to build the 

most magnificent edifice. Your job has no definition but it is the most vital of all jobs you will ever hope for; it 

has no timing, no ending, no remuneration but it is the most rewarding; the most challenging and a lot of 

planning and scraping, sleepless nights and somber moments but nothing more will give you the most hope

to get up and do it all over, again, again and again not knowing what the final result will be.

Dad is a job where there is no accurate test for your efforts; your reward most likely will be reaped by strangers,

enemies and the rest of humanity; your best intentions will earn you rejection, your hard work will be rebuffed as 

'mean'; your advice and counsel will not be acknowledged; you will be blamed for failure of others who clearly 

refused to heed your warnings; scorned by the world for others failings but no praise for their excellence.

Yet ... be proud to be a dad because it is lucky to be called worthy to help to mold the generation that will posses 

this earth after we are long gone. Do it right everyday because someone also so selflessly invested in you to continue 

to mold the pillars of our universe. Maybe, if you are lucky your "Happy fathers day" will come. It comes to each man 

individually, not on an artificially set date like today. It will come to you personally the day you can poke a perfect 

stranger somewhere and point out ..."That's my son". Then and that is the best day in the life of a Dad, that is when 

you can stop and say, my job as a Dad is done.

Today, the job continues for each man ... being the best dad you can, teaching by your words and your actions, 

building dreams, hopes and confidence to face the future, letting them fall or fail when they must but reassuring that 

the measure of their worth is not about failures but in the ability to rise up at each turn, the learning that the hope of 

winning comes from the acceptance of the possibility of failures, that success is the sum of failures plus effort, 

that experience is the mix of your personal failings and those of others, and that maturity is earned by attention to all 

that life and living brings your way. Life is full of successes and failures alike. To live life is to accept all of life's promises 

of ups or downs, glory or doom, successes and failures. Yet, life is worth living because tomorrow is always better than 

yesterday. Teach your son and every young mind along your way, especially all the fatherless kids out there that because 

they have today, they can always make their tomorrow better than any day they have ever lived. You will get a pause, a 

ponder, a smile or frown and sometimes a starring into the oblivion. That is your measure that you have challenged a young 

mind, that is your cue that you have been a father ... celebrate each of those silent and fleeting moments because you will 

not experience the majority of them, but they will be there, even when you are far away or gone.

Have you been a good Dad today???.

Happy father's Day.

... Composed by Charles-Lawrence Abiahu... June 17, 2012.

Mbaise ... The Challenge of Saving Ourselves!.

Message from the National Secretary, Mbaise USA.

Our Best is not Enough .… The Challenge of Saving Ourselves.

From the foundations laid in Houston, Texas to the drawing of a plan of Action in New York, New York; From the building blocks of Atlanta, Georgia to the cementing of our hopes and aspirations in Chicago Illinois, our fathers house is being molded one block at a time. The vision is right and the task is enormous. I am proud of the legacy and heritage of our forefathers, which is that we are always a giant. Sometimes, the giant goes into a deep slumber but there is never a doubt that when roused from sleep, that our people will always do great things.

Mbaise people are uniquely endowed by our maker with good sense and sound judgment. A proud people willing to be led but with the quick sense of fairness and equity. Our people will follow but they also demand for their leaders to lead the way. If you want Mbaise to lift the log of wood, they want to also see your sleeves rolled up and hands on the log. I dare say that the inability to comprehend this modus has been the undoing of many great efforts at moving our people forward. Our leaders have never lacked great ideas but have always lost the understanding of what is required to harness the trust of our people. For our people, trust is earned and never a right. To succeed our next generation of Mbaise leaders must get off their high horses and get in the trenches. Trust must be cultivated by astute management and transparent accountability every step of the way.

Mbaise has too long lagged behind in taking its rightful place in the leadership of our State and Country Nigeria. We have been rigged out of political relevance by gerrymandering that the Orlu and Okigwe Zones if they band together will continue to dictate the turn of events in our State. But to be able to muster a challenge or attempt to turn the tide, our leaders must first get our house in order. Our best hopes for a better Mbaise is not enough. All hands must be on deck in order to propel ourselves forward. I challenge both our leaders and citizens to begin the task at creating the vision of where we go from here. The maiden medical mission by Mbaise USA has proved to us the enormity of the challenges for saving ourselves and our people. This is not a time to be faint minded; it is a time to feel challenged to rise to the occasion. Healthcare and delivery is not the only thing lacking in Mbaise. Young people have no jobs and many do not have a trade or training for their own survival or resourcefulness. Mothers are worried about the next meal for their children and the list goes on.

Are we going to cower or are we going to forge a Union to continue to chip away at the problem. I choose the later and will recommend you to my favorite quote by George Bernard Shaw … "You see things as they are and ask, 'Why' I dream things as they never were and ask, 'Why not'". So, let us band together under the visions of the able leadership of our honorable President, Collins Olorondu and Chairman, Board of Directors, Dozie Onwuliri and ask of ourselves, “what next…”. The challenge to save ourselves demands more than our individual bests; it requires our common sacrifices; every mind in tune and every hand intertwined. It simply requires that each of us chip in our quota and a little bit more. We must use our resourcefulness in governmental offices, non-governmental agencies and charitable organizations, individual and private donations in kind or cash, etc. At times, it will require personal efforts but with the focus on the general vision that together our new task is to save ourselves individually and collectively.  Mbaise (a clan of five giants)… Imagine what quake if these giants rise and stand together as one man. Let us stand up and do the work that must be done. The time is now. May God continue to bless Mbaise.

Charles-Lawrence Uzoma Abiahu

(National Secretary, Mbaise USA)

*** Submitted at the 4TH Annual Mbaise USA National Convention, 

Chicago, IL. (July 1ST-3RD, 2011)

Is there a civic obligation to a Country that does not accord any Rights to her citizenry.

My Fellow Nigerians,

I wish you all your heart desires and the blessings of Easter and salvation in Christ Jesus. I did not want to mess up your Easter spirits, so I decided to wait. Please be advised that the Nigerian Embassy in Washington DC is not yet equipped to issue the New Nigerian Passport. This past week I bundled my entire family and drove five hours to DC only to be told that "Sir, We are Sorry, we don't yet have our Finger Printing and Biometrics equipment yet". It sounded impossible that the lady would be right because I had a formal scheduling two weeks ahead and know at least five other families also scheduled at the same location up to two weeks beyond my date. So I asked for a Supervisory Official, which also sounded strange to them, in WASHINGTON DC, in the United States. Long and short, the Supervisor, eventually came out to talk to me, without apologies, explaining that the scheduling was being handled direct from Abuja and that they are expecting their own equipment in mid May, of this year. I did not get any specific answer to my question of how it was possible to continually schedule people at the Washington, DC office on the Internet without the equipment to do the job; how nonchalant that even if this option to pick that location was a mistake that it is allowed to happen to more than one family since all it takes is to disable the DC Office as a possible option on the application form; why did DC officials not email people on that appointment pool to Cancel or place one phone call to Abuja to disable DC office as an option. As we talked, the young lady at the corner continued to turn people around with the same, we don't have equipment yet, and I as I write, the location is still an option. 

How does a Country take her citizens for granted so blatantly; I mean, how do these Nigerians or officials live with there conscience everyday, living in this Country and seeing how a job is done, expecting and receiving services but go into work and treat their fellow citizens as DIRT; without consequences. And now the good NEWS, which is BAD ENOUGH, is that after making Nigerians scramble to renew Passports all around the world, this official told me that the April 30th Deadline has been cancelled "till Further Notice". Are we supposed to take another deadline issued by our Country seriously ever again. So, if your Passport is still valid, I have it on sound authority from a top official, that you can travel with it, and that if you already have been receipted by the DC office, your Passport application and fees are valid at the New York and Atlanta Offices in the United States and any Passport Office in Nigeria for Issuance of the new e-Passport. NIGERIA, WE HAIL THEE; our own Dear Native Land. 

Long Live Nigeria,

Charles Abiahu.