MECA USA is rising again... let there be peace and reconciliation.

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Hearty MECA greetings from the sunny state of Arizona! My dear friends, I was much honored this past week-end to answer present at the action-pack MECA-USA Truth and Reconciliatory talks held at the Rodeway Inn-Six Flags in Atlanta. I was there in body and soul. Yes, I was there from the very inception until the very conclusion and actually missed my flight on the way back home. With great pride and optimism, I can testify that I witnessed it all and some ‘dash’. The jaw-dropping experience can only be qualified in this acronym; OMG! The food was sumptuous and palatable, our people were exquisite and refreshing, the deliberations and presentations were intense, open and constructive and the boogie, to crown it all, was come-and-see. Who said we from Manyu are not quintessential? Who said we are not the best? Believe you me; I arrived home feeling light, reenergized and overjoyed.

Because we have been so accustomed to successions of disorderly and disgraceful MECA-USA national meetings, we have sort of internalized a fallacious myth that we cannot be constructive and productive in our engagements. That myth was seriously punctured this past week-end in the great Peach State of Georgia. I understand full well that my characterizations may appear to be biased or exaggerated to some- I have no regrets for being overwhelmed with joy because it is just the way I am feeling right now. Besides, I have no reason to be dishonest to my people. The fact is unquestionable that the proceedings and the overall climate of the meeting resembled nothing that I had hitherto experienced in MECA-USA. I tell ya! In spells of childlike sensibilities, I caught myself eagerly not wanting it to come to an end.

There is no company as soul-providing as one with your own people. As we assembled on Sunday, Oct 11th, the following morning at one of our dynamic sister’s home to continue the fun-time-with- family, the table was dark with an assortment of well-prepared delicacies. When I got there I was like; OMG! I ate and ate and I ate and I ate until this tum tum belle of mine bulged forward to full elasticity. Our most gracious host, kept reminding us to eat...I guess her deal was that all the food must go. As we munched and we were running our mouths, I made a statement loosely that I hope that we can continue in this spirit. One of our MECA-USA Matriarch and illustrious elder quickly corrected me by saying that ‘we do not hope’, she went on to appropriately say emphatically that we are going to keep this tradition henceforth.

Anyway, as I reflect on the weekend and all what transpired, a series of conclusions comes to mind, namely - a) we are capable of loving one another, b) we are capable of showing civility to one another, c) we are fully capable of being tolerant of one another, d) we can be professional, and e) we are a very gifted and brilliant breed. At every turn, our people debated the issues on the agenda fiercely and intelligently yet with a tacit acknowledgement of ‘the other side’ of the debate. In short, I was held spellbound throughout… that is how amazing it felt. To say the least, I am very inspired by the events that took place last week and we all must do whatever we can to protect those democratic and cultural gains. The facilitation of the event was professionally done with managerial dexterity and great intellectual artistry. The presentations in between were as vibrant and reverberating especially the key note…

Please, let us not sweat the small stuff… detailed notes of the proceedings will be professional harnessed and widely distributed. These things need to be done with the carefulness that they deserve.

I truly wished that our former Chairman of MECA-USA Mr. Peter Ako and his team had stepped out on faith and join the conversation. But, I also know that he is mourning the passing of his dear sister which I have included him and his family in my prayers. I hoped that he would have delegated someone to come though- my view only! Given the track record, I was not particular sure of any behavioral change.

In any event, something had to happen to move MECA-USA forward from the perilous hostage-style situation that it was in. Someone needed to more seriously begin to wrestle with the calamitous state of affairs of the family meeting and map out strategies to get us out of the deep Golgotha that we find ourselves. Atlanta presented itself as the place of opportunity/ challenge for igniting the makeover process. As people of Manyu under the canopy of MECA-USA, we have suffered untold abuses and wanton abandonment through a myriad of corrupt and incompetent self-seeking megalomaniacs. Power hungry totalitarians who fail to see that the real power of the organization rests in ‘we the people’ and not a few King Kongs walking over the rest of us the ‘wretched of the earth.’ We needed to remake MECA-USA to rekindle some of the noble ideals of the founding fathers and mothers.

I know in functional democracies people have their rights to their opinions and I honestly think that fair is fair. Folks, it is only fair to give credits where it is due. Ask anyone who attended the talks, they will tell you without contemplating that it went extremely well. To have members of our community who did not attend the event for whatever reason and have not taken time to study how things fared making unfounded and somewhat negative remarks about the event is disingenuous and blatantly wrong. Instead of them embracing the wind of change blowing towards them, they are trying to play the old fashion and distasteful politics of mudslinging and slash and burn. Is this not what has crippled MECA-USA in the past? Steeped in perpetual negativity, they do not see anything good coming out of Manyu. According to some of these Manyu ‘voices of reason’, we should continue with business as usual languishing in the toxic atmosphere that envelops us ignoring all efforts of peacemaking and peacekeeping. I do not know what to make of that kind of modus operandi- (notice that I am having a hard time selecting my words here). It just makes no sense at alll to me.

Let us look forward with faith in God, courage from our Ancestors and determination from the Manyu children in MECA-USA. As we move forward, let us ensure that we coordinate efforts; we have mechanisms that will really produce results for our people. This is not about popularity and arrogance, this is about a commitment that will actually produce the kinds of actions that all of us know are needed to shepherd MECA-USA forward. So with that, help us God.

Thank you all. Thank you all very much.

Bate AGBOR-BAIYEE

Chandler, Arizona