By Uzo Okwu, USA
Ngozi, Echebelem, I warned you to desist from any campaign of calumny against a stellar leader in Charles Maduka. If for nothing else, when you were selling stock fish, he patronized you very well. You do not belong to any parochial organization that is a member of ICAN D/FW and therefore would not know how revered Charles Maduka is. Most of the things you post are written by someone else and therefore lack originality. Because you have been ostracized by the Igbo Community in Dallas/Ft. Worth, you feel that you have nothing to lose. Finally, an over 50 man that applies bleaching cream to his face should not be taken seriously.
It is a fact that Nze Joe Eto came to Dallas last weekend, not necessarily to attend a part but to recruit touts, an army as he called it that will attack Charles Maduka to deflect the impact of his arrest and indictment for defrauding Kennesaw State University in Georgia to the tune of $1,000,000.00 , a felony against the State of Georgia. The arrest took place on the 23rd of March 2013. He was booked into jail and was able to post a lofty bond that included the surrender of his travelling passport. An elected Chairman who swore to uphold the constitution and protect the integrity of World Igbo Congress did not disclose this information to the Board of Directors for 6months and presided over the Dallas Convention. Anybody who saw him at that convention could tell the man was beat up and subdued. We also know that he kept a handbag in his room, imported from New York. It is also a fact that this was a particularly tough time in his family as his wife was seriously sick. Talk about respect for family values. A few years ago, the Chairman of World Igbo Congress, Joe Eto was involved in a wife snatching episode and he literally destroyed a young marriage in Atlanta. The worst of it was that he was the royal father at the wedding of the young couple. What business did the Chairman of the largest organization of NdiIgbo in Diaspora have in calling a married woman in the wee hours of the morning not once but countless times while his own wife was suffering.
So, you and a few others met with Joe Eto at his hotel room at Marriott Quorum in Addison, Texas and strategized how to come after Charles Maduka. Let me summarily introduce Charles Maduka for those who don’t know. He came down from Houston in 1989 and joined the Dallas County District Attorney as a Prosecutor, the first African immigrant prosecutor in Texas. He was introduced to the Igbo Community in Dallas by Engr. Nnaerika Okonkwo and quickly he championed the revision of the obsolete constitution that among other things did not allow women membership. While he remained a member, he could overshadowed everybody on account of his profession, he did not do that. He worked under Nwachuckwu, Nnaerika Okonkwo, George Egbuniwe, Sir Joe Okeke, Mark Kanu. He was member of ICAN when Dr. Richard Nwachukwu led the delegation for the first convention and inauguration of WIC in Houston in 1994. He waited until he understood the terrain and won election to lead ICAN in 1997 capturing 17 of the 23 votes cast. Ngozi, that was the totality of the membership of ICAN at the time and you were not one of them. When he took over ICAN he encouraged and brought in his peers in Obinna Duruji and Bernard Nwaiwu, both from Umuaka, Orlu. The individually based organization quickly swelled to over 100 by the time the next election came around. A meeting that used to be held in Richard Nwachukwu’s office was now being held in a hotel in Irving Texas. Still no Ngozi Echebelem of Baldwin Ihemelu. He conceptualized maximizing the membership of the Igbo association in the metroplex by holding discussions with parochial leaders and eventually convinced them that the structure of the organization would be changed for them to take over. He did that despite stiff opposition from people who never wanted what is in the best interest of the people. He turned ICAN D/FW around and it is now the envy of everybody. Even Sabi Nweke, another mundane character cannot stand ICAN D/FW because of envy. Charles Maduka could have run another term as President of ICAN D/FW after he succeeded in restructuring the organization but he felt accomplished and transited to Bernard Nwaiwu in a very bitter election that pitted a two Orlu sons. Guess who Charles Maduka endorsed? It was you man, Acho Orabuchi against his peer and good friend Bernard Nwaiwu who had at the time been elected President of Old Orlu Progressive Association. Acho provided support for Charles during his last election to office and had been the Chairman of the first Board of Directors of ICAN D/FW. He knew ICAN D/FW and it was only safe that he was supported. In that pivotal election, Acho Orabuchi lost by a couple of disputed votes. To give Acho Orabuchi a cushion of relevance, Charles Maduka contacted his wealth of contacts in Nigeria and was given the authorization by the then Chairman of Pan NdiIgbo Foundation in Lagos, Chief/Dr. Simon Okeke, to start PNF in USA. Charles Maduka did not become Chairman. He gave the charter to Acho Orabuchi who became the Chairman and was in that position from 2001-2006 more than the maximum two terms, until 2006. Throughout this period, Charles Maduka was travelling a lot as he explored elective office in Nigeria. It was very difficult for PNF to attract membership because most of Orlu vowed that as long as ACho has a hand in it and in control they would not join or patronize it. While Maduka was in Nigeria, he did his best to chore up the organization by bringing iconic figure from Nigeria to Dallas to speak at the annual conferences organized by PNF. People like Chief S.N. Okeke, Sen. Onyeabor Obi and his brother, the former Auditor General of Nigeria, Dr. Chike and late Dora Akinyili, Professor Obioma from Perdue University and a host of others I can’t remember now. Finally in 2006, This was how Acho Orabuchi gained prominence even though he lives in far away Denton. There was no doubt that Acho did not want to step down because there was a feeling that Charles Maduka was pushing for Sir Ike Ginigeme, a closer friend to Maduka than Acho at the time to take over. All Charles Maduka wanted was a transition so the organization can grow. So that was the first start of apprehension in the organization. Charles Maduka lives and dies by the constitution and would stick his gun until things are followed as written in the laws. Some people like you don’t like that and that is too bad.
In 2006, through Charles Maduka’s efforts again, prominent people came from Nigeria including Chief S. N. Okeke and late Former Justice Chukwudifu Oputa. Justice Oputa was honored at the function. A selected and approved list of people were to be honored at that event. Nobody wanted to man the gate to register people for the banquet. Everybody wanted to be in the front close to the action. Finally, Charles Maduka, the first African immigrant Prosecutor, three term President of ICAN D/FW, and Founder of PNF, humbly volunteered to stay at the gate. A spread sheet was prepared where peoples’ names were entered and the amount paid entered, check or cash. Maduka enlisted George Okolo and Celment Umeakuana, two honest and outstanding members of our community who had also joined PNF because of Charles. The trio manned the gate, registered and collected money from patrons. The event was going well after all. The idea of honoring local people especially women was brought by Charles as a way to attract local people who had shunned the event in the past. The honorees would invite their friends to celebrate with them. It worked. Madam Susan Egwuagu, a woman of substance who had helped close to 100 Nigerians at the Dallas County Parkland Hospital one way or the other, was one of the honorees. She came with her friends who paid $50.00 each. She was excited and sat at a reserved table in front. As the list of honorees were being called, Madam Egwuagu’s name was skipped. After it became obvious that her name was not to be called, Charles Maduka left the registration table to question what was happening. He was told that she will not be called because her plaque was missing. Maduka saw the plaque and knew that somebody wanted to embarrass the accomplished woman. It was very shocking. All efforts to pacify the situation, including calling her name but to deliver the plaque later, failed. Charles Maduka, shut the party down and everybody left. The money collected was counted by the trio that were at the gate. The DJ demanded that he must be paid. Maduka gave him his $450.00 and a receipt was issued. On Sunday, the next day, accounts were to be reconciled, but nobody showed up except Maduka and Umeakuana. On following Monday, Maduka went to Compass Bank and made a deposit of the money collected. Subsequently, the battle for the ownership of PNF erupted. I will not dignify this rubbish you reproduced from 2006 because it was one of the propaganda to tarnish Maduka at the time and scheme him out of PNF. Suffice it to say that Maduka left PNF with you and the rest of the few people that are members with the over $14,000.00 in the account of PNF. Since then, it is still very difficult to attract anybody who is somebody into PNF. We live here in Dallas and we know who is who. Ngozi Ecehbelem, I challenge you to publish the names of members of PNF. This was an organization that was set up as a pressure group that now has turned into a social club with bereavement benefits.
Joe Eto will have his official mug shot published very soon for the world to see and read the story of how he conspired with three other people in Georgia to defraud and public school. We want him to release a publication where he has been cleared of that fraud. How can World Igbo Congress under Joe Eto and his criminal entanglement raise money and get grant from American corporations or government. The first thing these agencies would do is to check out the leadership of WIC and guess what they will find? The chairman has a criminal background. And that Ngozi Echebelem does not shock you? Can you advice your brother to resign immediately because he has brought shame on NdiIgbo. The office of Chairmanship of World Igbo Congress is not the Bishop of Mbaise that must be a son of Mbaise. Alternatively, people should google the name of Joe Nze Eto and read for themselves. He came to Dallas and lied that some people superimposed his mug shot on a story that was a lie. He admitted to being arrested but that nothing else happened. Really? Well can he produce a clearance of those charges or disposition where he was cleared? The sooner the better. This matter will not die away and will be stage and center in Houston.
Charles Maduka is the right man for the job and he cannot be stopped. Please stop by the ICAN D/FW meeting this Saturday if you can and see how a great leader is received and treated.
Keep bringing it on. I am not done my Sabbatical and ready to do what I do best.
