New ULAA Administration Urged to Reconcile, Reform and Serve
The newly inaugurated ULAA administration
has been urged to take steps to bring about reconciliation and reform in the organization and to serve the Liberian people.
The call was made by Hon. Nathaniel Galarea Gbessagee, a veteran Liberian journalist, educator, prolific
writer and Secretary General of the Liberia History, Education and Development (LIHEDE), when he served as keynote speaker
at the inauguration of Dr. Mariah Y. Seton and the new corps of national officers of ULAA.
The
speech was not only fiery but also profoundly insightful and instructive on lessons learnt from the ongoing ULAA crisis. However, prior to bringing
you the details, we will attempt to provide some of the non-personal or non-verbal but equally important aspects of the splendidly
colorful event.It is often thought that to have an impression of an event, it may be best to start with experiencing
or seeing and feeling it.
And
so, we have decided to report on the recent successful inauguration by reflecting first on some of the seeing and feeling
at the event.It all transpired at the Atrium, an elegantly dignified hall in Philadelphia and quite commensurate
in its aura, beauty and somewhat intermittently contrasting cheerful and solemn qualities.
Without even delving into the nitty-gritty of the event, the feeling projected
by the setting could easily pass as sufficient to foreshadow the significance and historic nature of what was set to unfold
on that eventful evening of June 20, 2009 in the City of Brotherly Love - Philadelphia.The Atrium Hall at the Motor Inn
Hotel certainly makes for a fascinating experience. Its floors are diametrically decorated with marvelous color schemes. As
for the walls, they are erected and fortified with brilliant mirrors all over the entire place, the ceiling and all sides
of the walls. The mirrors captivate the minds of guests and provide a sort of enthralling experience, especially, as one’s
image can be seen in various places at the same time - from left to right, back to front, and up and down. Indeed, it was
quite an experience not to miss.
Equally unavoidable
was the generational mix of the guests, who were mostly young and promising Liberian professionals, and who, without any doubt,
appear ready set to take over the mantle of helping to reform and re-shape ULAA.
In our subsequent edition, we will be covering other areas such as the food, drinks, meet & greet
session on the preceding Friday and early Saturday, the church service and others. But for now, we are switching our attention
to what many at the inauguration described as “the meat of the event,” which centrally focuses on the keynote
speech.
The keynote speaker, Hon. Nathaniel Galarea Gbessagee, made a name for himself when
he presented what all acclaimed as a well-researched, written and insightful communication. It was pointedly direct, powerful,
moving, nostalgic in some respects, and quite truthful but unapologetic. Of course, himself a familiar name in ULAA due to
his association with the umbrella Liberian national organization, Hon. Gbessagee, who is a doctoral student and graduate teaching
instructor at the Michigan Technological University, failed to fail his audience when he so saliently articulated the fundamental
problems and prospects of ULAA since its inception some 35 years ago.
Speaking on the topic, “Reforming ULAA to Deliver Practical Services to Diaspora Liberians,”
the guest speaker reflected on his involvement with ULAA beginning in 1993, some 16 years ago, and spoke of “the carefree
attitude of Diaspora Liberians in the U.S. toward building a service-oriented national organization that benefits everyone.”
Hon. Gbessagee also frowned on the fact that “ULAA has, in essence, failed to
be a service-delivery organization, and went further to stress that “It is, therefore, the collective responsibility
of all Diaspora Liberians in this hall tonight and beyond to reform ULAA and ensure that the basic rules, laws, and related
administrative procedures necessary for the professional development and growth of ULAA are duly respected and strictly enforced.”
The full speech will be
published shortly for the public consumption. More coverage on the ULAA Inauguration to follow soon, including many, many
more sights and scenes, meet and greet and church service. Until then, provided below are few excerpts:
“Many Liberians still use ULAA as a proving ground for political mischief,
intolerance, and stepping stone for future political office in Liberia. ULAA is still in disarray after 35 years of existence,
with no viable social service programs, no clear cut advocacy agenda, no capital investment portfolio, no permanent office
space with paid staffers, and no progressive agenda to contribute meaningfully to current reconstruction efforts in Liberia.
ULAA is still striving to become a force of peace, unity, cooperation, and professional networking amongst its rank
and file membership and Diaspora Liberians in general. ULAA is still struggling to become an institution for good governance,
effective organizational management, diplomacy, strategic development, and less political infighting. Above all, ULAA has
yet to define itself as a true umbrella entity that unites all Liberian organizations in the U.S. into a collective whole,
in service delivery to Diaspora Liberians.
These are major shortcomings in ULAA that need urgent attention. These are major problems
in ULAA that reflect badly not only on the leadership choices of past ULAA leaders, but also on the carefree attitude of Diaspora
Liberians in the U.S. toward building a service-oriented national organization that benefits everyone.For
whether we like it or not, we, as Liberians and persons of Liberian origin residing in the U.S., have all got very high stakes
in both the viability of ULAA and the future socioeconomic growth and development of Liberians and Liberia.
ULAA provides Diaspora Liberians across U.S. society with an unchallenged
opportunity to coordinate their efforts and share their talents and resources for the common good of themselves and families,
friends, and relatives back home in Liberia. But since its inception in 1974, ULAA has done very little in packaging itself
as an organization of progressive leadership in both its structure and output. ULAA has been unable to secure and maintain
a permanent office space, create a directory of Diaspora Liberians, design professional development programs for members,
and operate an active social service agenda.
ULAA has, in essence, failed to be a service-delivery organization that
adequately represents, articulates, and promotes the vital interest of Diaspora Liberians in crucial legal and non-legal matters
in the U.S. It is, therefore, the collective responsibility of all Diaspora Liberians in this hall tonight and beyond to reform
ULAA and ensure that the basic rules, laws, and related administrative procedures necessary for the professional development
and growth of ULAA are duly respected and strictly enforced. I want at this time, ladies and gentlemen, for you to join me
to explore the topic, “Reforming ULAA to Deliver Practical Services to Diaspora Liberians.”
However, before I proceed, please permit me to make these two acknowledgements. First, I want to submit that while
a U.S. district court will attempt shortly to resolve the current leadership split in ULAA, it is still my hope that at the
end of the day the competing parties will settle for peace and unity of purpose in service delivery to Diaspora Liberians
in the U.S.
It is also my hope that the ULAA Constitution will be the ultimate guide
in resolving any administrative or legal issue in ULAA, as the Constitution clearly defines the primary functions of each
of the four primary organs of the Union and the relationships amongst these organs.” Hon. Gbessagee added.
organization and to serve the Liberian people. 
