By Uzoma Ahamefule

This story is the beginning of series of testimonies narrating how the practice of the “quota system” by Nigerians in Austria ushered poor leadership that has caused terrible havoc within the circle of the Nigerian community. It views the “quota system” practiced in Nigeria as an archaic method and an anti-democratic practice that produces inefficiency, rancour and inequality, and promotes failure, and emphasises the need for its expunction from our policy.

Like I have said several times, I repeat that the story also reveals how old age and grey hair are not necessarily signs of being wise, because the foolish ones also grow old and get grey hair. It equally proves that not all with high academic qualifications have got wisdom.

Fellow Nigerians, in the sequel to the self inflicted injuries and expose of the executives of the National Association of Nigerian Community Austria (NANCA) and the executives of the Nigerian ethnic leaders in Vienna of their inefficiencies through their own shabby communiqués of shameless lies and laughable pronouncements against my person and the attraction of opprobrium and odium from Nigerians who properly addressed them, I did not find their barefaced self-aggrandizement or the self-importance they arrogated to themselves worthy to respond.

But owing to the fact that not in all cases silence is golden and that when a lie is told repeatedly unchallenged it becomes the known truth to all that may not know what might have transpired. Consequently, I have been futuristically forced to justly break my silence, remove ambiguity and put the records of the naked dance of NANCA, Nigerian ethnic leaders and Dr Jude Okonkwo straight for references.

But before I do that, let me firstly use this opportunity to warn all Nigerians in Austria or anywhere in the world, and to a very large extent Africans in general to always be critical, vigilant and careful in choosing their leaders.

For that singular reason of choices of bad leaders, most times considering religion, tribe or clan and not capacity and character is exactly what has kept Africa in the unbelievable shamble state of darkness it is today irrespective of being in quantum of natural and human resources.

Dr Jude Okonkwo who is currently the President of NANCA was a bad choice for Nigerians in Vienna, Austria. He is not capable to successfully lead NANCA to glory, because he does not have what it takes to do that. Let the truth be told, no one gives what he or she does not have.

How did Dr Okonkwo become the president of NANCA? He became the president because of the practice of “quota system” by Nigerians in Austria. The president of NANCA was zoned to Ndigbo in Vienna to produce, and there was no other Igbo person that showed interest except him.

That was how and why a man like him became the president of NANCA that has seriously damaged the good atmosphere enjoyed within the Nigerian community in Austria and regrettably turned the clock of progress backwards. Nigerians in Austria must stop the practice of this “quota system”. It is precisely one of the major reasons Nigeria today looks like a person with a terminal sickness.

In this 21st century, democracy must be allowed to flourish everywhere so that only those with the capacity to govern will be elected irrespective of tribe and religion.

The “quota system” is undemocratic, archaic, unjust and unproductive. It has not worked in Nigeria since 1960, it is currently not working, and it will never work.

So, why should such an outdated and embarrassing practice that has jeopardised Nigeria’s unity and hindered her progress work for Nigerians in Austria?

Dr Jude Okonkwo’s actions and conduct with his group since his reign especially his rejoinder with laughable reasons and flimsy excuses supporting ‘Mama put’ at the open waiting hall of the Nigerian Embassy speak volume of his incompetence, and they are facts that have proven that he has not the capacity, the morality or the integrity to be the leader of a union as complex as NANCA. Aptly, he was a wrong choice and a very big mistake Nigerians in Austria will come to grief.

The consequences of his choice will be too disastrous and regrettable in future, even the effects of his failure have started to manifest aggressively on NANCA’s affairs.

Currently NANCA is almost in a state of comatose, and if reasonable measures are not taken and quickly too to redeem and resurrect the association, he will lead the body to its early grave.

Anyone who doubts this empirical submission should engage him in a discussion, and ask him his reason/s why he wrote a rejoinder to a complaint Uzoma Ahamefule addressed not to him or NANCA but to the Nigerian Embassy and why he has signed several articles full of lies against Ahamefule attacking his image and tarnishing his reputation.

Then wait for his incoherent and illogical reasons and draw a conclusion. When one also attends NANCA meetings or occasions, it is equally and evidently clear that one will understand the danger better that NANCA is indeed at the verge of collapse.

Based on their oxymoron rejoinder and write-ups without addressing the subject matter, I considered their shameful behaviour and faulty reasons to attack my personality not worthy to reply. But like I said above, events have made it imperative now for me to explicitly put the records straight for the sake of posterity.

Therefore, in the coming articles I will appropriately without any obscurity state what transpired between Dr Jude Okonkwo and I, and address the hogwash in their rejoinder and their subsequent inconsequential pronouncements of banning me from attending any Nigerian gathering.

Uzoma Ahamefule, a concerned patriotic citizen and a refined African traditionalist, writes from Vienna, Austria via email: uzomaah@yahoo.com

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