By Dr. Chido Nwangwu, Founder & Publisher, USAfrica Multimedia networks

The U.S chapter of the Nkwerre Aborigines Union’s Memorial weekend convention (May 28-May 31) in Houston, Texas has elected new officers to run the affairs of the group. Dr. Godwin Ngozi Nnadi who is based in Orlando, Florida won the presidential position. Without any doubts, he had the coalition and propelled himself to a credible victory.

I witnessed his superior articulation and remarkable record of service to Nkwerre people into the evening of May 29, at the Westchase Marriot Houston hotel. Barrister Tim Onwubu of New Jersey won the Vice Presidential spot, Engr Ike Okanu of Chicago triumphed uncontested as Secretary General, Chris Anyakude of Washington DC won as Treasurer, Odoemenam Uzoma, also from the Washington DC chapter is Provost.

The convention hosts, Houston, apparently had marginal bacons to take home from the voting. Chief Boniface Ikwuagwu (an aspirant from Houston) also lost the presidential elections although he had very impressive credentials.

I arrived the venue of the convention,  around 5.16pm, with my cousin Okey Arizor (who’s married to a gracious Nkwerre woman Ngozi Onuoha); and we both followed, waited and observed events, the debates and processes leading up to the counting of the votes….

It was a wonderful, useful but patience-tasking experience as one of the leading diaspora associations worked through constitutional and extraordinary options to allow almost every fee paying member to vote. The debates and presentation of manifesto(e)s were commendable and discipled lessons in community democracy. The losers of the keenly contested elections did not cry and run home with their supporters — even those who, ab initio, knew they did not have the numbers to win. It’s democracy in action, which they can vote here in the U.S and the actual results announced unlike most parts of their home country Nigeria.

Some of prominent sons and daughters of Nkwerre in America attended the history-making convention; including the group’s founding President Nze Gibson and his affable wife Oby Chigbu, former President Chigbu, Nze & Lolo Chinasa Madumere, Nze & Dr. Mrs. Chinyere Agim, Sir Victor & Mrs. Nwachukwu, Dr. Ije Omekam, Chicago-based cop Eric Ejike Osuorji, Endee Godson Nduwueze, Dr. Nzeribe Ihekwoaba, , Ozurumba Onyejiaka, Paulson Osondu Nwadike aka Boya, and several others.

Prior to the voting, Engr. Chikezie Ihekwoaba, a consummate political leader of the Nkwerre diaspora group, expressed his appreciation for the years of his leadership, as outgoing President. He got a standing ovation.

Nze Chigbu told USAfricaonline.com, CLASSmagazine and IgboEvents that “we are a progressive community with a great commitment to improving our community. As you can see tonight, everyone has to earn their votes. It’s good.”

Tonight, May 30, 2010, the daughters of Nkwerre will inaugurate their national association. It will be covered, exclusively, for a special summer edition feature in CLASSmagazine. All the photos from the May 30 event will appear next day May 31 on the African diaspora community’s #1 pictorial features mega-site www.PhotoWorks.TV. It is powered by USAfrica and CLASSmagazine.

•Dr. Chido Nwangwu, Founder of USAfrica, and first African-owned, U.S-based newspaper published on the internet USAfricaonline.com, The Black Business Journal, CLASSmagazine, PhotoWorks.TV, AchebeBooks.com, Nigeria360, USAfricaTV and several blogs, assessed by The New York TImes as the most influential multimedia networks for Africans and Americans. He served on the editorial board of the Daily Times of Nigeria in Lagos and worked for the Nigerian Television Authority (news) in the 1980s; publicity committee of the Holocaust Museum, Houston; recipient of an honorary Doctor of Humanities degree in May 2009; adviser on Africa to Houston’s former Mayor Dr. Lee Brown. Chido appears as an analyst on CNN, VOA, SABC, CBSNews, ABCNews, FOXNews, NBCNews, etc. Chido@USAfricaonline.com wireless: 832-45-CHIDO (24436)