D.C. Chapter Welcome Address
EKET DEVELOPMENT CONGRESS, USA INC. (EDC)
DC CHAPTER INNUAGURATION, JUNE 20, 2009
HON. BAR JACK UDOATA PRESENT
Ladies and Gentlemen
The members of EDC DC chapter are happy to welcome everyone present here today. This day is really beyond a groundbreaking event and an absolute extension of the continuous growth of the people of Eket at home and beyond. We are all here to launch a new chapter as this extended growth of our homeland.
The DC chapter significantly is consistent of most states within the Northeastern United States most importantly District of Columbia, Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. The reason for this different combination is based on the limited number of our indigenes that are present in these areas. It is established with flexibility that as soon as any of the combined states has enough indigenes to warrant the creation of a separate chapter it will be so established. In the mean time, these states therefore belong official to one chapter– DC CHAPTER. Eket has really gone far now in the USA and is now adding a new chapter to its existing ones.
We are very grateful today to have the audience and the blessings of
all the people present to witness this groundbreaking ceremony. Today
is a new chapter in our organization that will be emulated by other
states within the continental USA wherever the indigenes of Eket are
present to follow on the footpath of our predecessors. The workings
and principal objective of EDC remains the same and we are totally
accountable to the National Congress as with other chapters. The
constituted body of the newly formed chapter consists of a
management council that will oversee the election of officers during
the first and official general meeting within the next month. Prior to
today, this management council consisting of three officials has been the one that have kept the
chapter in procession and have organized with the help of the national body to make this occasion
possible. Effectively immediately, all indigenes of Eket resident in the Northeastern states are here
by invited to our first general meeting that will be held a month from this day Saturday July 18th.
Information and will be circulated to everyone and members are advised to inform everyone about it.
The running of an organization like every other business, it demands
time and sacrifice. This is a nonprofit organization and as such there is
no paid position but purely voluntary in nature. Everyone is therefore
encouraged to participate by donating their time and services to foster
the progress of the chapter. We are very grateful to the other chapters
for instance, Atlanta, Miami, San Francisco and most importantly the
Houston chapter under the leadership of Mr. Bassey Brownson, its
president on all the assistance they have given us to make this occasion
a true success. As a young chapter we will from time to time seek
counsel from our senior chapters to learn from their experiences. Thank
you our learned chapters. We are also using this opportunity to inform
everyone that with the lunching of the EDC website: http://www.Eketusa.org, all activities from
different chapters and advertisings will be available at the site on a continuous basis. We have also
received numerous interests from Eket businesses at home about advertising space on our site.
Our special thanks goes to our home state representative that have honored our invitation and are
present here with us in the person of Hon Bar Jack Udoata. Once again, welcome to DC and we
hope that you will enjoy your stay. We look forward to seeing you again next year in Houston for our national convention.
Nwaessien S. Essien, Charles S. Esu, Victor Ekpuk
DC Chapter
