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Mr. Vabolee Dukuly, MN
PRESIDENT DUKULY THANKS THE LIBERIAN MANDINGO COMMUNITY
By: Mohammed Dukuly
Fellow FELMAUSANS,
While the Committees on Finance, Constitution and the Convention are hopefully working on their reports, I like to seize this opportunity to express, on behalf of the out-going Administration, sincere thanks and appreciations to all those who made it to the 2011 FELMAUSA Convention in Silver Spring, Maryland. For me, and I believe I could be speaking for members of the Board of Directors, the joy of meeting and interacting with fellow Mandingos from all walks supersedes anything imaginable in the context of the FELMAUSA Objectives. I personally met friends that I have not seen for a long time. Some and I even mend fences over troubling issues that have had some negative impacts on our relations over a period. That, my fellow country men and women, was the most rewarding experience and benefit I shall ever cherish.
There were moments during the convention that tears streamed off my eyes. Every time I looked at the crowd of Liberian Diaspora Mandingos and reflected on the horrific situation with which we were all faced – a situation through which the rights of Liberian Mandingos were non-existent, when our fathers and mothers, our brothers and sisters, and our imams and leaders were dehumanized and killed loosely and unjustly at the will and pleasure of fellow Liberians, I could not help but fall prey to my emotions with my eyes profusely clouded in tears of both sadness and joy at the same time. I shed tears of sadness in sympathy with our fallen heroes and heroines who were victimized at the cold hands of death only because they believed in, espoused, and struggled in the vanguard to uphold the Liberian Mandingo cultural values, protect the rights of Liberian Mandingos, enhance the life style of Liberian Mandingos, and secure a very promising and productive future for Liberian Mandingo generations unborn. May Allah, Almighty, continue to shower His blessings upon them.
Today, the ugliness of the Liberian 14 year crisis that unjustly claimed the lives of so many of our country men is now a history – a painful history. The hope we now have and that which can bring to us some degree of closure is unity for a pragmatic purpose. FELMAUSA can, therefore, be considered as the medium through which we may be able to realize some happiness as we pray incessantly for the future of our community. But FELMAUSA is never going to prosper without our selfless commitment to the cause for which the Federation was founded.
Thus, the idea of FELMASUA remains the prime reason for my tears of joy – indicating our temerity against all odds to come together in concert and transform the painful history of our past into successful realities once envisioned by our fallen heroes and heroines. While we remain grateful to the many whose efforts and sacrifices gave birth to the idea of FELMAUSA, we want to acclaim the hard work of Hon. Richmond Konneh and his administration for giving us bedrock upon which the Dukuly-led administration has stood firm and tall beyond and above the expectations of cynics and distracters of progress.
In a very special manner, I extend absolute gratitude to all supporters and participants of the FELMAUSA Medical Mission to Liberia, and the affectionate, sincere, relentlessly serviceable, unceasingly motivational and farsighted, and dedicated members (both appointed and elected) and supporters of the Dukuly-led administration, who have served this community so well that generations upon generations can only strive to emulate their outstanding and honorable exemplars. You will forever remain our inspiration and blueprint to success. We humbly pray that the Almighty Allah will continuously shower His blessings upon us and posterity, as we strive to build and sustain strong and rewarding bonds.
My administration will be consulting the revised constitution soonest, as we all prepare to welcome our new leaders. Firstly, let me congratulate Mr. Mohammed Bility and his corps of newly elected Executive FELMAUSA Officers. The call to action is noble. The challenges are equally demanding. The way forward, my dear brothers and sisters, is for each and all of us to respect the FELMAUSA established fundamentals. Let the Constitution guide our every engagement. Right now and in the face of the Constitution, it would seem to me that the National Board of Directors needs to be re-staffed. I would encourage FELMAUSA Chapters to move forward with the reconstitution of their Local Boards and through which representatives can be seconded to be seated on the National Board of Directors. The re-staffed National Board could, thereupon, reconstitute its leadership structure. All of the above should be addressed in time before the anticipated inauguration. Thus, Executive and Board leaders can be inaugurated at this golden ceremony of FELMAUSA. For now, these are only heads up suggestions. Let the intent be understood as one that is simply encouraging pro-actions.
Convention 2011 was a resounding success, by any standard. To this year’s convention committee, please accept our esteemed gratitude. Yes, we may have had some bureaucratic inconsistencies. But on average, this administration is thankful to all of you who directly or indirectly contributed to the atmosphere that obtained at the Silver Spring FELMAUSA Convention. This administration remains grateful to the Elections Commission for taking on such a humongous and doing a splendid job. The Commission did lead us not into temptation but safely delivered us from a path of evil. Their chosen and impartial method has now earned for us a new group of energized leaders. I encourage all, myself included, to accord the incoming Bility-Administration the support needed to put or keep FELMAUSA at a second-to-none platform.
Once again, as “Thank you” might not suffice, we ask the Almighty God to guide and bless the work of our hands as we steer the affairs of our noble organization, FELMAUSA.
May God bless FELMAUSA! May God bless Liberia! May God bless the world at large!
Mohammed Dukuly
404-452-2277
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