IT WAS Late President RONALD REGAN, WHO ONCE SAID, WE NEED TO WRITE OUR STORY BY OURSELVES, BECAUSE IF WE LEAVE OUR STORY TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO WRITE, THEY MIGHT MISS, THE MOST IMPORTANT STORY, OR THEY MIGHT NOT WRITE THE STORY FROM OUR OWN PERSPECTIVES..
FOUR YEARS AGO, WE CONGREGATED AT EMMANUEL AUTO SHOP, TO AIRWAY MEET AN OLD FRIENDS, YOU HAVE NOT SEEN FOR YEARS, WE LISTENED TO NIGERIAN MUSIC & MUSIC FROM OTHER AFRICAN NATIONS, BY CONGREGATING WE DISCUSS, POLITICAL EVENTS BACK HOME, WE ALL KNOW THAT, WHERE ONE OR TWO NIGERIANS GATHER TOGETHER, WE DO NOT DO ANYTHING BUT TO TALK ABOUT OUR HOMELAND, BUT THESE WERE MISCONSTRUE BY RIVERDALE POLICE DEPT, BECAUSE IN THEIR OWN WISDOM, THEY THOUGHT IF THERE OR FOUR NIGERIANS , GATHER TOGETHER THEY MUST MUST BE DOING THINGS THAT ARE NOT IN SYNCS WITH THE LAW, MOST OF THE OCCASIONS, OUR GATHERING WERE ABRUPTLY DISRUPTED, AND OUR MEMBERS WERE SENT TO DETENTION CENTER, BUT HONORABLE JUDGE FREEMAN, DID NOT SEE ANY REASON WHY WE SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO HIS COURT, JUST FOR CONGREGATING. ALL THESE EVENTS WERE IN 2009, BUT AN ATTORNEY WE ENGAGED TO LITIGATE OUR ISSUES WITH THE CITY CALLED ON SOME OF US AND SAID WE NEED TO GET OUR MEMBERS TOGETHER AND FORM A COMMUNITY OF NIGERIANS & WE SHOULD GO AND A PAY COURTESY VISITS TO THE MAYOR OF RIVVERDALE.
WHICH WE DID, WE PAID A COURTESY VISIT TO THE MAYOR OF RIVERDALE, MAYOR EVENLY DIXON, WE INFORMATION HER OF OUR INTENTION TO SUPPORT HER IN HER RE-ELECTION BID, WE TOLD HER, WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING POSSIBLE TO MAKE HER FINISH THE GOOD WORK SHE STARTED, LITTLE DID WE KNOW, THAT THIS WOMAN OF VALOR, THIS WOMAN OF TIMBER AND CALIBER, HAD EMBARKED ON MONUMENT AL PROJECTS ALL AROUND CITY OF RIVERDALE, THE REST IS HISTORY, BUT IF WE COLD MENTION BUT ONE, THE NEW CITY HALL, WAS ONE OF MANY PROJECT THIS “YEYE-ILU OF RIVERDALE” “MOTHER OF CITY OF RIVERDALE” FOR THOSE OF YOU, WHO DID NOT KNOW OUR CITY HALL IS 5TH BEST INFRASTRUCTURAL EDIFICE EVER IN THE COUNTRY.
WE DELIBERATED AMONG OURSELVES ABOUT COMING TOGETHER, TO FORM A COMMUNITY, AND WE ALSO DISCUSSED WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY ABOUT WHO SHOULD US AS A NIGERIA IN DIASPORA, WE DELIBERATED FIERCELY AMONG OUR AFRICAN BROTHERS & SISTERS, BUT IT WAS OBA BERNARD SHOLA AKINRINMISI , THAT WE ALL CHOOSE AS OUR LEADER & OBA.
WE FIXED A DAY FOR CORONATIN: IT WAS JULY 4”, 2010. THE ELDERS OF OUR NIGERIAN & AFRICAN COMMUNITY GATHER TOGETHER. NIGERIAN COMMUNITY DONATED FINANCIAL RESOURCES & HUMAN RESOURCES TOWARDS THE EVENTS. IT WAS A SUCCESS DUE TO THE HUGE TURNOUT OF THE EVENT, SO ON THAT FAITHFUL DAY ORIADE OF GEORGIA, WAS BORN.
THE NIGERIA COMMUNITY WANTED A DOCUMENT TO ACT AS A GUIDE TO OUR COMMUNITY, WE NEED TO HAVE A BINDING DOCUMENT THAT WOULD OUTLAST US, WHICH IS CONSTITIUTIONS, WE APPOINTED A CONSTITUTION COMMITTEE, THEY GAVE US A BINDING DOCUMENT, WE THOROUGHLY DEBATED THE CONSTITUTION PAGE BY PAGE. THE CONSTITUTION WAS PASSED WITH OVERWHELM MAJORITY, AND A TENURE OF 2 YEARS WAS APPOINTED FOR THE KING, LITTLE DID WE KNOW THAT WE ARE DEBASING OUR TRADITION, THE VERY TRADITION WE TRYING TO UPHOLD, THE FIRST PERSON TO INFORM US OF OUR ERROR IN JUDGMENT, TO PUT TENURE ON OBASHIP, WAS NIGERIA CONSULAR GENERAL, FORMER AMBASSADOR OKEKE, WHEN WE PAID HIM A COURTESY VISIT IN NIGERIA EMBASSY IN ATLANTA. THE CONSULAR GENERAL MADE US TO JOIN ANNOG, BEING AN UMBRELLA ORGANIZATION OF ALL NIGERIAN ORGANIZATION IN GEORGIA.
THE FIRST OFFICIAL ENGAGEMENT OF HRH OBA B AKINRIMISI THE ORI ADE OF GEORGIA.
THE ORI ADE OF GEORGIA WAS INVITED TO “GLOBAL CONFERENCE OF BLACK NATIONALITIES”, BY OSUN STATE GOVERNMENT IN NIGERIA, HRH OBA S B AKINRINMISI WAS GIVING TWO POLICE ESCORT, AND A BEFITTING CAR, ON ARRIVING AT MURITALA INTERNATINAL AIRPORT, THE THEME OF THE EVENT, WAS THE BLACK RACE, (THE PAST, THE PRESENT, AND THE FUTURE OF A RICH HERITAGE) AND IT WAS STAGED ON AUGUST 23-27-2010. IT WAS AT THIS EVENT ORI ADE OF GEORGIA, WAS INTRODUCTED TO ALL OBAS IN ENTIRE BLACK RACE, FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO, WAS ATTENDANCE, LIKE WISE ONI-OF IFE, ALAFIN OF OYO ORI ADE WAS GIVEN STANDING OVATION BY ALL THE OBAS, AFTER THE EVENT ONI-OF IFE, PERSONALLY INVITED ORI AND TO HIS PALACE AND BLESS HIM.
WHEN OBA AKINRINMISI CAME BACK TO THE UNITED STATES, HE ASKED THAT WE NEED TO CHOOSE THOSE THAT WILL BE IN OUR COUNCIL OF ELDERS, ON SEPTEMBER 19TH,2010. MODALITIES WAS PUT IN PLACE TO CONDUCT THE ELECTION OF COUNCIL OF ELDER 20 CANDIDATES SHOW INTEREST, BUT THE MEMBER ONLY CHOOSE 13 OUT OF 20 CONTESTANT & WE ALSO ELECTED THE EXECUTIVES WE MADE ALL INTERESTED CANDIDATES TO CAMPAIGN, WE ASKED THEM, TO EXPLAIN WHAT WOULD THEY DO TO MOVE NIGERIA COMMUNITY FORWARD, NPASS MEMEBERS CHOOSE THEIR EXECUTIVES & COUNCIL OF ELDERS.
WE REGISTERED OUR NAME WITH SECRET ARY OF STATE AND WE ALSO APPLIED FOR 501 (3)
TAX EXEMPT STATUS, WHICH WE GOT, WE OPENED A BANK ACCOUNT WITH TREE SIGNATIORES.
IN OCT 2010, WE CELEBRATED NIGERIA 50” INDEPENDENCE MAYOUR DIXON, GAVE US A PROCLAMATION FOR THE 50” ANNIVERSSARY OF OUR GREAT COUNTRY, SHE PRESENTED KABIYESI A STAFF OF OFFICE, (OPA ASE) AND KABIYESI IN RETURN GAVE HER A TITLE OF YEYE-ILU OF RIVERDALE (MOTHER OF CITY OF RIVERDALE)
ONE OF THE PENALTIES FOR REFUSING TO PARTICIPATE IN POLITICS IS THAT YOU END UP BELING GOVETRNMENT BY YOUR INFERIORS” PLATO
THE AFRICAN PEOPLES, WHO LIVED IN THE NIGERIA AREA, AT LEAST BY THE 4TH CENTURY B, WHERE NOT INTIALLY KNOWN AS THE YORUBA, ALTHOUGH THEY SHARED A COMMON ETHNNICITY AND LANGUAGE GROUP BOTH ARCHEOLOGY AND TRADITIONAL YOURUBA ORAL HISTORIANS CONFIRM THE EXISTENCE OF PEOPLE IN THIS REGION FOR SEVERAL MILLENNI YORUBA SPIRITUAL HERITAGE MAINTAIN THAT THE YORUBA ETHNIC GROUPS ARE A UNIQUE PEOPLE EWHO WERE ORIGINALLY CREATED AT ILFIFE. LEGEND HOLDS THAT THE CREATION
NPASS envisions a world in which all children thrive within protective, loving families, free from deprivation, violence and danger, from conflicts and gun violence: our community care services programs (CCSP) & Key Interventions to Develop Systems and Services for OVC (KIDSS).
Key Interventions to Develop Systems and Services for OVC (KIDSS) project will strengthen government and community capacity to care for OVC and will support families economically and socially so that they are better able to provide for the children in their care..
An NPASS Strategy for community solution to most of the mundane problems. NPASS seeks International Assistance from us citizens and international donor partners globally, our commitment and approach to investing in the development, care, dignity, and safety of the worlds most-vulnerable children and their families are our utmost priority in the next decade to come...
Children who have lost one or both parents to HIV & AIDS are the extreme representation of the impact of the HIV pandemic on children. In Cameroon, the number of children orphaned by HIV & AIDS has increased dramatically, rising from 13,000 orphans in 1995 to 304,000 in 2010 (roughly 25 percent of Cameroons total population of 1,203,918 orphans). By 2020, this number is projected to rise to 350,000. According to the 2010 ANC surveillance data, HIV prevalence among pregnant women was 7.6%. Among 2,173 OVC surveyed in the Ministry of Social Affairs 2009 Report, 41% are fatherless and 52.4% are maternal orphans. Among the fatherless OVC, 55.2% reported HIV as a cause of death. For maternal orphans, this proportion is 50.1%. Among OVC who were tested for HIV, 24.6% were positive. In relation to Key Populations especially FSW, they are facing multiple challenges including taking care of their children in a very promiscuous environment. It is reported in the 2009 national aids control program (NACC) with the Global Viral Forecasting Initiative (GVFI) and UNAIDS study that, of 999 FSW nationally sampled, only 26.0% had no children. For those reporting having children, up to 21% had three or more. Less visible effects on children come from the way HIV & AIDS influences the capacity of families and communities to provide adequate material, psychosocial, and developmental support to the children in their care..
The toxic environment in which many young children affected by HIV live can undermine all aspects of a childs subsequent development, creating significant, physically based, and long-term obstacles to positive outcomes. Biological and behavioral research shows early childhood as a time of tremendous brain growth. This critical period of early childhood development helps to build the connections and abilities which form the foundation of subsequent development. Strong foundations provide the basis for positive and healthy adaptations and in contrast, weak foundations that many HIV-affected children face create physiological disruptions that can undermine subsequent learning, behavior, and lifelong physical and mental health. In 2011, the National Institute of Statistics (INS) and ICF International conducted Demographic Health Survey and Multiple Indicators Cluster Survey (MICS) in Cameroon. Results show that only 42% of children aged 12-23 months were fully immunized. In addition, one third of children aged 0-59 months (33%) suffer from chronic malnutrition (14% in its severe form); 6% suffer from acute malnutrition (2% in its severe form); 15% are underweight (5% in its severe form). Three children out of five (60%) have anemia with respectively 27% mild, 31% moderate and 2% severe anemia..
While the general child malnutrition, morbidity, and mortality rates are a challenge in the country, the HIV & AIDS epidemic poses even greater challenges. There is ahuge funding gap in OVC programming in Cameroon. In a country with a high OVC burden characterized by high unmet needs, the current funding for critical OVC activities represents only 2.1% of the funding needs.
