free encyclopedia jump to navigation search akisan usa akisan usa official logo c. 2002 abbreviation akisan motto relentless giving advocacy & volunteerism formation 1967 type non profit organization legal status 501 c 3 headquarters washington d.c. national president john james etim website http www.akisan.org remarks 2010 akisan national convention was held on august 5 8 1 in baltimore md 2 current national secretariat key people mr. john etim president mr. anietie andy vice president mr. edem ntuk secretary dr. ekamma inyang treasurer ms. victoria emiang public relations mr. inyang inyang social secretary mr. michael essien esq. legal counsel website www.akisan.org akwa ibom state association of nigeria usa inc. otherwise known as akisan is a 501 c 3 non profit organization based in the united states of america which promotes the interests of the citizens of akwa ibom state of nigeria both in the homeland and the diaspora . 3 contents 1 objectives 2 history 2.1 early name changes 2.2 founding chapters & activities 2.3 past national presidents 3 the national council 3.1 executive offices & committees 3.2 the general counsel 3.3 the board of trustees 4 achievements 5 references 6 external links objectives edit its goals are 4 to promote encourage and foster unity amongst the citizens of akwa ibom state of nigeria . to promote economic educational cultural scientific and social progress of akwa ibom state within the framework of one nigeria . to cooperate with and support bona fide nigerian associations in the united states of america and encourage members of the association to join nigerian associations and participate in promoting the interest of nigeria both at the homeland and abroad . to encourage and support the educational professional and legitimate business aspirations of all akwa ibom state citizens provided those aspirations are consistent with the best interest of akwa ibom state of nigeria and its citizens . to act as a liaison between the akwa ibom state government and others including other organizations both government and non governmental and the members of the association and citizens of akwa ibom state of nigeria in the united states of america . to support and promote various charitable organizations by cooperating with any such organization participating in its activities or contributing to such an organization . history edit the association was founded in 1967 during the nigerian civil war under the name association of students of south eastern state of nigeria in the americas . 5 the purpose was to organize its people and fight for the cause of preserving their identity as a people in nigeria after the creation of the state long yearned for . this was no small contribution from students who were not only thousands of miles away from the war torn homeland but were also self supported . early name changes edit when cross river state was created in 1976 the association changed its name to the association of student of cross river state of nigeria in the americas . with the creation of akwa ibom state 20 years later the name changed to association of students and citizens of akwa ibom state in the americas . the inclusion of citizens in the name was to make it feasible for those who have completed their studies and are no longer students to continue their participation and contribution in the affairs of the association . the name was further changed in 1990 to its present name of akwa ibom state association of nigeria usa inc. the association is incorporated in washington dc . founding chapters & activities edit since akwa ibomites reside in various cities of the united states the association is organized in most major cities . the association started initially in new york city and then in washington dc . during the late seventies the activities of the colloquium included among other events a soccer match competition between the perennial powers new york city and washington dc . this match is now played between the eastern and western select teams . for purposes of coordination control of activities and sharing of information between these city organizations and the home country it became necessary to organize a national executive committee consisting of the national president and a cabinet and the different city organizations assumed the status of chapters . the national president is the pre eminent officer and with his her cabinet is responsible for the day to day running of the association and the execution of its overall policies . the national president appoints all members of the national executive committee and starting in 2004 is elected during the akisan national convention to one term of two years . some chapters appear in diaspora events such as fundraisers community voluntary efforts health awareness and the nigerian independence parades . 6 past national presidents edit mr. ernest ikpe 1967 1969 dr. bassey umoh 1969 1970 late dr. daniel akpan 1970 1971 mr. obot essien 1971 1972 late mkpisong mbong j mbong 1972 1973 mr. akpan edet 1973 1974 dr. edet inwang 1974 1976 mr. paul ekwere 1976 1978 mr. basil ebong 1978 1979 mr. ibanga ekpo 1979 1980 mr. paul ukpa 1980 mr. emmanuel eyo 1981 mr. eyobong usanga 1981 1983 mr. ndanyong m. ibanga 1983 1984 mr. bassey ekpono 1984 1985 mr. joe offong 1985 1987 dr. samuel esema 1987 1988 prince charles akpabio 1988 1990 mr. chris ekpoudom 1990 1991 mr. mark etuk 1992 mr. thompson essien 1993 dr. philip udo inyang 1994 mr. inyang umoh 1995 1996 mr. jerry essienumoh 1997 ms. obot okoko 1998 dr. augustine usoro 1998 2000 mr. sylvanus akpakpa 2000 2002 mr. chris oyobio sr. 2002 2004 dr. emmanuel umoh 2004 2006 mr. monday r. affiah 2006 2008 mr. obong e. umana 2008 2010 mr. buffer eyo 2010 2012 mr. emmanuel isong 2012 2014 mr. john etim 2014 present the national council edit the association has gone through some restructuring over the years consistent with the constitution . a landmark restructuring occurred in 1975 in chicago il during dr. edet inwang s administration when the collection of chapter presidents were accorded the status of national vice president with or without portfolios distinguished from the national executive vice president appointed by the national president . all the national vice presidents together with the national executive constitute the national council the policy making body of the association . executive offices & committees edit the reorganization introduced the involvement of all the chapters in administrative processes of the organization . the executive administration has as its core responsibility the duty to execute the policies of the association and report to the national council and the national convention . this structure introduces a professional internal administrative control and the involvement of chapters in all policy matters . some national vice presidents are assigned portfolios such as information culture education youth membership social welfare and economic & fiscal . economic & fiscal portfolio is usually reserved for the hosting chapter of the national secretariat administrative term . each chapter has its own president constitution and by laws and must conform to its chapter s name to the national constitution which is supreme whenever there is a conflict . akisan portfolio assignments & compositions 2010 2012 newsletter & publicity dr. sonny abia chair itoro akpan iquot mrs. cathy udi linda umoh scholarships mrs. eme isok nsuk chair dr. al o dono dr. moses udo engr . esin abia dr. ibanga ikpe ms. eno ettang convention planning mr. ita ntekim chair mr. bassey ikpeinyang secretary dr. mike akpan mr. uwem equan mr. eugene okon godwin ekpene rph mr. justin ekwere mr. uwem ikpe dr. jimmy umo books mr. joseph idiong chair engr . mbong ekiko mr.ubon etukard lord clement ukpong dr. paul reubin beauty pageant mrs. esther ekong san francisco chairperson dr. uduak ikpe miami emergency trust fund mr. emmanuel ekop chair mr. buffer eyo national president current washington dc chapter president current legal counsel sir peter umoh website mr. itoro akpan iquot chairperson chair constitution review committee mr. hope umana chair mr. mike essien mr. ekomabasi essien ette mr. eyo eyo mr. henny mbosowo strategic planning committee dr. samuel esema former national president former bot chairman mr. christopher ekpoudom former national president former bot chairman mkpisong eyobong usanga former national president ms obot okoko former national president dr. augustine usoro former national president sir peter umoh former bot secretary dr. philip udoinyang former national president former bot chairman dr. emmanuel akpan former bot member 1st general counsel ibom cultural center mrs. caroline ebong dr. sonny abia engr.ini robert mr. essien s. essien mr. emmanuel isong mr. godwin enyong mr. hope umana ms. mercy john ekanem portfolios welfare membership connecticut economic fiscal boston education houston cultural los angeles youth affairs miami social affairs philadelphia headquarters washington information columbus the general counsel edit another major body of the association was the appointment of a general counsel during the 1988 colloquium to advice and act on behalf of the association and its chapters in all legal matters . this position was elevated to a constitutional office during a constitutional amendment in the year 2000 . the association s first general counsel was dr. emmanuel d. akpan who was followed by hope umana esq. michael essien esq. and david essien esq. the current legal counsel . current board of trustees key people dr. chris oyobio chairman mr. eyo eyo vice chairman mrs. mercy ekwere secretary mr. uwem equan treasurer mr. victor ekpo member mr. nse ben obong member chief uwem inim member mr. godwin ekpene member mr. ita etim edet member mr. buffer eyo ex officio mr. bassey e. okon member website www.akisan.org the board of trustees edit the 2000 constitutional amendment also introduced a nine member board of trustees elected at large to sit for three years on a rotational basis . at least three trustees are elected each year during the national convention . the trustees are the key advisers to the national president on financial matters and are responsible for the association s properties and monies . the board is also responsible for helping the association implement fund raising policies . the inaugural chairman of the board was late dr. nsidibe ikpe . dr. peter umoh of connecticut as general secretary of the board worked with dr. ikpe and the members to facilitate a reengineering of the association structurally and financially to strengthen it and to align it with its core and traditional mission of gathering akwa ibom people in the united states under a collective umbrella of common brotherhood . in the first few years of the board the leadership and its members worked in close collaboration with the national president and the national council to reshape the association engendering unity across the nation while injecting integrity in their modernization of the association . achievements edit the hon. monday r. affiah s administration recorded major achievements for the association which include the commissioning of a borehole water project for the students and staff of government trade center ikot akata . as part of the school of excellence program ; the donation of 3 soccer trophies to akwa ibom state government for soccer tournaments among all post primary institutions in the state the institution of the first youth challenge competition where the winner was crowned at the 2008 convention the restart of mbuk akwa ibom newsletter publication and the commissioning of infrastructure design for the building of akwa ibom learning center in uyo . a total of at least 250 people made the trip from nigeria to the 2008 national convention . the event recorded the largest number of attendance and the largest official delegation from nigeria ever witnessed . the akwa ibom youth dance troupe led by the then youth president mr. paul frank performed at the u.s capitol to a packed crowd of spectators . other achievements recorded by the association include the publication of its first magazine then called searchlight by the late dr. bassey obotette as editor and later changed to