OCDA DC
(Mother Branch)

     The history of the DC chapter is fused into that of OCDA National both of whom saw their birth in late 2007. Prior to constituting OCDA, Oku people in the United States enjoy the family warmth of their brothers and neighbors from Noni. The two neighbors coexisted within the umbrella of Njang USA that served as the developmental authority for the two clans.

      As a small community, all was well and members enjoyed and longed for end of month meetings where a lot of constructive ideas were regularly put together for the betterment of those who were back home as well as new arrivals in USA. Many new arrivals still testify up to now how they were helped to settle in here faster. Unfortunately, as the Njang membership increased, leadership and trust issues set in making the euphoria that used to reign in meetings a thing of the past. The effect of this was a trending down in meeting attendance and gradually a general lack of interest in the activities of the group. This ultimately ended with the desertion of meetings and activities of the group. With many attempts to revamp the Njang USA activities, Njang died a natural death.

     In early 2007, some courageous men and women came together through word of mouth and started talks on the possibility of giving birth to OCD USA that was going to specifically cater for the well-being of Oku people in USA as well help those back home while waiting for the resuscitation of Njang USA. When the first meeting was convened, those who came still felt that it was Njang USA. Every now and then, members were reminded that it was not a Njang business session but a meeting of Ok people only though opened to all those who felt like joining and that the intension was not to abolish or stand in the way of the former Njang USA.

     After a number of meetings that were hosted by volunteers in turns, the distinction become real and the talk within meetings began to take a wider form. Members started thinking of a body that could not only be confined to private homes but that could come and get recognized by the government of the united stated of America giving it more latitude to do business as well integrate fully into the community. Those resident in Maryland were informed of the creation of an Ok meeting in Virginia. By the end of 2007 and with the full awareness already created in the DC metro area, the pioneer DC chapter executive voted into office under the leadership of Babey Dorr Romanus. He immediately went to work and before the end of his first year in office, the group had produced its bylaws, sent a consignment of drugs to the government hospital at Elak Oku, ran a massive diversity lottery campaign back home where over three hundred applicants were sponsored. Out of this number two were selected for processing but never got visas to immigrate. While these activities were going on, there was a serious sensitization campaign within the country to locate and inform any Oku sons and daughters that could be residing in any state about the existence of OCDA in the US.