Brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen, I hereinafter, and with the humility and purpose of a town-crier, present to you the profile of the veteran and populous MACUDA-DC.
MACUDA-DC is considered, and rightfully so, as the mother of MACUDA America thanks to its year of creation, if for nothing else. Founded in 1995 as a result of a break-up of local Mankon people from the then over-reaching and over-shadowing Ngemba Group (comprising other Ngemba-speaking tribes), MACUDA rallied together Mankonians living in the District of Columbia (DC) metropolis which, in turn, is made up of Northern Virginia and Maryland. Proud of its 15 years of existence, MACUDA-DC has however known diverse fortunes. Like a river, the chapter took off with great speed and energy. But, still like a river, as maturity began to set in, many of its members sedimented and thereby reduced the very depth of the group’s purpose. Furthermore, structural and functional twists produced the regrettable effect of slowing the group’s speed towards its destiny. This notwithstanding, MACUDA-DC is today poised to make these setbacks a thing of the past by working on a new and promising dawn.
Die-Hard Inspiration
Conservative estimates put the number of Mankon people in DC at 300, and this number is more than the total number of all Mankon people living in the metropolitan areas of the other six chapters of MACUDA America combined. How then can MACUDA-DC be anything but powerful? This question has been asked by a few die-hard members of the branch who have picked up and dusted off themselves and are currently working hard to reinvigorate the group.
The sheer number of registered members attests to the reawakening of MACUDA-DC. Over 100 members are so far fully registered. This Goliath of a branch has also chosen the following peers to provide it with the leadership it so craves:

MACUDA-DC Executive Members
1. President: Mr. John Zama
2. Vice President: Mrs. Claudine Awanto
3. Secretary General: Mr. Ivo Azongo
4. Financial Secretary: Mr. Sam Fonjung
5. Treasurer: Tangyie Ernest Mbangari
6. Publicity Secretary: Mr. Michael Nde
7. Cultural Adviser: Tangyie Richard Muma
8. Chief Whip (disciplinarian): Mr. John Mantobang
9. Social Secretaries: Mrs. Constance Zama, Mr. Franklin Warah and Mrs. Vicky Ngang
10. Roving Executive Member: Mrs. Elizabeth Wangia

The primary source of strength for MACUDA-DC is the loyalty of its committed members. They make sure that there is enough to eat and drink at every monthly meeting and other events that the branch organizes.
The DC branch of MACUDA has made some great strides in the area of project realization. The branch donated the colossal sum of $3,000 (by far the largest donation by any branch of MACUDA America) to the Twin Cultural Festival in Mankon in 2009. We are still nostalgic of the unique treatment we received in 2007 when MACUDA-DC hosted that year’s convention in Baltimore.
Mr. John Zama and his team have many more projects in the works. The team is leading a $10-per-month minimum saving scheme for its members and it is also negotiating a life insurance policy for the group. Moreover, MACUDA-DC is collecting $100 from each of its members in fulfillment of the “I LOVE MACUDA” drive by the National Executive Council (NEC). Together with national registration dues collected, MACUDA-DC plans to hand over a huge financial package to NEC before the start of this year’s convention. Also, the branch is empowering its members financially through a $100.00 non-compulsory savings scheme (Njangi) from each member during the group’s monthly meetings and this endeavor has been working smoothly. Mention should be made too, of the “Mankon Language Classes,” a thirty-minute lesson running from 8pm to 8:30pm every meeting day and championed by no other than the Mankon linguist, Suh Ade Fobudzong. The lesson particularly targets the kids and the results so far have been very encouraging.
DC also calls on the rest of MACUDA to check out the new uniforms that the group will be donning this year. In respect of the DC tradition, there will be a powerful display of a folkloric dance to crown the presence of this enigmatic group. You think you know what that dance will be? You may be in for a good surprise!
All said, the Gongs of Chicago 2010 are sounding. Our giant chapter, MACUDA-DC, will be there to “Unlock its Potentials.”
Tangyie Elijah Che Munyong-Abieri
Volunteer Town-crier