LEADERSHIP IS SERVICE, NOT SELF-EXALTATION

After four years in office, Sylvester Omeje, outgoing Vice President of the Igala Association USA and Vice President of the Union of African Communities in Southwestern Pennsylvania, reflects on what leadership in a community association should mean: service before status, inclusion before division, and accountability before personal interest.

For the past four years, I have had the honor and privilege of serving as Vice President of the Igala Association USA. As I conclude this chapter, I am grateful for the opportunity to serve, the relationships built along the way, and the dedication of those who continue to give their time and energy to our community.

To the incoming administration, I offer my sincere congratulations and best wishes. May the association grow stronger, more united, and more effective under your stewardship. As one administration gives way to another, I hope we carry forward an essential principle: leadership must always be rooted in service.

An association created to bring Igala people together must place its shared purpose above titles, power, prestige, or personal gain. A position is not a throne. Members are not subjects. Leadership is a responsibility entrusted to us for a limited time, and its true measure is the quality of our service to others.

Our association must remain a place where every Igala person feels welcome, regardless of religion, region, background, or personal relationships. Differences are inevitable in any community, but they must never become grounds for exclusion or for diminishing another person’s voice. Unity requires us to make room for one another, including those with whom we disagree.

Leadership also demands humility and a willingness to listen. Criticism, even when uncomfortable, should invite reflection. Being questioned is not an act of disloyalty; accountability is part of the responsibility we accept. Leaders must resist holding grudges against those who challenge them. Instead, we must listen, explain our decisions, acknowledge and correct mistakes, and continue serving with fairness and respect.

The desire to serve must always come before the desire to lead. When personal interests take priority, an organization loses sight of its purpose. When leaders act with selflessness, transparency, and openness, they build trust, encourage participation, and strengthen the community.

I am grateful to everyone who entrusted me with the privilege of serving, to those who supported our work, and to those who challenged us to do better. Both encouragement and constructive criticism help build institutions that can endure beyond any single administration.

As I leave the office of the Vice President, I do so with appreciation and hope. Titles eventually pass to others, but the values we uphold and the example we set can endure. May the next chapter of our association be defined by service, inclusion, accountability, and unity.

Udama chu pkahiu — Unity is power.

— Sylvester Omeje (SEO)

Outgoing Vice President

Igala Association USA