Great Minds Initiative holds successful 2022 convention; Omagbemi hands over to Pastor Kenneth MARLEEK Onyekaba

The Great Minds Initiative (GMI), Saturday, May 14, 2022, concluded, successfully, its 2022 Annual Convention with a Dinner Party at the Holiday Inn, 11160 South West Freeway Houston, Texas, 77031, USA.

The Convention, which ended with a change of the leadership baton of the non-governmental organization, started with three hours of volunteer work at the Blodgett Urban Garden, a community garden run by the Texas State University that converted blighted areas of the city to certified organic farm where members of the community can volunteer and learn how to farm healthy produce and also obtain such produce for their families.

The CEO of the Garden, Dr KIM Adams was very impressed to see a large number of black male professionals coming to volunteer their services and was full of praise for the GMI for such kind gesture. There were over 30 volunteers who planted various crops and also helped to clear weeds from the beds.

Similar to the Young Men Christian Association (YMCA) but without regards to creed or ethnicity, the GMI has the overriding goal of turning boys into responsible and dependable men, and men into outstanding husbands and fathers with each member holding the other accountable and being appropriate role models and supporting each other.

Members volunteer to work with various charities, offering, apart from their funds, their professional expertise and time.

After the fulfilling volunteer work, the GMI held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) proper, which was also a huge success.

At the meeting, Chief Tsola Omagbemi, the outgoing President of the group, which was registered six years ago in the United States of America (USA) and is made up of male Nigerian graduates, recalled all the successful programs embarked upon during his tenure, including two great conventions and a new multifunctional website for the organization, all of which have contributed towards laying a solid foundation for the incoming executives.

Pastor Kenneth MARLEEK Onyekaba was elected the new national President of GMI, and in accepting his election, on behalf of members of the new executive committee, promised, not only to build on what was started by the outgoing executives but to also introduce some innovations including business models for the members.

The finances of the organization were also certified to be in good standing while the Council of Elders was expanded from two to six members.

The new Executives and Council Members were sworn in by one of Elders present, Dr Boris EMEKA Oji.

The memorable day ended with an equally hugely successful Gala night which was well attended by several members of the Houston community, including Julius Nwosu, the current national team coach of Nigeria’s Basketball Association, among other Houston socialites.

By every stretch of the imagination, this was a very successful convention and all the members that attended are enthusiastically looking forward to doing great exploits with the new executives led by Pastor Onyekaba with one love and support for each other.

There was consensus that the future of Great Minds Initiative is bright and on behalf of the grand patron of the organization, Dr Austin Atiyota, who was unavoidably absent, Dr Boris EMEKA Oji, an Elder of the group, gave the vote of thanks and vote of confidence to the outgoing and incoming executives respectively, and to the entire members of GMI for keeping the faith and upholding the ideals that the group holds very dearly, and the commitment to the ultimate goal of being exemplary fathers and husbands and upstanding members of the society.