​     After organizing a very successful end of year 2007, and during the end of year evaluation meeting on 01/31/2008 it was unanimously agreed that instead of planning for another end of year that a maiden OCDA USA convention be planned in between. July was immediately chosen as the convention month and a planning committee instituted. Given the enthusiasm among members, a contribution amount was agreed upon. Some members opened up their homes for the convention if the anticipated contributions from members could not cover the cost of a hall which was estimated to carry between 50-100 people. This became a main item in every meeting with committees giving reports of their activities for directives. Invitation were sent out to sons and daughters identified in the various states.

     When July came, it was no longer a dream by now a reality as what started as a joke had taken form and a reached a stage when no one could joke about it. During the first convention, the jubilation was high when we gathered at Copperleaf Way and started seeing out guests drip in one after the other. Each appearance was marked by open jubilation which at one point we burst into the njang dance before the formal opening of the convention proper. During the official opening of the maiden OCDA USA convention, the President, Babey Dorr was seen exhibiting some emotions from time to time given that people had come from Minnesota, Texas, New Jersey as well as those who were in the DC Metro area unknown to the rest of the community. The pioneer OCDA National executive was constituted during that meeting and Mr. Yengo Christopher was voted. Most of the executive members were still from Metro area besides the Vice Secretary General from Minnesota and the Financial Secretary and Vice President from New Jersey.

     It was not going to be business as usual where the DC chapter discussed branch and national issues in the same agenda. The DC chapter that also had almost all of is leadership in the national leadership team had to now walk a very tight rope. From time to time, they will try to lead chapter members understand why certain things could no longer be discussed as before. To some, it was share wickedness for people to refuse to share information simply by changing their caps. This continued for the duration of the term of office of Mr. Yengo when the second President was elected out

of the metro area.

     Within this period, DC chapter has seen its member grown in bounds until 2011 when some kind of exodus occurred in the chapter and a majority of vibrant youths who had discovered a new found land left the area. They were to become the pioneer members of Texas chapter that today is a force to be reckoned with. The cleaving of the chapter and the mother union has taken a long time and caused DC chapter more pain.

     As can be seen, the history of OCDA DC chapter nor that of OCDA USA is void in the absence of each other. We cannot belabor the point here that within the existence of OCDA, much has been done through the founding leaders and members. It is hoped that the same spirit that has brought us this far will take us to where the founding fathers and mothers in 2006 envisioned.