Power to Angels: Manifesto for Gender Equity

By Lasbrey Nze

In New York, an Italian-American investment banker Romario, bumps into Benita, Chief of Operations of a reputable Consultancy firm. They join a trendy intellectual, Professor Jacques Neville, on a flight to Los Angeles. Their conversation builds up into a great idea. The movement for global gender equity sprouts up from the instant bond of friendship. POWER TO ANGELS specifies simple and clear strategies for harnessing and galvanizing the political and economic potential of women to achieve gender equity. An eight year peaceful gender world war (GWW 2014-2021) is declared on gender-equity passive nations, including USA and Saudi Arabia. The Manifesto for Gender Equity proclaims mandatory reforms and strategies for a successful establishment of the woman as an effective co-pilot in the flight for global peace and development. Benitas managerial expertise and ingenuity provide the effective leadership initiative for fast-tracking gender equity. Dramatic results manifest in the economic and political environment to vindicate the visionaries. Benitas rewards come in different dimensions including high profile leadership positions for women, juicy consultancy contracts and a romantic relationship that blossoms into marriage. As the international movement is patronized by billionaire philanthropists of both sexes, the unfinished business looks like a foregone conclusion.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 7, 2013
• ISBN: 9781481721547

Lasbrey Nze

Lasbrey Nze graduated with MBA Banking and Finance from UCLA and PhD from USC. He has held key positions in various organizations. Lasbrey is currently a Principal Consultant of a Consultancy firm. POWER TO ANGELS is a token Payback to men and women who provided the back-up for his accomplishments.

Book preview

POWER

TO ANGELS

Manifesto

for Gender Equity

LASBREY NZE

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AuthorHouse™

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© 2013 LASBREY NZE. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 3/6/2013

ISBN: 978-1-4817-2153-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-2152-3 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4817-2154-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013903780

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and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid.

The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.’

Contents

Dedication

Acknowledgement

1 Bond Of Friendship

2 The Close Corporation

3 Ideas Have Legs

4 Missing Ribs

5 The Mustard Seed

6 Empires In Flux

7 No Deal

8 The Presentation

9 Benita’s Team

10 Random Whispers

11 Panty-Hose Clarion Call

12 Unfinished Business

French To English Translations

About The Author

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated

To the memory of my mother,

EZINNE FLORENCE NZE (1919 – 2001)

( a.k.a Mama Best )

who lived and died rendering passionate

care, support and love to her children, relations,

friends and community. Her readiness to assist and mentor

younger women of her community became her forte and our pride.

We owe her the obligation to live by her legacies of fairness,

compassion, kindness and love. This way, she lives

continually in the minds of those who love her.

AND

To the glory of our Supreme Father,

THE ALMIGHTY GOD

Who makes the impossible possible

for those He chooses

to uplift.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I extend sincere thanks to my sisters, Dr.Grace Ohiaeri, Gloria Ezioma and Nneka Green for their encouragement. To my sister-in-law Victoria Best Nze who provided the administrative support and facilitated the production of the manuscript, I give special thanks. The word processing diligence and cooperation of Iris Calderon is highly appreciated. Harry Bob and George Best Nze and Tina Donaldson deserve my special gratitude for their inspiration and support in having this book published. The publishing process was made easy with the wonderful cooperation of Lisa Emery, Richard VanDeventer, Alyson Bell and Shiela Millan who ensured an effective delivery of the acclaimed benefits of AuthorHouse Publishing, Inc. To them, I extend my deep appreciation. May the good Lord bless everyone who assisted me to realize this pet project.

Lasbrey Nze

1

BOND OF FRIENDSHIP

T he Lufthansa flight from Amsterdam just touched down the runaway at JF Kennedy airport, New York. Many of the passengers are anxious to transfer to Eastern Airline flight to Los Angeles. The computer screens along the hallways however show that the Eastern Airline flight, which was the airline’s last flight to LA departed on time, that was 3:35pm, some 25 minutes earlier. The next flight to Los Angeles is United Airways and it is to be its last to LA for the day. It departs 5:45pm. For the reason of Mardi Gras, all scheduled flights to LA had been fully booked.

The Eastern Airlines had about forty-five transfer passengers from Lufthansa booked to board their 3:35pm flight. Lufthansa had a total of 3 hours forced delay partly on account of bad weather and for late departure.

Through networking and mutual interconnectivity convention, Eastern Airline officials secured seven seats on the United Airlines flight departing at 5:45pm. The Eastern Airline customer service manager makes it clear that only seven passengers will get the transfer boarding passes to United Airlines. Others will be accommodated free for the night and will take the first Eastern Airlines flight to LA the next morning. Ten passengers accepted the overnight in-transit accommodation offer. The remaining thirty-five passengers elected to vie for the available seven seats in the United Airlines flight.

The thirty-five passengers form two lines facing the two Eastern Airlines customer service officials sitting behind the service counter.

Madam, I have paid for a hotel suite in LA Marriot and I am going for the Mardi Gras. You can see I don’t have to miss it all.

That does not move the official. She says, Sorry, next. referring to the next passenger in line.

I have a very important business meeting to attend in LA tomorrow.

You may have to telephone them to reschedule. The official quips in, and looking beyond him says Next.

I have a job interview to attend tomorrow, says a young man.

To everyone on the line, that sounds convincing and compelling. But the official cues, Next. all the same.

With her widest smile, which sometimes makes her look docile and baby-like, Benita is face to face with the official. No compelling reason comes to her mind, yet she wants to get one of the boarding passes. Then she picks up confidence and mutters;

I can stay back, if you say so, but I chose this day to travel from Germany to attend my boyfriend’s birthday dinner tonight.

No response. It looks obvious even to those who lost earlier, that she has made a fool of herself. She decides to resign to her fate. But no. The customer service lady asks for her passport and reservation paper. Benita gives the documents to her. After a quick glance at them, she stoops and pools out a boarding pass.

Take this and go over to the other counter, she instructs. You will travel.

What did she tell her? some passengers inquire in low tones from the passenger directly behind her. It becomes a mini-miracle for Benita. She is elated.

Her boarding pass is the second of the seven; the other official had given out one boarding pass already. With five to go, the competition gains greater keenness.

After processing her papers and the boarding pass, Benita walks up to the lounge and takes a seat by the glass window overlooking the tarmac.

You have a minute? inquires a total stranger, tall debonair and well dressed in an Italian hand knitted suit with a silk tie to match. He looks corporate.

Yes, you are welcome. Benita responds with a smile still sizing him up. Sit down. She points at the chair next to her.

My name is Romario Puzzo. I am an American citizen.

I am Benita. I am a Brazilian. They shake hands.

Well I heard your reason for the boarding pass, and I was impressed with the casual way you put it.

Yes? Benita looks askance at Romario.

Is it really your boyfriend’s birthday? Romario quizzes.

Of course, today is my boyfriend’s birthday. I gave the airline official a document with my boyfriend’s birthday on it. Benita adds.

Waoh. You must be in love with your boyfriend.

Yes. I am, and you; are you married? Benita asks.

I am married but we are separated, Romario sounds like he is out-of-place. He draws negative.

Well you have to make it up with her. Benita encourages.

By the way, Benita tries to change the topic what was your own story to deserve a boarding pass?

Well, I showed her a Court summons for 9:00am tomorrow at LA. That did it.

They laugh understandably. No corporation wants to be dragged to court. How long have you been with your boyfriend? Romario questions.

Seventeen weeks and three days. Benita answers. Romario looks jolted and peers at Benita, And you? Benita cuts in, How long have you been married?

Well, we were married for five years before our problems started. We have been separated for two years now. He says absent-mindedly as he is visibly unhappy. He appears to be recollecting some details that would rather stay confidential.

Do you live in Los Angeles? Benita asks to pull him back from his wandering thoughts.

Yes. I live in Inglewood. Romario returns from his reverie with a smile. And you?

I live in Westwood. Benita announces with a tint of pride. Benita’s address sends Romario on another mission of evaluation. In a country where the zip code is a major determinant of social status, the address matching appears offbeat. The American citizen of Italian origin is expected to live in a more expensive reserved neighborhood than a US resident of Brazilian origin. Westwood is a serene, secure, and sophisticated neighborhood while Inglewood is notorious as the abode of gangsters, lesbians, gay and social miscreants. The neighborhood is blighted, dotted with abandoned, weather-beaten and turndown houses mainly of the low-income bungalow units. The streets are unsafe especially in the evenings and nights as there are several winos, drunks, punks, hippies, and beggars loitering and harassing people all the time.

As if recovering from the discordant zip code information, Romario inquires.

How long have you been in the US?

Eight years. Benita’s crisp response is like a textbook answer.

And when will you go back to your country? Romario’s follow-up question is consistent with the standard American questionnaire for aliens. Benita has gone through this catechism umpteen times. Her answers have become clichés and recently Benita had decided to approach such questions a little differently. So here is an opportunity to test her new approach.

I plan to go back to my country forty days after the last Italian in USA has gone back to Italy.

What? Romario appears stung by a bee and confused. In order to veil his ire, he smiles, and adds;

What is special about forty days and Italians in USA?

Well, you are of Italian descent and Christians attach great historical importance to ‘forty days’. Benita replies with a smile and continues, With the exception of the Red Indians, other US citizens have their origins in other countries of the world.

That is a historical fact. Romario accepts.

The question ‘when will you go back to your country’ coming from an immigrant is inappropriate or misplaced. Benita emphasizes.

But the US, like every nation has to control its own immigration and demography. Romario asserts.

You are right. However, the United States of America is not like every other nation. It is God’s Own Nation designed to be the melting pot of various nationals of the world who share the values of the founding patriarchs.

You mean the US is a free-for-all nation?

No. It is a special nation for special people. Benita continues.

Who are the special people? Romario asks blandly.

By God’s inspiration, the patriarchs conceived of a nation where human beings of different origins shall be free to optimize their potentials in a healthy competitive spirit; free to seek the greater good of society while pursuing their private interests; free to serve and worship God in the best way convenient to them; and free to promote peaceful co-existence and co-operation without undue influence of other people; but with considerations for the common weal and the principles of democracy. Those who accept and attune themselves to these fundamental values are the special people for the special nation, USA. Benita delivers a mini lecture.

Romario is visibly impressed. He wants to hear more. Why would your country not establish these values so that you do not have to come to the US to live? Romario inquires.

Often times, leaders of nations conceive of noble and worthy ideals to guide the behavior, activities and aspirations of their citizens. On paper the ideas and ideals are great and wonderful. In the process of implementing them, certain primordial tendencies corrupt, compromise and vitiate these fundamental principles. At the end, the nations become even worse than they were. Benita explains.

Can you give an example? Romario is excited.

Take the case of Italy. Up to the eight century A.D. it was a great international social status for anyone to be a Roman citizen. The Roman Empire grew out of Divine will with its roots deeply grounded in Christianity. With time however, materialism, mercantilism, greed, power, slavery, and segregation tended to compromise and corrupt the worthy values of Christianity. The fundamental ideals became vitiated and then started the fall of the Roman Empire. That explains why today an Italian is proud to claim American citizenship above his Italian origin. Benita gives Romario a wry smile. Truth is bitter and sometimes pungent and piercing at the same time. Romario takes it gallantly.

Does that explain why your country will not try? Romario would not be seen to have no fire power.

Well, I think that God knows that it may not be feasible for most nations to build the enabling environment for all the special people of their nations to optimize their potentials locally. So He inspired the patriarchs to establish a nation where the special people of the world could congregate to actualize their dreams freely. That is the ground norm for the founding of God’s own country, USA. Benita sounds authoritative.

And who are the patriarchs? Romario asks, Are they not Europeans? He proffers a wishful answer.

The patriarchs are special people from all over the world forced by circumstances mainly beyond their control to be in God’s own country. Benita retorts.

No, most of them came on their own choice. They were not forced to be in the US. Many struggled to be in the US by their own effort. Romario asserts.

You are right. Some struggled to make it to the US from Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia and the neighborhood countries in South America and West Indies. Yes, they did. However, the truth remains that the early settlers were driven by circumstances of excommunication, slavery, banishment, oppression, war violence and genocide, segregation and torture as refugees, to seek greener pastures in God’s own country. Benita continues.

Does that make them special? Romario jeers.

Yes. They were special because they were weak. Benita states. She wants to demonstrate a shock effect. She got Romario gaping.

They could not have been special if they were weak.

"Yes. They were special but weakened by the evil system in operation in their own countries.

Many of them were victims of evil circumstances in their own countries. Benita continues.

Can you give examples?

Take the Italians for example…

No, no, enough of the Italians, what of Africans?

Okay. Many African American settlers came over to USA as slaves. In their own countries they were strong, forthright, brave and fearless men and women. Many rebelled against evil practices of oppression, injustice or other antisocial atrocities. A number of them were captive warriors in African inter-tribal wars. They were weakened by the evil circumstances in their own countries and were sold off as slaves by evil tyrants and oppressors. Benita illustrates. They came into the US sometimes in chains. They were weak, yet special.

The Europeans came as explorers. Romario adds.

Yes, about fifteen percent of them. Many of them came by the circumstances of excommunication and as a result of the policy of cleansing started by Queen Victoria of Britain when she decided to decongest British prisons. It was considered a happy riddance to cart away the convicts to the tortuous and unfriendly wilderness and jungle world of the Red Indians. The Mayflower took the first voyage in a rickety ship almost condemned as scrap. The thinking was that a collective mass drowning was more acceptable than mass execution or congested prisons. Many of the convicts were those who rebelled against the Queen including the Irish who were traditional rebels on account of both the political and religious domination and oppression by the English. Others had been convicted of minor offenses or misdemeanors. They were all bundled out to US ‘to decongest the prisons’ as a policy. They all came into US weakened by the circumstances in their country of origin. Yet, in the eyes of God, they were special.

I know that most Asians, especially those from the Middle East, sought asylum in United States as that region was frequently engaged in wars. Romario collaborates the observations of Benita.

That is true. Benita concurs.

It is interesting. Perhaps you can let me know your general observations about Hispanics. Are they also special people? Romario returns fire to the Brazilian.

I have observed the ingenuity and dedication to duty of Brazilians, Mexicans and other Hispanics residing in USA. They are in several ways, more enterprising, law abiding, principled and focused than the average Hispanic back home. This is why I say that the US immigrants are special people.

Other nationalities residing in USA also exhibit some special qualities that make them distinct from their folks in their native countries. Benita observes.

Perhaps it is because of the US regulatory and law enforcement systems that are more effective than the systems in their countries.

You have a point there. It is one thing to have good regulations on paper, it is another thing to enforce the regulations effectively. The US is far better than many nations on both. However these immigrants adjust easily to the US system primarily because they are special people.

I begin to see your point. I have a friend and work colleague who is from Nigeria. He and his wife make a good role model. They are very creative, enterprising and focused. In the sixteen years they have been in this country they have achieved remarkable academic and top career accomplishments. Their children who are born American citizens are also of stellar qualities and character. Romario adds to Benita’s observations.

There you are, these are people who are focused on the mission of actualizing their potential to the full. They find the US the most appropriate environment to achieve their dreams without molestation.

Does it then follow that if the environment is made conducive in their home countries they will go back to their countries of origin? Romario questions.

I believe that many of these special people will voluntarily return to their native countries if the environment changes for the better. Benita answers.

So why do they stay put here?

The process of change in their home countries sometimes takes forever.

Is it the responsibility of USA to change their home environment for them?

Certainly, no. The USA has in some ways, continued to make positive impact on the political, social and economic environment of several countries. In the final analysis however, the onus for change rests on the citizens of each country.

Why shouldn’t these special people be asked to go home and help speed up the change process in their home countries?

Very good idea, however, it depends on who does the asking.

What does that mean?

There are about four distinct forces that can effectively ask for the special people to go home. The first is their own self consciousness; the second, is their home national governments; then their host nation; and perhaps, a fourth force is an international organization like the United Nations. Of these four, the asking becomes effective on the basis of the motivation behind the request or order, as well as the benefits or responsiveness of the new environment.

Can you explain that further, please?

Take the case of India and Nigeria. The British and US healthcare systems are replete with brilliant and dedicated Indian and Nigerian doctors; as well as Filipinos. About a decade ago, the Indian doctors and their home government embarked upon a two-pronged program to rejuvenate the Indian healthcare system and reverse the brain drain of doctors, pharmacists, hospital administrators, registered nurses, medical technicians and so on. The Indian government accepted proposals to change the domestic healthcare environment to be more responsive. The healthcare policies, institutions and facilities were all improved. Consequently, in the last five years, India has become the medical ‘Mecca’ of patients from Nigeria and most other developing countries. Hitherto, serious medical cases from these countries were referred to hospitals in Britain and USA. Many of the special people of Indian origin returned to India from Britain and USA voluntarily to shore up the new healthcare program. The process is on-going. The impact may be a partial explanation for the shortage of top healthcare personnel in US healthcare system today. This illustrates the place of these special people either in their host or home nations. Nigerian doctors and other medical professionals in USA go on brief medical missions to Nigeria annually. They still fall short of returning to their home country like the Indians. This is mainly because the enabling environment is yet to be established in Nigeria. Benita explains.

This is interesting. Who is expected to set the change process in motion in Nigeria; the doctors or the Nigerian government?

Either or both; it is easy; a private sector initiative can snowball into a full blown national program. It could also be an ingenuous national policy; or both acting in tandem. Benita concludes.

It is also true that many Europeans came over to the US as immigrants seeking better opportunities for work, evangelism or business. As America’s economy started to blossom, many trained and qualified professionals from Europe, Asia and elsewhere struggled to come over to the US for better opportunities. Romario continues.

Yes. From mid-eighteenth century America grew in great strides. With the enormous natural and increasing human resources, North America started to play a leading role in industrialization, international trade and politics. The influence of the United States of America became unquestionable, recognized and reckoned with during the first and second World Wars. Many countries sought political and trade relationships with the US. The special place of the USA as God’s own country became manifest in the mid nineteenth century. Benita explains further.

The United States tries to establish an empire but the European powers that had many colonies and protectorates made sure it did not succeed. Romario chips in.