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Nonprofit associations' role in fostering democracy |
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ANNOUNCE THIS SPEECH TO YOUR FRIENDS! |
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TEXT OF ADDRESS By W. Benjamin Barkley At the
Official Launching of OTHER PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE LAUNCHING
Atlanta, Georgia Ladies and Gentlemen: I am honored to be here tonight to help you all celebrate the launching of the Kwara State Association of Nigeria USA, Inc., and I am particularly honored to be at the same podium as Professor Gambari, for whom I have a tremendous respect. As a student of political science and a lawyer by training, I have studied, advised and volunteered with nonprofit associations for many years. Your new organization and nonprofit associations like it play an important role in democratic society and in the development and promotion of communities. One of the fundamental rights in a democratic society is the right to freely assemble, with whomever you want, to support or promote a common cause. This is a right guaranteed by the Bill of Rights to the United States Constitution, by the State of Georgia Constitution, and by Article 39 of the Nigerian Constitution. According to Article 39 of the Nigerian Constitution: "Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests." It is my hope that the new democratic government in Nigeria continues to respect this important, fundamental principle of democracy and allows and encourages nonprofit associations to flourish in Nigeria as they have here in the United States. What is a nonprofit association? Quite simply, a nonprofit association is an organization formed not to make money for its shareholders, but to serve public interests, including Charitable, Scientific, Educational or Community interests. Many are also organized as "tax-free" organizations, which means that individuals and businesses may make tax-deductible contributions to the organization, and the organization will not have to pay taxes on income generated by the organization's activities in support of its goals. The Kwara State Association of Nigeria, USA, Inc. is a corporation incorporated under the Georgia Nonprofit Corporation Code. According to your charter, the purpose of the organization is to promote the well being of Kwarans, friends of Kwarans, and Nigerians living in the State of Georgia through community oriented programs. Nonprofit associations play a vital role in fostering democracy and developing communities. Nonprofit associations allow citizens and residents to join together to promote a common cause that is important to them. It can be a cause that is not important to, or even known to, others. Before my friend and colleague Usman Lambe invited me to talk with you this evening, I was very familiar with Nigeria but had never heard of the State of Kwara. Joining together for a common cause under the umbrella of a nonprofit association gives a formal structure and legitimacy to the organization, allows it to solicit funds and members, elect leaders and provide a forum for their members and leaders to discuss and promote their common cause. According to the Nonprofit Resource Center here in Atlanta: "Nonprofit organizations provide services and programs that address critical needs and enrich the lives of all Georgians. They nurture and sustain individuals' participation in the democratic process, giving citizens a place to address public problems. Nonprofits give voice to the individuals and the issues that would otherwise not be heard. … Nonprofits contribute significantly to community life. They promote altruism in a society that reinforces self-interest, community in a society that rewards individual achievement, and pluralism in a society sometimes threatened with divisiveness. They provoke, challenge and question. They teach, mediate and heal. The nonprofit, charitable community is essential to a healthy and robust civic life." Nonprofit associations also help foster democracy by serving as the training ground for future leaders and civic activists. They allow people with little or no experience in civic affairs to get involved with a common cause that they care deeply about and to make a difference. They join committees and governing boards of nonprofit associations and learn how to be a leader. When people learn that they can make a difference at the local level, they often get inspired to become more broadly involved in the greater community. Many of the Atlanta City Council members and other elected officials got their start this way. All of this makes democracy more participatory, and leads to greater government accountability. For these reasons, nonprofit associations are pervasive in a democratic society. There are estimated to be over 1,140,000 nonprofit organizations in the United States today. This includes 14,155 active charitable organizations in the State of Georgia. Over 70% of US households made charitable contributions to these organizations in 1999, and almost 110 million people volunteered their time to work with nonprofit associations in 1999; this represents almost 56% of all US adults and almost 20 billion volunteer hours. The percentage of Americans doing volunteer service is at its highest level ever, and is rising. According to surveys, the most important reason people volunteered last year were:
A quick search of the Internet revealed dozens of nonprofit associations in the United States dedicated to promoting Nigeria or a State or city in Nigeria, or a particular Nigerian ethnic group. A few examples I found interesting show the wide variety of these associations:
The common denominator of these organizations is that they have taken the time to organize, solicited members and money, elected leaders, and have taken steps to get the word out about their message and their goals in support of Nigeria. You are now doing the same. The Kwara State Association is off to a great start, and I am confident it will serve its community well for many years to come. I urge you to participate and stay involved, and to keep in mind the role your organization can play, and the good things that it can do, as a nonprofit association. Thank you again for inviting me to share this evening with you. Good night. 
W. Benjamin Barkley |
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