The newly elected President of Auto Spare Parts and Machinery Dealers Association (ASPMDA), Brother James Umeji, has given reasons why the executives of the association had to go on a two-day retreat.

Speaking with newsmen at Colonades Hotel, Ikoyi, Lagos, the venue of the retreat which featured high calibre resource personnel, Umeji, popularly known as Jim Best, said that the main purpose of the retreat is for the executives to understand the vision of the new administration and be able to key into it.

He said that his vision is to transform ASPMDA and for that to be possible, the executives elected to work with him must understand the vision so that they would be able to help in the execution.

According to him, it is the team that determines how good or bad an administration is.

Umeji said that if a team lacks purpose or coordination, there is no miracle it would do to succeed.

His words: “When we talk of vision, it depends on the kind of vision and that what defines the leadership style. My vision is to transform ASPMDA and those who were elected to work with me need to understand the vision so that we would be able to work as a team. Even the Bible said, can two work together unless they agree? The same Bible also said that a house that is divided against itself cannot stand.

“It is because of this that we have to organise the retreat so that all of us as executive would be on the same page to work for the good of ASPMDA. The people in the past governments in ASPMDA liked one-man show. On my own part, I want everybody to know what we are doing and also follow in the actualization of the vision. The retreat could have held in ASPMDA, but the hustling and bursting of the market would not create the serene atmosphere that we need for such important exercise.”

On how the executive felt about the retreat, Umeji said that they were all excited since it was first of its kind in the history of the market. According to him, nobody is his right sense would shun enlightenment.

He said that with the retreat, they have known what leadership entails and how to send the right message to those who are looking up to them.

The ASPMDA President also said that the retreat helped to enlighten the executive on the opportunities. According to him, what a lot of people don’t know is that there are far more opportunities of making money in Nigeria than abroad.

He said that if Nigerians can work as hard as those who are abroad are doing, they would be better off. He added that the major problem plaguing the country is right leadership, and that what Nigerians need is electricity, security, water and road everybody would be happy.

On the challenges that the market is facing, Umeji said: “The major problem that we have now is that we have not being officially handed over by the government of Sir Sunny Igboanuze. They are using court as an excuse for not doing that. The governor appointed them and told them to conduct election immediately in ASPMDA but they failed to do it and the same governor removed them and appointed another caretaker committee that were able to conduct election within 30 days and they went to court. In due time, we will go back to the governor to complain. But right now the market is very peaceful because the person they elected is the one serving them and they are happy with the leadership.”

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