The annual event is the single most important Barrolle gathering in the United States. It is a meeting of a union of officials, players, supporters and fans. Newark Chapter hosted the December 2007 convention. Max Willie (pictured) was at the convention as an observer.

It was a convention mostly of pomp and pageantry. New Jersey’s Newark city hosts one of the largest Liberian communities in the U.S. And an event of such draws the usual convergence of Liberians from far and near.

Many delegates came from across continental America to attend. An array of Barrolle elders and legends poured into the convention and graced it - John Monkey Brown, Borbor Gaye, Thomas Boker, Patrick Arthur Dormoh, Solomon Sipply, Christopher Nippy, George Sackor, Winston Taylor, Joseph Forkay Nepay, Blanca Bowman, Jerry Verdier and basketball icon, Ion Sheriff. Barrolle’s “arch-arrival” I.E. made a prominent presence in persons of Philip Clarke, Albert Nah, Benedict Wesseh, Margaret Williams-Nah and John Galbeton.

A procession of Barrolle icons during an evening award program and post-convention ball was a spectacle. Borbor Gaye was awarded the Lasannah Hunter Leadership medal, while the Wani Boto Icon Role Award went to Dr. Thomas Boker. Patrick Arthur Ddormoh received the Lafayete Jenkins Award for Unity. The Thelma M. George Loyalty Medal was awarded to Christopher Nippy. Winston Taylor received the Joseph Sherman Barrolle Pioneer Medal, while Solomon Sipply received the Samuel K. Doe Dedication Award. Basketball icon Ion B. Sheriff received the James Minor Excellent Performance Award.

All Barrolle Union chapters – (Charlotte, Providence, Newark, and Philadelphia) but two – (Trenton and Baltimore) attended. Baltimore, headed by Charles Babe Ray Woelfel and Trenton by D. Zeogar Wilson cited administrative ineptitude within Barrolle Union leadership. Wilson put it: “The Union leadership lacks moral and legitimate authority to preside over a Union convention.” Some Barrolle members agree, but scolded Wilson for failing to seek redress through proper channel.

Many conventioneers and observers believed the conduct of the convention meetings was everything but organized. No rules were apparent, let alone applied to drive the meeting in a conventional way. Deliberations were marked often by contrarieties and controversies, notably about issues surrounding the withdrawal of the Trenton Chapter from the Union. Zeogar had claimed some members of the Union leadership have no aptitude, moral or otherwise, to guide the Union. The conference conductors lost control intermittently.

The conference itself made no conclusive documented report; the convention had no climax nor did it produce any resolution. Many convention goers thought the issue of assistance and support for parent Barrolle at home (Liberia), which is the number one Union objective, was low rated at the convention, or “swept under the rug” completely. It took a John Monkey Brown, Borbor Gaye and a Christopher Nippay pep talk on peace and unity to quell what was becoming a rancorous situation at the meeting.

The conference appointed a committee of chapter members to conduct an inquest involving Zeogar Wilson and his Trenton Chapter on one hand, and Union president Eli Barrolle and Board Chairman Winston Gould on the other. The Newark Convention, however, left some fond memory. Planning, organization and arrangements of pre and post convention activities were outstanding. Festivities were grandiose. And Joseph Forkay Nepay and his Newark Chapter received the conference’s head-nod.