Ficticious Leaders Umar Johnson

When one places them self in a position of leadership, they must be able to implement and follow a code of conduct. I ask, what code of conduct has Umar Johnson created, and implemented (let alone followed)? None! Okay, now let’s continue. Many Black men, in leadership roles, have not mastered this extremely essential skill. The biggest problem with so many of our “Black leaders” is that they, themselves, for hundreds of years, have not been allowed to be men, under European rule. Because of this suppression, a huge number of Black men feel a need to constantly prove themselves as being a man. This crucial need to prove oneself as a man has created much competition, misplaced aggression, and mistreatment, not only towards one another, but also towards Black women. Whenever a Black man achieves enough level of success that will allow him to behave in an arrogant manner, he will predictably exhibit a larger than life ego and his arrogance will thrive. But guess who will suffer? That’s right. You guessed it. The Black woman, Black children, real Black men, and the overall Black Power Movement.

When speaking of this disease within the Black community, one person, in particular, comes to mind. This self-appointed “leader” who calls himself Dr. P.O.P.A/Umar Rashad/America’s #1 speaker/Dr. Ifatunde/Dr. Umar Johnson/King of the Conscious community, and on and on (who can keep up the many names that Umar Johnson uses), so for now, until current investigations reveal his true identity, we’ll use the more familiar name and refer to this person as Umar Johnson. When one invokes the name, Umar Johnson, you can expect an array of different emotions from people who are familiar with him. Some people immediately feel skepticism, and a particular unrest about him, while others feel grateful (for what, I haven’t a clue) and supportive. Moreover, many in the conscious community feel downright disdain for Umar Johnson. Why? Well, let’s take a closer look at “Dr.” Johnson. How can one man create such contrasting views regarding himself? How can one man ignite such controversy and scandal within the African Conscious community? In a feverish effort to “overstand” such a person, we must examine him with open, unbiased eyes, common sense, and objective understanding, and without emotion (one of our known and most common downfalls).

Prime example, we (mainly in the Conscious Community) have witnessed Umar Johnson In constant conflict, not with the enemy, not with our oppressor, not with White Supremacy, but with our own brothers and sisters, in the Black community, for years! With his first known controversy being with the UNIA. He also raised several eyebrows, at the UNIA, because he was professing that he is the new Malcolm X. and descendant of the great Frederick Douglass (which he has NEVER proven, and has NEVER been validated by actual descendants of the Frederick Douglass family).

It is said that Umar started making DVDs and YouTube videos, which caught the attention of brother Sa Neter. Sa Neter, being supportive of Umar’s work, introduced his large audience to the teachings of Umar Johnson, giving him a larger platform to spread his message of uplifting the Black community. However, for reasons unclear to even Sa Neter, Umar had a nasty falling out with brother Sa Neter. Later beefs, involving Umar, manifested with Khym Ringgold, Tariq Nasheed, who Invited Umar to be a part of the Hidden Colors trilogy (Which helped Umar’s career, tremendously), and Dr. Boyce Watkins. This selfish, stubborn, arrogant behavior is not exclusive to just outsiders, but is also quite evident in his personal relationships.

People in the conscious community say that it is a well-known fact that Umar doesn’t have (and has never, since they’ve known him) a relationship with either of his children’s mothers. Shockingly, they added that he is on child-support for, at least one of his daughters, and the other daughter, he simply does nothing for. So, the question must be asked. How can Umar Johnson lecture someone else on parenting, when he, himself, refuses to parent his OWN two (2) daughters?

The question must be asked. How can he lecture someone else on spending quality time with his or her kids, when he never sees, nor speaks of his own? The question must be asked. How can Umar teach on rebuilding the Black family, when he refuse to talk to his own father? The question must be asked. How can “Dr.” Johnson lecture on “making Black love fashionable, again”, when he goes from city to city misusing the Black woman for his own selfish, sexual appetite? How can “Dr. P.O.P.A” lecture us on building and running a school, when he ABRUPTLY QUIT (or was fired) from his job as school principal, from a school founded by a former Marva Collin’s student (who is a Black woman)? I’m confused. I thought that “Jermaine Shoemake” (Umar Johnson) was oh so sincerely passionate about saving our young Black boys? Where was that “passion” when he quit as school principal OF A BLACK SCHOOL?

How can Umar lecture on uplifting the Black woman, then turn around and call one a “hoe” and a “maggot” for having sex with HIM (while he simultaneously remains celibate)? How does Umar “Ifatunde” Johnson lecture on respecting the Black woman, when he couldn’t respect the wishes of the Conscious Stripper, when she asked him, very politely, to stop begging her for sex? And, yet, he adamantly refused to stop begging her (a genuine Black woman) for sex.

Now, forget about the sex. Let’s talk about the money. And, let’s talk about the fundraisers. According to Umar Johnson, the first fundraiser wasn’t a success, due to PayPal freezing the funds. Again, according to Umar, Paypal froze $200,000 in donation money. Well, what happened to that money? Did PayPal unfreeze the account? Did PayPal refund the money, and did Umar combine it with the current fundraiser? Did he simply keep the money, and start a new fundraiser? WE DON’T KNOW!!! Because Umar Johnson REFUSES TO TELL US WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THE MONEY WE DONATED!!! There is ZERO transparency, and accountability is NONEXISTENT. Umar also collects donations through U.S. mail. Where again, is all this money? We must take his word for actual amounts received. Or MUST we? On a side note, if donations continued at their current rate, his supporter would’ve had the school by NOW!

Next, we get to the failed “college tour” for Black boys. In case you weren’t paying attention, the Black boys college tour NEVER HAPPENED. However, there was a trip to west Africa planned around the same time, which went ahead, as planned. I guess the trip to Africa was more important than the “college tour” for Black boys.

I keep hearing, from Umar’s delusional followers, that Umar is doing so much for the Black community. How? What? And, Where? What EXACTLY has Ifatunde done for Black America? No evidence, No argument! In fact, his whole body of work is questionable, in that, much of what he has produced has already been done by other people! “Conspiracy Against Black Boys”, done by Juwanza Kunjufu. ADHD conspiracy, done by Leon Eisenberg and Thom Hartmann. The boarding school? Done by a community OF REGULAR BLACK CITIZENS (no self-proclaimed titles, no ego, no million-dollar fundraiser) built a school (literally with their own hands) called The Bordentown School, in New Jersey. The government SHUT THE SCHOOL DOWN. It is now a detention center for youths (see the irony). Marva Collins founded a school with her very own teachers’ paycheck! The school was extremely successful. Umar’s lectures. Again, no NEW information. Of course, what he says makes sense, BECAUSE he’s merely regurgitating from Dr. Amos Wilson’s findings, as well as other greats, but HOWEVER, not producing the same outcomes. He offers NO NEW INFORMATION!!! All rehashed lectures. So no, I don’t see a great revolutionary. “Matta” fact, let me make this very clear. UMAR JOHNSON IS NOT A REVOLUTIONARY. I REPEAT, “DR” UMAR JOHNSON IS NOT A REVOLUTIONARY FOR BLACK PEOPLE. He simply does lecture tours (getting paid), not to be confused with REVOLUTIONARY Black ACTivist.

Kwame Nkrumah said;

“Revolutions are brought about by

MEN who think as men of action

and act as men of thought.”

He claims he’s “saved” Black boys from ADHD mis-diagnosis, but offers NO PROOF, NO CASE STUDIES, NO REFERENCES OR TESTIMONIES. There is NO research, nor results of anything that he’s claimed to have done. His very dissertation is in question. It was queer and lesbian women (whom face constant criticism and insults from Mr. Johnson) who started the BLM (Black Lives Matter) movement. It was everyday citizens, with no degrees, no hype, and no notoriety that started the whole Ferguson movement (with an openly gay Black man as the spokesperson). Johnson is very vocal in criticizing, what he calls “sexually confused” people, but these very people are doing far more than Umar HAS EVER DONE. Still, he gives them no credit or respect. He enjoys exposing everyone else, but when it’s done to him, he becomes IRATE. As much as he discredits President Barack Obama, I’ve never heard Mr. Obama react petty and immaturely as Umar Johnson has.

A leader must be an expert in conflict resolution, which, CLEARLY, Umar is not. A leader must have the ability to work well with others, and be open to combining ideas that move THE PEOPLE FORWARD. Again, Umar has shown that he isn’t able to do even this. A leader must be well disciplined in his, or her OWN BEHAVIOR. The Conscious Stripper Scandal put Umar Johnson’s behavior on the world stage.

In light of Umar’s very poor and disappointing behavior, in his everyday adversity, aside from the fact people are mesmerized by his ability to entertain an audience with his charisma and oratory skill, he has NO SUBSTANCE. Aside from the fact that some people are impressed and infatuated with his popularity and small level of fame (which is a result of entertaining his audience, through his lecturing); and aside from the fact that people are sold on his “idea” of a school (contrary to proven research), proves there is NO VALIDATION to this man’s true ability to run and maintain what “HE SAYS” he dreams of doing. With his poor character, lack of integrity, proof of accountability, and his inability to hold himself to a higher standard of leadership, one MUST ask, is UMAR really the right person to teach and influence OUR young Black boys? And also, what does HE PLAN to teach our young daughters? How to quietly allow men like him to misuse them? Will he teach our son’s how to call women” hoes” and “maggots” when they decide to stand up in dignity for themselves?

Maya Angelou (like Conscious Stripper, Maya Angelou was a stripper) said that when a person shows you who they are, believe them. Well, I believe Umar Johnson. I’ve had my see, and I don’t make any weak excuses for this BROKEN man.

Much will change the day that we stop looking to broken men and men of leadership to fix our conditions.
Author: Khym Ringgold


Contributor: Arthur Ralston