Within the last decade, the Igbos have been regarded by other nationalities in Nigeria as those who will always be available for the service of the highest bidder. As erroneous as this notion really is, some Igbo sons and daughters have buried in their subconscious and ignorantly accepted the lies of being subservient to others. This ugly trend continued to bother some umu afo Igbo. The concerns cut across creed, class and other social barriers.
Below is the first declaration of the host Mazi Uche Lucas Onuh.
Good day Ladies and Gentlemen I greet you all. It is a very special honour to be your host and to welcome you to this brief meeting. I personally made painstaking effort to invite everyone here to rub minds on the way forward for ala igbo. Telling the truth, I want this to be a no holds barred interaction, robust, brotherly and opportunity to identify some of the drawbacks and challenges that are a stark reality to ndigbo in this entity called Nigeria. Thank you for the interest you have shown – and thank you for honoring my invitation to be here.
Without belaboring us, let me go straight to remind this house that Ndigbo have always been at the forefront in all ramifications as far as Nigeria is concerned. In politics, education, military, commerce and industry, entertainment,hospitality sector etc.
The great Zik of Africa, Mazi Mbonu Ojike, Nwafor Orizu,Alvan Ikoku, Akanu Ibiam, M I Okpara, and so many others set the trajectory which caterpulted Ndigbo far and above other ethnic nationality. It reached a denouement during the war and have been sinking since we lost the war until this near irredeemable stage. Needless to say, our second and third generation leaders have plunged the rest of us on this rudderless path and the reason for this is not difficult to decipher. As a ‘conquered’ people by reason of our defeat in the 1966-70 war, the Igbo elites resorted to playing a second fiddle for pecuniary interests and survivalist considerations. We may take the entire day if I begin to chronicle some of these rots and outright canker that have overrun Igboland.
Nonetheless, let me point out that this state of affairs is giving the silent majority of Ndigbo a great concern and it is for this reason that I resolved and decided to take the gauntlet by saying: ENOUGH IS ENOUGH by facilitating the formation of an Igbo group called ANYANWU IGBO a platform to identify more of these challenges and then liaise with all stakeholders in finding solution to it. The significance of Anyanwu to Ndigbo cannot be overemphasized and as I stated in my private message to everyone of us,
We, as a people need to create a common vision for our tomorrow. The generation of Nnamdi Azikiwe and Co. laid a foundation that we have left as closed pit. I therefore challenge everyone of us to be an agent to reopen the discussion and build a home on it. IKENGA IGBO must be hailed up Once more, I thank you all for your patience and permit me to give others a chance to contribute before I spell out my vision, the mission and proposed method of operation of the group.
