COMMUNIQUÉ THE 12th ANNUAL CONVENTION OF WORLD IGBO CONGRESS, INC.
HELD AT THE MARRIOT COPLEY PLACE HOTEL, BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS (AUGUST 31 - SEPTEMBER 4, 2006)
The 12th Annual Convention of WORLD IGBO CONGRESS (WIC) was formally declared open at 10.00 AM on Friday, September 1, 2006 by the Chairman of WIC, Ichie Chibuzo E. Onwuchekwe with a speech in which he invited Igbo politicians, Igbo Captains of Industry, Igbo Royal Fathers, Igbo High Ranking Government Officials and sundry that came from Nigeria to join forces with WIC to restore the pride of place of the Igbo person. He emphasized that WIC 2006 Convention is about finding solutions to the myriads of Igbo afflictions and not about preaching to Ndiigbo in Diaspora on how the Igbo are being marginalized in Nigeria.
Chairman Onwuchekwe rhetorically enquired how the Igbo could be marginalized in the current Nigerian dispensation with the cadre of representation Ndiigbo enjoy in the current administration. He lamented that our dilemma as a people is inextricably rooted in the disconnect between those who give the Igbo mandate and those whom the mandate is given.
Admonishing Igbo politicians and high-ranking government officials in the audience, Onwuchekwe emphasized that a public official can only leave a legacy by listening to their Constituents and Ndiigbo in general. Cautioning that politics of self-representation amounts to being in a Titanic, Onwuchekwe enquired “what does it matter who sits where in a Titanic when the ship is ultimately going down.”
The Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Senator Ken Nnamani in his Keynote address to the Congress with the same caption as the Convention theme “Igbo Kwe, Igbo Enwee: Igbo and 2007”, asserted that all the Igbo senators are represented at the Convention in acknowledgment of the importance of World Igbo Congress.
He observed that as we brace up for 2007, we must of necessity as Ndiigbo gather for this ritual of introspection and retrospection to define our identity, understand our collective travails on this part of the globe Nigeria that God has assigned to the Igbo as our ancestral home.” In affirmation of the Convention theme, Senator Nnamani asserted that “it is only when we unite and collaborate for the good of the Igbo people that we can dare assert that what ever the people can purpose, pursue, they will attain. A divided people are a defeated people. A people who are disoriented in their values and their social capital cannot be a sure bet to attain optimal performance”, he opined.
“If we want to achieve optimal performance, we must remain focused, united and oriented towards those ideals that lead to progress and prosperity.” Restating his plea at the WIC Los Angeles Convention in 2005, Senator Nnamani urged that the next WIC Convention be venued in Alaigbo because of WIC’s potential to transform Igbo land. He reasoned that “the sorry state of Ndiigbo is as a result of failure to imagine, think and act strategically” because “God can hardly give a people more than their affirmation.”
Emphasizing that we must develop actionable plans on the practical development of agenda in Igbo land and strategies of engagement to actualize these plans, Senator Nnamani challenged WIC Leadership to set up a Committee, if it has not, to develop a framework that can enable the efficient and effective upgrade of the Akanu Ibiam International Airport. “Change comes when ideas are generated and frameworks are established to implement the ideas,” he emphasized.
Lamenting that the Igbo have become the battering ram and victims of malfunctioning Nigerian politics, Senator Nnamani blamed the orgy of scapegoating of Igbo merchants and their businesses by religious zealots on the failure of Nigerian political governance. He however insisted that considering that it is only a democratic regime that can sufficiently provide the level playing field for the Igbo race to unleash its genius, he argued that “Igbos must continue to imbue Nigerian politics with humanism and republicanism despite the enormous misfortune Nigeria has visited on Ndiigbo with its endemic crises of governance.”
He urged Ndiigbo not to dissipate energy “over perishing oil resources, but to work hard to increase their economic pie through higher productivity and innovation.” Citing the former Eastern Nigeria as the fastest growing economy in world under Dr. Michael Okpara, Senator Nnamani appealed to Igbo State Governments “to tap into the human capital and expertise of the Igbo in Diaspora and engineer a transformative economic development paradigm in Nigeria which will discourage the fractious fight over perishing oil resources that has stagnated the prosperity of a country that should have been amongst the leading ten economies in the world.” He called on Igbo Governors and Local Council Chairmen to establish “the framework for innovative collaboration that will increase the economic pie and enhance the wealth profile of the Igbo in Nigeria by establishing quality institutions that will allow enterprising Igbo sons and daughters in Diaspora to return to Igbo land with portfolio and direct investment to repeat the Asian economic miracle in Igbo land.
Reasoning that wealth is a necessary ingredient for the attainment of power, Senator Nnamani stated that the recently concluded bank consolidation in Nigeria shows that the Igbo “lag behind the Yoruba in economic profile, and that if we do not gain control of the economic resources in Nigeria, we will be deprived of the resources to successfully compete for political power.” Asserting that technology is the best creator of wealth, he challenged Ndiigbo to take advantage of their competitive advantage in scientific and technological innovation.
Senator Nnamani asserted that a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2007 is a possibility and affirmed his full and unequivocal support for it. He however cautioned that our quest for the highest office of the land, which is only attainable through cooperation with other Nigerian ethnic groups, demands that we first put our house in order by first defining the Igbo Project and subsequently connect it with the Nigerian Project. He emphasized that “[a]n Igbo President is a Nigerian President and should understand the Nigerian predicament by inspiring hope and confidence in all Nigerians to lead them to prosperity, justice, and peace.”
Using himself as an example, Senator Nnamani stated that “as an Igbo politician who occupies the office of the Senate President,” he strives to bring “dignity and competence to the job so that the political and social capital stocks of the Igbo will be further raised in the Nigerian political market.” He summed up his remarks to a thunderous applause by further affirming the Convention theme “Igbo Kwee, Igbo Enwee” by citing Prof. Lester Turow of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who, in his recent book “Fortune Favors the Bold,” wrote that “the Igbo industry and enterprise as manifested in the Nnewi Spare Parts market holds the key to the economic transformation of Africa.”
Appealing to Ndiigbo to recover their social capital and knack for problem solving through innovative and strategic thinking that have enabled them survive the Nigerian hostile political atmosphere, Senator Nnamani emphasized that “if not for incoherence of thinking and action, a people so blessed should not be so far from greatness.”
In addition to Senator Nnamani’s keynote address and other presentations by His Excellency, Gov. Peter Obi, the Nigerian Central Bank Governor, Prof. Charles Soludo, His Excellency, Commodore Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Godson Nnaka, Senator Uche Chukwumerjie, and His Excellency, Gov. Chris Ngige, who co-chaired the Political Forum with Senator Chukwumerije and deliberations from WIC Women Affairs Committee, WIC Igbo Veteran’s Committee, WIC Economic and Finance Committee, WIC Educational Committee, WIC Mass Mobilization and Human Rights Committee, WIC Environmental Committee and the different Igbo State Caucuses, the following action plans were achieved at the 12th Convention of World Igbo Congress:
Nigerian President of Extraction in 2007: Ndiigbo are committed to a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in 2007 and will build the necessary alliances with other Nigerian geopolitical zones to accomplish this objective.
WIC will encourage Ndiigbo to unite around a credible consensus candidate who is the flag bearer of a credible political party instead of proliferating Igbo allegiance among a retinue of self-serving candidates whose mission is only to polarize and vitiate the Igbo political synergy.
Igbo States Governorship, Local Council Chairmen Candidates and Candidates for Legislative Offices in 2007: WIC will endorse and support credible Igbo Gubernatorial and Local Council candidates and candidates for Legislative Offices in 2007 whose antecedents and vision are consistent with the best interest of Ndiigbo.
Free and Fair Election in 2007: The Chairman of Nigerian Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Maurice Iwu and INEC must ensure that there is free and fair election in 2007.
Industrial and Economic Development of Igbo States: Igbo State Governors should emulate Dr. Michael Okpara who turned the Former Eastern Nigeria into the fastest growing economy in the world by establishing enabling environments that will transform Igbo states into research and technology hob for West Africa.
Government Accountability: Igbo State Governments and Local Governments must establish and maintain internal control to ensure accountability of public funds and resources.
Igbo Spirit and Operational Unity: Ndiigbo must reestablish the Igbo Spirit and Igbo Operational Unity which have remained the Igbo greatest loss since the civil war.
Internationalizing Akanu Ibiam Airport, Enugu: World Igbo Congress will vigorously pursue achieving International Airport Status for Akanu Ibiam Enugu Airport by coordinating this initiative with the Senate President and other High Ranking Igbo Public Officials in Nigeria.
Cooperation with Igbo State and Local Governments: WIC shall initiate a cooperative venture with the Governors of Igbo States, Igbo Local Council Chairmen and Igbo Captains of Industry to maximize the economic and human capital of Igbo land and the Igbo Diaspora Venture Capitalists.
Education in Igbo Land: Education remains the greatest resource and investment of the Igbo person. The Universities in Igbo Land and other Higher Institutions of Learning must become the new vanguard for employment through research and industrialization. State and Local Governments must increase investment in the development and maintenance of elementary, secondary and tertiary education and State of the Art Libraries in Igbo Land.
Preservation of Propagation of Igbo Language and Culture: WIC Affiliates are charged to begin After School Igbo Cultural and Igbo Children Summer Camp programs to teach Igbo children Igbo language and Culture.
A pool of Diaspora Igbo Children that will travel to Nigeria in the Summer for the WIC Diaspora Igbo Exchange Program will be drawn from the successful participants of WIC Affiliates’ After School/Summer Camp programs.
Security of Lives and Property in Ala Igbo and Nigeria: The Nigerian Government must find a lasting and permanent solution to the maniacal culture of unprovoked ethnic and religious hostilities against Igbos.
WIC considers the recent occurrence whereby armed robbers held Aba, the Enyimba City, under siege for weeks and the mayhem in Onitsha as the Police glared helplessly as tragic. The Security of Lives and property is highly endangered in Nigeria today. The Federal and Igbo State Governments must guarantee the Security of Lives and Property of all Nigerians.
In order for Nigeria to join the Community of Civilized Nations, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Directors of Public Prosecution and the Federal, State and Local government officials charged with law enforcement must use every resources within their means to stamp out the unfortunate specter of unsolved political assassinations that has bedeviled Nigeria.
Dualization of Federal Roads in Igbo States: Immediate Efforts must be made to dualize all Federal Roads in Igbo States.
Waste Management, Sanitation and Gully Erosion in Igbo States: Igbo States must develop a comprehensive program to tackle issues of waste management, sanitation and gully erosion.
Oji River Veteran’s Project & Monument: WIC will revamp and revitalize the Oji River Veteran’s Cottage Industry and establish a Monument in Igbo land to memorialize Igbo Fallen Heroes.
Encouraging Ndiigbo to Seek Elective Offices in Diaspora: WIC encourages and supports Igbo sons and Daughters in Diaspora such as Atty. (Mrs.) Uju Nwuli who is running for Judgeship in the State of Texas and Chief Colet Odenigbo who is running for a Board of Education seat in Dekalb County, Georgia. WIC recognizes that the more Igbo sons and daughters in America and other Countries that occupy elected positions, the more seriously Igbo matters will be taken by the International Community.
Support for Igbo Women: WIC continues to encourage Igbo Women to join the World Igbo Congress, and applauds the Leadership and members of WIC Women Affairs Committee for the remarkable strides they have made within one year. WIC recognizes Diaspora Igbo women as her beacon of hope in the mission to inculcate Igbo language and virtues to Igbo Diaspora children.
WIC takes unique pride in the records of excellence such Igbo women as the Former Minister of Finance and External Affairs, Dr. (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the Former Minister of Transportation and Aviation, Dr. (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe, the Minister of Education, Dr. (Mrs.) Oby Ezekwesili, the Director of Nigerian Stock Exchange, Dr. Ndidi Okereke-Onyiuke and the Director of the Nigerian Drug Enforcement Administration, Dr. (Mrs.) Dora Akunyilu have introduced to Nigerian public service.
Health and Allied Health Services in Igbo States: WIC calls on Igbo State Governors and Local Council Chairmen to upgrade Hospitals, Maternities, Dispensaries and other ancillary Health Care facilities in Igbo States and Local Governments with the requisite equipments and personnel to meet the Health Care challenges of the 21st Century.
WIC applauds the private initiatives of such Non Governmental Organizations as Anambara State Association, USA; Enugu State Association, USA; Imo State Congress, USA, and Ngwa Health Foundation, Inc. for their successful Medical Missions in Alaigbo.
Sanctions For Igbo Detractors: Ndiigbo must develop a mechanism to sanction and/or repudiate Igbos who sabotage the collective will of Ndiigbo for their own selfish ends.
In addition to the over 1,200 Ndiigbo and friends of Ndiigbo that braved the unfriendly skies across the Atlantic and the unpredictable highways within the Continental U.S.A. to deliberate, reflect, and celebrate WIC’s 12th Anniversary with the WIC families, the dignitaries that graced the Labor Day weekend occasion with their presence include the Senate President of Nigeria, Senator Ken Nnamani, Nigeria’s Former Chief of General Staff, Commodore Okoh Ebitu Ukiwe, GCON, Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Prof. Charles Soludo, Nigerian Ambassador to the United States, Prof. George A. Obiozor, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, The Executive Governor of Anambara State, Mr. Peter Obi, the Former Executive Governor of Anambara State, Dr. Chris Ngige, Former Senate President, Senator Adolphus Nwabara, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Senator Ben Obi, Senator Chris Adighije, Senator Eze Ajoku, Senator Okoro, the President of the Jewish Community Center of Greater Boston, Rabbi Mark Sokoll and his wife, Mrs. Maggie Sokoll, Nigeria’s Former Minister of Transportation and Aviation, Dr. (Mrs.) Kema Chikwe , Prof. Pat Utomi of the Lagos Business School of Pan African Economy, the Founding Chairman of APGA, Chief Chekwas Okorie, the Managing Director of Sosoliso Airlines, Mr. Oscar Ikwuemesi, the Chairman of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu Management Board, Dr. (Chief) Charles U. Amanze, Dr. Onyewuchi C. Asinobi of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the Vice Chairman of PDP South East Zone, Chief Fidelis Ozichukwu, Editor, Champion Newspaper, Mr. Martins Nwamadi, Mr. Godian Udeajah of the Guardian Newspaper, Mr. Prof. A.D.W. Acholonu of the Willy-Esther Foundation, Inc., the Chairman of WIC Council of Elders and his wife, Chief (Dr.) & Mrs. Lucius “Ofokaja” Akuchie and the past three Chairmen of WIC, Dr. JOS Okeke, Chief Austin Egwuonwu, and Dr. Kalu Kalu Diogu.
The Saturday Night banquet was also attended by the President and General Secretary of Egbo Omo Yoruba, Chief Adeola Odusanya and Mr. R. Oladapo Odunlami, and the President of Zumunta Association, NA, Inc., Dr. Mohammed Landan and his wife. Egbe Omo Yoruba, USA and Zumunta Association, NA, Inc. are the two apex Yoruba and Hausa Diaspora Organizations that joined forces with WIC to vocally articulate the Nigerians in Diaspora opposition to the ill-fated Third Term Agenda/Tenure Elongation scheme. The three Nigerian Diaspora Apex Organizations have continued to collaborate on matters of common interest to the Nigerian Diaspora Community and Nigeria. Chief Temitope Ajayi of ANAC and Ex-Im Bank was also at the banquet.
Although Gov. Orji Uzor Kalu, Gov. Achike Udenwa, Gov. Sam Egwu, and Gov. Peter Odili did not attend the Convention, Gov. Kalu was represented by the Abia State Commissioner for Information, Mr. Iyke Ekeoma. Gov. Udenwa was represented by the Special Adviser on Political Matters, Chief Elvis Agukwe. Gov. Egwu was represented by Special Adviser, Dr. John Otu, while Gov. Odili was represented by Hon. Igo Aguma of the Federal House of Representatives.
The Igbo Royal Fathers that attended the Convention include H.R.M., Eze O.J. Anananaba, H.R.H., Igwe Peter Anugwu, H.R.H., Igwe F.B.C. Nwankwo and H.R.H., Eze C.I. Ilomuanya. Rabi Ikechukwu Ogugua, Rev. Pastor Jacob Okpara and Mr. James Reginald Colimon, representing the Mayor of Boston were also in attendance.
WIC House of Delegates Election was conducted on Sunday, September 3, 2006. Chief Cyril Nwaguru, as the President of the WIC Affiliate (Igbo Cultural Association of Michigan) that will host WIC’s 2007 Convention, became the Presiding Officer of the House of Delegates while Ms. Esther C. Ohen of Igbo Bu Igbo, New Jersey defeated Dr. Richard Nwachukwu of Igbo Community Association of Dallas Fort Worth, Texas to become the current Scribe of WIC House of Delegates.
WIC 2007 Convention is venued in Detroit, Michigan.
 

Chibuzo E. Onwuchekwe -  CHAIRMAN      
P.E. Charles C. Chikezie, Esq. - SECRETARY GENERAL



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