A renowned African American computer wizard, Dr Emmitt McHenry, who developed the .com code for the Internet E-Mails, has traced his origin to the Igbo in Nigeria, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide has said.
The group said that McHenry, who is the Chairman and CEO of Defense Manufacturing, has finally reconnected with his Igbo ancestry.
This is contained in a statement by the Publicity Secretary, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, on Wednesday in Enugu.
Ogbonnia said the induction ceremony which took place at the Smithsonian Institute of African Museum in Washington DC, USA, was presided over by the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
He said the emotion laden ceremony also witnessed the induction of Gen. William Ward, (Rtd) who was the first commander of the U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany in 2007.
The publicity secretary explained that about 400 years ago, thousands of blacks were shipped out of the continent through slavery.
“Over the years, the black population in the United States of America and the Caribbean have grown into millions. Interestingly, some of the African-Americans passed the information of their ethnic origin to their children before they passed on.
“This strong message has transcended generations to the present day. McHenry and his siblings, their father passed the message from the great-great-great-great grand-fathers, that they are Igbo.
“The Internet wizard has validated the epistle from the forefathers with a DNA test and his Igboness became most manifest and wholesome,” Ogbonnia said.
He added that Iwuanyanwu highlighted with joy that the Igbo ingenuity, audacity, resilience and the unique capacity to turn adversities into diverse opportunities had remained irrepressible.
According to him, the Igbo Leader enthused that the exemplary adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit of the Igbo is making positive impacts in all parts of the globe.
He said Iwuanyanwu expressed immense delight that some of the African American descendants had traced their roots back to their Igbo lineage.
Ogbonnia further said that Iwuanyanwu commended the willingness of the inductees to key into the current visionary dynamic of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in its effort to attain a glorious and enviable pedestal through transformative and innovative policies and programmes in Igbo land.
“Iwuanyanwu extolled the virtues and sterling records of accomplishments in the USA by the inductees and that they have done the Igbo proud.
The Igbo Leader used the occasion to appoint Dr. Emmit McHenry, General William Ward and Dr. Nwachukwu Anakwenze as members of the Presidential Advisory Council of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide,” he said.
Ogbonnia further explained that hundreds of the Igbo stock in the diaspora had shown awesome and outstanding brilliance and performance in various areas of human endeavor.
“In the USA alone, scientists such as Prof. Bart Nnaji, expert in artificial intelligence, robotics, geometric logic and innovations; Prof. Philip Emeagwali, the best in computer programming that developed a computer that can perform measurements of 3.1 billion per second.
Others are Prof. Charles Umeh, the director of the laboratory for instructional mechatronics and advanced electronic packaging and laser processing applications.
They also include Dr Aloysius Anaebonam, a renowned pharmacist; Emeka Nchekwube, neurological surgeon with four patents in the field of medicine and many others. (NAN)
