By Everest Ezihe, Owerri
The apex socio-political cum cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, is set to hold a historical retreat on Wednesday, March 27th, on the way forward for Ndigbo.
A statement by the Spokesperson of the group, Dr. Chiedozie Ogbonnia on Sunday noted that the retreat with the theme “Ako Bu Ije,” will take place at the Old Government Lodge, Abakiliki Road, GRA, Enugu.
Ogbonnia also informed that the retreat will be chaired by the former Military Governor of the Old Anambra and Imo States and the former Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Allison Madueke (rtd).
According to the statement, “the need for an Igbo Retreat has become very imperative in view of the prevailing circumstances in Nigeria as they affect the Igbo.
“The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo), is committed to lift Ohanaeze from its present provenance to a glorious and enviable pedestal, where it can harness the Igbo natural endowments and creative potentials for the benefits of Igboland in particular and the entire Nigeria in general”.
The Igbo leader expressed disappointment that those virtues and values which were the Igbo characteristics are fast eroding the ethnic group, while recalling with an emotional nostalgia the group’s brotherly love, resourcefulness, team spirit, entrepreneurship, tenacity and resilience that placed the administration of late Chief Michael Okpara, the then Premier of Eastern Nigeria, as the fastest developing economy in Africa.
The spokesman pointed out that time has come for the group to reflect deeply on how to transform the Igbo land into a tourist and investment destination.
Ogbonnia informed that the apex sociocultural organisation in an effort to ensure the realization of the area’s developmental initiative has set up some committees that will help to drive the transcendental vision to a reality.
The Committees include; the Education Trust Fund; Youth Employment and Skill Acquisition; Committee on Business Leaders; Culture and Tradition; Reconciliation and Peace Building, and a Committee on the Diaspora.
Also, Chairman of the Retreat Planning Committee and the Secretary-General of the body, Amb. Okey Emucha said that the Education Trust Fund is a is headed by Prof. Chinedu Nebo, with Dr. Ezechi Chukwu as the Secretary, while the Committee on Culture and Tradition is headed by His Majesty, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, (Agbogidi) the Obi of Onitsha, with Chief Mike Nnakwuzie as the Secretary.
