By Chinedu Ohanukachukwu
Permit this preamble, a flashback to Matters Arising from August 2020 Meeting Agenda yours sincerely presented: “It has been taken as a ritual for the Igbo at home and abroad to converge in the month of August to have town hall or village square meetings where developmental issues were deliberated and action plans marshall out for implemention.
The month of August is the period that usher in the Iri ji (new yam) festival and various Igbo communities used the harvesting fiesta to meet with their strategic stakeholders and illustrious sons and daughters to take stock and celebrate achievements/achievers while setting up developmental programmes/projects going forward.
“However, with the way things are in Nigeria today, there’s every need for the Igbo to rejig our August Meetings with an agenda to checkmate the parlous time”… Reference: Rejig August Meeting 2020, THE STATESMAN (Truth & Responsibility), 7/8/2020, Pg 6; with Matters Arising published in its editions of: 19/9/2020, Pg 6; 29/9/2020, Pg 6; 10/10/2020, Pg 6; 26/10/2020, Pg 6.
Placed then on the front burner for Nwa-afor Igbo special attention and considerations were issues of urgent significance such as: Security of life and property, food security, socio-cultural reorientation, infrastructural network development, input to budget, holding representatives to account, mantle of mandate missile, republic of Igboland and other emerging matters (AOB).
Alas, returned to reviewing the resolutions’ implemention, as a matter of Igbo interest, as published: “On August Town Hall Meeting” in the two editions of CityStar (Setting The Right Agenda), 26th — 31st July 2021, Pg 11 and 3rd —8th August 2021, Pg 11.
Still on the line of duty and as the very veteran of our noble penmanship (vvp), further follow up on the resolutions’ implemention were made manifest and placed on the public domain in the editions of STARPOST EXPRESS (…truth resides in conscience): “Resonance of our August Meeting Agenda”, 11/8/2023, Pg 6; Igbo August Rendezvous 2023: Matters Arising (1), 18/8/2023, Pg 7; Matters Arising (2), Pg 6/Matters Arising (3), Pg 7…
Here’re highlights refresher on matters of general Igbo interest: “Ndigbo should, as a matter of urgency, adjust to the changing time, season and climate. This culture of nomadic trading must be drastically changed towards agricultural entrepreneurship and food chain processing and supply.
Each family should be encouraged to farm and rear domestic animals. Communities should embark on large scale farming. Local and state governments should provide mechanized and industrialized farming and farming settlements”;(TS/S/S/19/9/20, Pg 6).
The above was part of a veritable binding Igbo agenda (BIA) geared towards availing food security and productive engagement of our able-bodied even as its realization is in tandem with: “The practical approach towards promoting Igbo identity is in embracing its culture/rich heritage embedded in Igbo language, food, dressing and allied matters. The essence of speaking, reading and writing Igbo language by Umuafor Igbo has been stressed, and the authorities concerned should put attractive incentives to the teaching of Igbo language and the using of it to teach and learn every other subjects.
“On food and its consumption, it’s very essential that the Igbo produce what we consume. To achieve food sufficiency, our arable land must be cultivated with all kinds of food crops, cash crops, economic trees, plants, fruits, vegetables, roots and herbs on small and industrial scales.
“The Igbo have unique ancestral lineage and philosophy of life that Nwa-afor needs to be grounded on. There’s every need to call to order the younger ones that want to have sharp-sharp approach to life matters; since fast life ends fast.
Unfolding unfortunate scenario is not unconnected to the prevailing high rate of premature deaths, and the growing associations of
widows/widowers, rape, kidnapping, social vices and sundry criminalities”.(TS/S/O/10/10/20/Pg 6.
(To be continued)
