It is at the annual conventions that WIC’s officers and invited Igbo from Abuja and Igbo politicians from the various governors’ mansions explain their vision for Nd’Igbo and what Igbo need to free themselves from oppression in their country. For their part, WIC officials are supposed to articualet an Igbo agenda and state specific solutions that will begin to solve the myriad of problems in Ala Igbo from erosion to the much discussed marginalization problem.

The WIC jamboree started on Friday afternoon, September 2 2005. Registration for Saturday’s events did not start until about 2:00pm LA time. About five and half hours later, most of the delegates left the second day of the convention disgusted and angrier about the penny-pinching organizers who had a whole year to secure a better hall for the convention.

Senate President Ken Nnamani who felt insulted by an angry crowd blasted the organizers of the convention for hosting the convention at the basement of the Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles. He called the venue disgraceful and wondered why an organization that had been hosting such conventions for eleven-years could not secure a more befitting venue to host Nd’Igbo. Most attendees saw the basement location as metaphor for Igbo failure in Africa; the use of the basement was said to have exposed Igbo underbelly to the world. In his keynote address which was quite often interrupted by a careless and angry crowd who called his speech a "bore," Nnamani repeatedly questioned the authenticity even of the name “World Igbo Congress” (WIC) asking "where are we going" after twelve years of annual picnic in Diaspora.

Amid concerns that the WIC has been a waste of resources and time since its founding and based on Nnamani's experience at the Los Angeles Convention, he suggested WIC should start rethinking its strategy by persuading WIC organizers to shift its venue to the Igbo homeland come 2006 if WIC really wants to reach out to Nd'Igbo in getting things done. Also, he stressed the need for Igbo Diaspora to start building community, citing peculiar Chinese examples in the United States coupled with other Pacific States and Far Rastern regions who have thrived by using its enormous Diaspora resources to create a technology and economic stability in their countries of origin.

"I will use the convention to focus on how we can provide congenial political and policy environment to encourage talented Igbos in the Diaspora to come home and lead innovative processes for technological and economic development in Igboland," Nnamani said. "Let no one forget that in an age of intensified globalization, cities across countries can become economic clusters that can attract foreign investment and international multilateral financing.

In another keynote address, President of Ohanaeze Nd'Igbo Professor Joe Irukwu said Igbos should forget the Nigeria-Biafra War and what happened in its aftermath, and "start building bridges of friendship and understanding between us and our neigbors in Nigeria." Irukwu said in addition to forgetting the War, that Nigeria cannot survive today without the input of Nd'Igbo urging Igbos to reconcile with their neighbors for the interest of the country.

In another related speech, Governor Orji Kalu of Abia State said Nd'Igbo can get whatever they desire in Nigeria as long as they put their hearts into it. He went further to use himself as an example citing his business and political successes. Although he is generally belived to be running for Vice President, Kalu used the opportunity to announce his candidacy for the presidency. Rochas Okorocha who also announced his bid for the presidency told Igbos to stop talking about marginalization, that no such thing exists in today's Nigeria. Rosalind Amuchie who initiated led Igbo Women Forum urged Igbo men to start engaging their women in active political roles.

There was an uproar that almost halted the convention when Peter Obi was introduced on the floor as Anambra State Governor-elect. The convention ended Sunday night with election of a new chairman. Chibuzor Onwuchekwa is the new Chairman of WIC. He handily dfeated Ugorji Ugorji and the other candidates in what has become one of the most inscrutable elections of any organization anywhere.

Also present at the jamboree were Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Orji Kalu, Rochas Okorocha, Ken Nnamani, Senator Uche Chukwumerije, Governor-elect Peter Obi, Ben Obi, Barth nnaji, and Kalu Diogu the out-going Charman.

Ambrose Ehirim
BNW News Los Angeles, CA
Ambrose Ehirim is the Los Ageles Bureau Chief of BNW