ENUGU STATE COMMUNITY GETTING READY 1

IGBOS OF ROME MORUN OJUKWU... by chukbyke

IKEMBA.........EZE IGBO GBURUGBURU

DOTT INNOCENT EKE (rip)

Goodwill message from Former President Chukwubike .O.C

A  GOODWILL MESSAGE   FROM THE  EX-PRESIDENT OF THE  IGBO  COMMUNITY  ROME/LAZIO (2001-2011)  MR CHUKWUBIKE OKECHUKWU CHARLES. AT  THE  END OF YEAR AND CULTURAL PARTY  ROME  27/11/2011

May the   soul of  Ikemba  Chukwuemeka Odimuegwu Ojukwu   and  the  souls  of  all  departed  rest in peace  Amen.

My dear Igbo people invited ladies and gentle men

The  out going   cabinet   whole heartedly  congratulate   the  new officers  who  we   democratically  elected and  entrusted with the affairs of the  community.

To me personally it  is  like   a dream come true    seeing  young, energetic and   enthusiastic Igbos  at the helms of  our  affairs here in the Lazio  region: this   shows that    our   consistent  call  for   our  youths  to  come  out  has  finally  been heeded  and the  support  the  new administration  has  so far  received     is  a great  sign  of  progress. I    appeal  to the  whole  Igbo  community  to  give  this     administration   all the  support and  sincere  advise  that are   needed  to achieve  all our  common  goals  as  a nation.

The  Igbo  community  Rome    is one of the oldest  immigrant   communities   in   the  Lazio region  due  to  the great influx  of Igbo clergy and lay men  who  come  to  study in Rome  form the early '70s , however the  officialization of  the  association as  an  entity  was   on the   22 October 1999   by  some  Igbo patriots who officially registered it  with the Italian  authorities was   in the  year 2000  having  Dr Augustine Aboh as the  first President.  I want to take this opportunity to   thank and   congratulate those  Igbo  patriots  who  founded the association  and I suppose  in due time  they will be   recognized  adequately by the administration.

The last  administration was  sworn in   August 2001  and  after  the  their  term  that elapsed in 2005 ,it  took the   community  another   five  years  to  have   an    election. Let  us   search  our   consciences and  answer  some  questions:  how  close  did  we  come   to the  people    we elected  , what  did  we suggest  to  them , have we  ever criticized   or corrected  any of their  programs at the  correct platforms ? "Enwhi onye   na-ahupu  ubi ya  maka na –oruru  afifia."  At this   point I call  on  all Igbo people  to  take also today   an oath declaring to  take up their  civic  responsibilities  by staying  close  to the people  they  elected to  represent them, correcting , criticizing and advising them  in all affairs  concerning the   community.  

I thank  all the  Igbo men  and  women  who helped    carry  the community  -on  in these years  maintaining  peace and  the integrity of the  community and association. A special  thanks   goes   also  to  the Elders and the  Presidents  of  all the  Igbo states  associations.

We  Igbos   in the Lazio   region  have  every  cause  to  be   proud and  grateful  to  God. We  have  achieved  individually and  collectively  a lot in    these  years of  our  sojourn here .   

 POLITICS: In the  Italian  political  arena   The    whole immigrants in the  Rome  province   is  being  represented  by  a Nigerian  ; Dr Victor  Emeka Okeadu   (President of the Immigration council ) a  former Vice president of this  association.  Mrs.  Uzoma  was a councilor  in the 8^th Municipal  of the  commune    di Rome,  Kinsley Okpara  is  a  counselor  in the  8th municipal.  One of the  12 Italian  representatives  of the  African diaspora  in the  African Uniou  (former OAU)  Europe  consultative  council is   a member of this  community i.e  my humble  self. There is an Igbo man  working or  representing   in almost all the  Italian  trade unions, ONG, associations,   in the  Lazio region. Almost  all the  International   Organizations and  United Nation  agencies in Rome  have   Igbo  sons  and  daughters   heading   units or  working  in  them.  

 

EDUCATION : Educationally  we  have  the greatest numbers of qualified  professionals within the  immigrant communities. According to Italian  statistics  Nigerian children in the Lazio  region  are the   best  academically   in the  Rome  province (majority  of them are Igbos) Our  children have gone to great heights, in these recent years Igbos have produced many professionals from many Italian universities and as I said earlier our children have been recognized as the best in Lazio.  I GIVE  SPECIALLY  GREETINGS  TO  OUR  WOMEN  WHO  WE ALL RECOGNIZE  AS  THE  PILLARS OF  THE IGBO FAMILY. 

COMMERCE:  Commerce is the second force after education in Igbo land. Our brothers and sisters have been at the top helms in the foreign community.  We  are the  first  in the  African community. The first hotel in Rome to be  fully owned by an African is  by a member of this  community.

  SOCIALLY. Many members of this community have been recognized by their individual communities and organizations both abroad and in Nigeria.  In  the  Nigerian    or  African  ( statistics  shows)  we   have  the greatest  number of mixed marriages  as  against  common  beliefs   or metropolitan  talks   of the Igbo  man. One of the  greatest African musical  group in  Italy  ( Umu-Africa group)  was  founded   by  one  of the  great sons of  this community

  Media: The African and Nigerian news media  here in Italy is in strong control of members of this  community people. History and daily affairs have shown us how the communities  like the  Jews  use this as a great instrument for social, political and cultural progress and advancement. Many innovations in Italy  like the MISS AFRICA ROME   is from members of this community. Many people of this community in the recent have written books and made numerous publications.

WHY MUSTN'T WE BE GRATEFUL TO GOD FOR ALL THESE ACHIEVEMENTS'?

I once more thank all members   of the  community   and the Nigerian  community in general   for  all their  support  and hope that this   young men   and  women  will   continue  to   enjoy our  support.

 Finally  call  for   peace  and  burying of all  rancor  in the  community.

We thank our  visitors   for attending.

Udo  diri madu nine.

 Chukwubike Okechukwu Charles

(Ex-President  Igbo community Rome/Lazio)

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IGBO CULTUAL DAY ROME

The Igbo  Community in Rome and Lazio  region yesterday 27th November 2011 held   a  cultural day  to mark  the  end of the  year 20011. This also coincided  with the announcement of the  death of  Ikemba Chukwuemeke Odimegwu Ojukwu.  (FOTO BY: CHUKWUBIKE)

The newly elected President  Chief  Success Aniakor and  the Former President of  the  association

Chukwubike O Charles

 Umu -Maria  cultural group

 Orlu cultural   group

the chairman of the  occasion

The master of  Ceremony ...Chuks Okorie and  the Cisterna  group

The former President Chukwubike Okey.Charles (2001-2010)......                                                           

Orlu  group

Hospitality & beauty.....  Enugu State....(Wawa girl)

Anambra state  cultural group

IGBO ROME LAZIO....ELECTION DAY

IGBO ROME/LAZIO....ELECTION  DAY  29 /O5/2011