|
 In
less than two weeks, on April 19, 2008,
ndiigbo in the New England area, under the
auspices of the Igbo Organization of New
England, will congregate to celebrate Igbo Day.
This year’s event is special in many respects.
First it is the first major event in the New
England area this year. After a protracted and
punishing winter, everyone is anxious to come
out of hibernation and usher in spring in style.
Second, it is the first major event organized by
the Igbo Organization of New England since the
hugely successful World Igbo Congress convention
in Boston two years ago. But the final and most
important peculiarity of this event is the
spirit with which the members of the IONE have
embraced what the Igbo Day celebration
represents.
Igbo Day celebration is not like any other party. It is an event
designated for the promotion of ndiigbo,
their language, culture, worldview and values.
This year, emphasis is placed on achieving peace
amongst ndiigbo, hence the theme “Udo Bu Oganihu
Ndiigbo”.
In addition to customary dinner and dance, a number of cultural
entertainments have been lined up for this
event. They include the much heralded Igbo Women
of Boston Dance and the fearsome Abia War Dance,
to name just two.
The guest speaker for this year’s event is Ohaneze spokesman,
Hon. Emma Okocha, a celebrated writer and the
author of the award-winning book Blood on the
Niger. Hon. Okocha was also a gubernatorial
aspirant in Delta State in the last election.
His message of hope and unification is titled
“January 15: The Phantom of an Igbo Coup” is
eagerly anticipated. Coming at a time when
ndiigbo are desperately seeking direction,
Hon. Okocha’s words of hope and peace tie in
perfectly with the theme of the Igbo Day
celebration and are certain to resonate with,
and sensitize every Igbo man and woman to the
Igbo cause.
We seize this opportunity to invite all Igbo people in the United
States and beyond to this crucial event. Tickets
are limited and reservation is on a
first-come-first-served basis. Please make yours
today. For more information on how to reserve a
ticket or to learn more about the Igbo
Organization of New England, please visit
www.igbonewengland.org or send an
e-mail to
omenka1@yahoo.com. We look forward to
seeing you come April 19th at the
Holiday Inn Dedham.
Signed:
Godson Anosike, Esq.
President, Igbo Organization of New England
Ejike Eze, Ph.D.
Event Coordinator
Omenka1@yahoo.com
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