The president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, John Azuta-Mbata, says the Igbo should convert their individual successes into a coordinated development agenda. Mr Azuta-Mbata made the call on Monday night in Umuahia while speaking at the Igbo Day lecture and dinner organised as part of activities marking the commencement of the two-day 2026 celebration.

He said that Ndi Igbo had engaged Nigeria and the international community with energy and goodwill but without a documented collective strategy to articulate their aspirations.

“We have had ideas, but not one clear plan; that era must now come to an end. That is why this charter is a triple history, and must be taken seriously by every Igbo person. Since you entrusted this Global Executive Council with leadership in January 2025, we resolved to move on as a premier rhetorical, actionable framework.

“Our most significant achievement in this regard is the Igbo Charter of Strategic Engagement for National Development,” Mr Azuta-Mbata said.

He said that the charter was designed to fill that gap by providing a common framework through which Ndi Igbo could define and pursue their interests.

Mr Azuta-Mbata said the charter was developed collectively by the Ohanaeze Global Executive Council, with contributions from academics, technocrats, business leaders, historians, and youth leaders from home and abroad.

He described it as a collective social contract and strategic compact, not a personal initiative of the president-general. According to him, the document seeks to answer a fundamental question about what Ndi Igbo want, particularly in their relationship with the Nigerian federation.

Governor Alex Otti said that the Igbo should embrace unity in diversity, stressing that unity did not mean that everyone must hold the same opinion.

“‘Njiko Ka’ is about unity in diversity. We must not all agree. We are not zombies, but at the end of the day, superior arguments win,” Mr Otti said.

The governor also urged Ndi Igbo to move beyond conventional trading and embrace manufacturing, digital technology and other emerging forms of economic activity.

He said his administration was investing in technology training programmes because the global economy was increasingly moving toward digital commerce and remote work.

Mr Otti described the Igbo as resilient, hardworking, creative and self-reliant, saying the people’s culture should promote independence and self-confidence rather than dependence on palliatives.

He said Abia had recovered and was laying a foundation for sustained development, adding that the state’s economic future would increasingly be driven by manufacturing and digital commerce. He said that the state’s combination of manufacturing and commercial activities gave it an advantage as it transitioned from conventional trading to digital trading.

Kingsley Moghalu urged the Igbo to move from producing reports to implementing the charter for sustainable development and to keep the charter above partisan politics, saying it belonged to the people and should guide successive governments, political parties and generations.

Mr Moghalu identified four immediate priorities, including teaching Igbo language in schools, establishing an Igbo digital marketplace, registering members of the diaspora and strengthening security to attract investment.

(NAN)