LEADING A QUIET REVOLUTION
Posted by REMY ILONA | 10 years ago | 3,857 times
In this essay I will write briefly about a few Igbo people who are doing some note-worthy and very important things very quietly. I’ll start by talking about this young Igbo man who lives in far away Australia, where he plays music, studies anthropology and archeology, while bringing up his three beautiful daughters. This guy who plays a blend of reggae, Igbo folk and high life is all for anything that will help to restore fun and happiness to the Igbo society in the Land of the Igbo. He was the brain behind the in-plan Cultural Fiesta that will be holding every two years in Igbo land, which will bring together the Igbo, and other kindred and friendly peoples. He said he conceived this after returning to Igbo land with his Italian -Australian wife and children during one Christmas period and discovered that unlike in the recent past, before he traveled abroad, that there was no interesting events to attend, no places of interesting sightseeing, no mmonwu, etc, for the kids to watch and relax. The second is a young woman. She lived in America where she worked as a musician and talk-show host for seventeen years. On return to Nigeria, this Amazon did something that only few contemporary Igbo would do, would even think of doing. She went to her clan, her place of nativity, and set up an exquisite hotel, named……. Talking with her recently she said she did that because she loves her land (Igbo land) more than any other place in the world, and believes that the best way to express her love for her place of origin was to invest in it, and that the best thing to do is to lead by example. The third and the fourth are young men. They are the brains behind a growing Igbo group which has both online and off line chapters. One, the one I chose to look at as the local anchor is a graduate of the university formerly called ASUTECH, a graduate of Biochemistry and a native of Abiriba. The other whom I chose to see as the foreign anchor is a lawyer. He is from Nnewi. And he lives in the U.S. What have these guys been able to do, and what are they doing? They have managed to bring thousands of Igbos together. An Igbo who remembers the era of the ‘Peoples, Anaedo, etc clubs’, could not but feel nostalgia for that era when an Igbo could grow up, succeed, and join a club of his peers with ease; there to team up with his peers to share both the joys and sorrows due to the Igbo people, and to contribute to the development of the Igbo society. But alas that era passed. All those clubs where they are still existing went into coma, and the Igbos practically went their separate ways. To some extent the community spirit of the Igbo society began to die. In the hey days of the clubs budding artistes, and other talented Igbos received communal support often-times organized by the clubs. Not contented with wringing their hands and complaining these two guys are bring back the Igbo club. In what they have managed to build Igbos are meeting again, and relating together as Igbos. What do these four Igbos have in common? They are leading quiet revolutions. The musician has began to awaken the interest of many Igbo artistes to contribute with their art to the equilibrium and happiness of the Igbo people. The gal has shown many Igbos that 3-5 star hotels could be set up in Igboland, and that they would thrive there. Some that I know are beginning to think home after looking at the example she has set. The two that I talked about last are effectively getting Igbos to congregate together as Igbos. To me these folks are unobtrusively doing so much for the Igbo. They are leading quiet revolutions.
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