Change begins with us

Every month, the Centre for Memories organises an event in Enugu called Nkata Umu Ibe, meant for Igbo people to talk intelligently about issues. You can catch all the videos here.

A year ago, a group of five girls from Regina Pacis Secondary School in Onicha did all Igbo people, and indeed all of Nigeria proud by winning an award for an app they developed to detect fake drugs.

Yesterday, their mentor, Uchenna Ugwu, was the speaker at Nkata Umu Ibe. For bringing her, I must express my deep appreciation to Patrick Okigbo and Nnanna Ude as it is important for Igbo youth to have proper role models.

Our ancestors said, “Nne ewu na ata agbara, umu ya ana eleya anya n’onu”.

It is very important that we push the correct mentors through. Truth is that one of the reasons for the rise of sharp practices among our young people is a lack of mentorship, so let me tell a story…

In the 1950s and 60s, young Igbos had role models like Ken Dike, Chinua Achebe, Eni Njoku, OBN Eluwa, IN Okogwu, Akanu Ibiam, John Ogbu, Fabian Udekwu, Chris & Pius Okigbo to look up to. Then the war happened, and £20, and there was a great shift in mindset towards quick money.

By the 1990s, we were no longer being regaled with tales of the exploits of K Dike at UCI or IN Okogwu at Kedu Hospital or Chinua Achebe. Rather, we started hearing about Eze Ego and Emma Nwude and Otokoto, and how ha nwere ego. These anomalies were celebrated in song.

This is where the importance of Ekwe Ndigbo is paramount. Celebrating the right people so that those coming after us have the proper sense of reward for effort, and as a result, will aspire to do better.

Thanks, once again, to Patrick and Nnanna. Chukwu gozie unu.