World Igbo Congress (WIC), the umbrella body of all Igbo in the diaspora (residing abroad), rose from its 2025 annual convention held in Quincy, Massachusetts, hosted by the Igbo Organisation of New England (IONE).

The three-day meeting themed “KOKOROKOOO: Igbo Bilie N’ura (Igbo, Wake Up),” which had participants/delegates, comprising friends of Ndi Igbo, and representatives from across the globe, including Nigeria, North America, Europe, the Caribbean, and Africa, served as a clarion call for renewed unity, cultural consciousness, and collective determination in shaping the future of Ndi Igbo.

Major decisions and resolutions included establishing what they tagged “Biafra Cenotaph and Monumental Park” in Alaigbo (Igboland), to honour the fallen heroes and heroines of the Nigeria–Biafra War.

“This memorial will serve as a lasting symbol of resilience, a reminder of the sacrifices made, and an educational marker for future generations,” WIC explained.

Besides the Cenotaph, they posited that in line with empowering the Igbo economy by investing therein, the Convention reaffirmed that “strategic investment in Igboland is the only sustainable path to rebuilding the homeland, empowering communities, and ensuring prosperity.”

The Igbo diasporas, therefore, enjoined their kins to embrace the spirit of ‘Aku Ruo Ulo’ (make your wealth felt at home) by directing resources toward Igbo land for long-term socio-economic growth.

The Convention had featured deliberations, keynote presentations, cultural exhibitions, and strategic consultations on the state of Ndi Igbo and their role in Nigeria and the global community.

One of the highlights was the formal launching of what they tagged “Igbo Federal Credit Union,” which was unanimously endorsed as a cornerstone for economic self-determination and wealth creation, including serving as a financial hub for Ndi Igbo in the Diaspora.

Expressing grave concern over the rising tide of Igbophobia, they stated that it manifests in hate speech, destruction of properties, targeted violence, and marginalisation both within and outside Nigeria. The WIC Convention called on governments, civil society, and international partners to actively combat discrimination against Ndi Igbo and uphold the rights of all Nigerian citizens.

WIC opined that the annual May 30th National Day of Remembrance be declared by the Federal Government as a national holiday in honour of the victims of the Nigeria–Biafra War, arguing that doing so would be “a step toward truth, reconciliation, and healing.”

While the Convention further called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Government of Nigeria to order the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, it noted that “he has been declared innocent by courts at home and abroad.”

To Ndi Igbo, the Convention tasked them to reclaim their Christian heritage “not merely in name, but in action—through honesty, forgiveness, and servant-leadership; hence, survival of our people depends on leaders and citizens who embody integrity and responsibility.”

Hinging the future survival of the Igbo on the involvement of their leaders and citizens, who embody integrity and responsibility, WIC emphasised the urgent need for cultural reorientation, mentorship, and inclusion of Igbo youth in decision-making processes for posterity.

Citing betrayal politics as their bane, the 2025 WIC Congress warned against their leaders mortgaging their collective destiny for personal gain.

The Convention remarked that “Uncle Tom” politics and the recurring “Igbo Political Judas Syndrome”—leaders who betray their people while bowing to oppressors—must be rejected as cancers to Igbo survival.

According to the Communique jointly signed by Dr Festus Okere and Sir Chris Ogara, the WIC Chairman and Secretary General respectively of World Igbo Congress, “with the Igbo Economic Self-Reliance through Aku Ruo Ulo (extending wealth home), it is only by channeling their talents, resources, and investments back to Igbo land that Ndi Igbo can secure their collective future, as abandoning the homeland while enriching elsewhere is a betrayal of future generations.”

The 2025 Convention consequently concluded that “with a strong reaffirmation of Igbo unity, identity, and resilience, Ndi Igbo will never forsake their heritage, and through strategic action, will continue to defend their place in Nigeria and the world.” (The Guardian)

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