Babatunji Wusu –
The Igbo Day Celebration set for September 28 and 29 has been upheld as sacred by the leading Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
The 2023 Igbo Day Celebration and the South East Summit on Security and Economy have no conflict or overlap, according to Ohanaeze President General Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who made this clear in a statement on Monday morning.
The statement continues, “Some disinformation potential of causing misunderstanding surrounding the simultaneous hosting of Igbo Day 2023 and the South East Summit on Security and Economy has garnered the attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. For the purpose of clearing up any confusion, the following clarifications are consequently necessary.
“On September 28 and 29, 2023, Ndigbo and the inhabitants of the Southeast geopolitical zone will simultaneously organize two very significant events in Owerri and Enugu.
The Southeast Summit on Security and Economy and Igbo Day 2023 are the activities. Both occasions hold special meaning for Ndigbo and the South East geopolitical region. Because of this, we have chosen to hold both events simultaneously in order to guarantee a voluminous turnout from our people.
Accordingly, the schedules of our governors and our prominent sons and daughters who are traveling from far and near to attend the festivities have been accommodated by the programs for both events.
“On September 28, “all of us will be in Owerri for the first day of the Summit, which begins at 10 a.m. The first event of Igbo Day 2023, a public lecture, would start at 4 p.m. that same day at the Old Governors Lodge in Enugu.
“On Friday, September 29, the Summit will continue in Owerri with breakaway sessions on security, the economy, and related topics led by only invited stakeholders, professionals, technocrats, and experts,” he continued. The big climax of Igbo Day 2023 will take place in Enugu for all other Igbo sons and daughters on the same 29th.
Iwuanyanwu argued that September 29 is sacred for the Igbo Day Celebration because it is significant historically for Ndigbo.
However, he added that the hosts of both events, the Governors of the South East, are collaborating closely with Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide’s leadership to ensure the success of both events.
“In order to guarantee a large turnout by our people, we are in complete agreement and concord to host both events simultaneously and not on two distinct occasions. We are hosting these two significant events concurrently because of how near our states are to one another in the South East. The South East states are all accessible by car in two hours or less. These two events are reinforcing our shared history, destiny, and oneness, which is solid evidence, he said.
Igbo Day 2023 and the South East Summit on Security and Economy will be held on September 28 and 29, 2023, respectively. It is my pleasure to welcome all of our invited sons and daughters, in-laws, friends, and partners to both events.
