Onlytruth: Brother Sam_Ikenna,

I put together your logo into one element.
How does it look?

Lol, I was just trying to get it together. Anyway, nothing is etched in stone, whatever our people want is fine. At the end of the day we'll all decide what will be our symbol so let ideas keep flowing.

Onlytruth: Brother Sam_Ikenna,

I put together your logo into one element.
How does it look?

The way you put it looks great.

I just recalled something I read here earlier about the role of Igbo language in this endeavor. I will give the same advise I always give on this issue because it is a very tricky and important issue.

We must always bear in mind that Igbo language is becoming endangered, and with the way we Ndigbo are spread all over the world, more and more of our people are becoming lazy in learning the language. Some parents have even given up entirely on the need to teach their children to speak the language, hence we have people who cannot share in the realities of their people back home. This issue is very deep, and I don't think we can, or should attempt to resolve it here. However, we must lay a foundation for the path to its eventual resolution using the instrument of this constitution.
I personally can learn ANY language within a month. If given time, I can speak almost any language like a native within one year! So, if folks are seriously interested in learning Igbo, they will grasp the language fairly fast. We must encourage or nudge them to learn it, because if they don't, there is no way they can be passionate about Igboland. They would be viewing Igboland like any non-Igbo would, and that is unacceptable to us.

Part of our renaissance is the resurgence of Igbo language and culture. These propel our values and ethics.

Igbo bu igbo, Ekele m unu!!

Here is my first input in this thread:

Anybody that calls himself or herself an Igbo must know how to SPEAK IGBO Language, or else he or she is an OFEKE. If you were born to Igbo parents in America or in any foreign country, and you don't know how to speak Igbo, it means that you are not IGBO. That you either rejected the Igbo culture or that your parents deliberately abandoned the Igbo culture.In short, you are a black American, and should be proud of that. Igbo language is a major component of our culture , and it must be enforced and upheld. Most Asians and Mexicans born in America know how to speak their parents native languages fluently. I'm harping on these because when you meet most of these kids born to Igbo parents in America,nothing about them tells you that they are Igbo. I have even met several of them that don't know the state in Nigeria their parents came from, talk more of speaking and understanding Igbo. Occasionally wearing traditional dresses does not make one an Igbo man or Igbo woman!!

Ndi be anyi ogwula ka o ha m na onu ugbua.

# Ogene Igbo #

Thanks to all those who have contributed in this debate so far. Let us continue to brain-storm and give more ideas.

Apparently the leading symbolism are:

1. Elephant and tusk,
2. Trees, book, handshake and people combo
3. Iroko and Tusk
4. The Phoenix

The name suggested so far inlcudes:
- Oganiru Ndi Igbo (ONI)
- Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative__ENYI)
- Oganiru Progressive Movement(OPM),
- Ohakwuru Progressive Association (OPA)
- Obi NdiIgbbo Movement(ONM)

However, passionate discussion is still on-going around scope and sphere of influence of the organisation. Specifically, there seems to be an even split on how to relate with our 'allies' and 'friends' in the South-South. While some are of the opinion that we should adopt names, symbolism, and by extension and all encompassing philosophy, some are of the opinion that we should 'think and act' only in the interest of Igbos and Igboland. Certainly both divides have merits (and of course demerits).

I will however appeal to conference members (all of us) to look into the crystal ball - look far into the future. Say 10 years, 20, or 30 years from now. How do we want this group to look? Centrist, conservative, progressive? Do we see a divided or united Nigeria? Does perception matters to us now, and will it matter 'tomorrow'?

Perhaps, we would be able to navigate this potential landmine of inclusiveness versus exclusiveness, when we start debating 'Aims and Objectives' and 'Patrons, Power, Scope and Limitation of the Association' . The lists we generate then will give more insight about who and what we are, and perhaps our help shape our name.

Let me dissect one suggestion that appeals to me so far - Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative.

Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative. With this name, we can sell our ideas across state capitals in perhaps all the old Eastern Region, in the long run.
Nigeria Youth Initiative - With this we can sell in the long term sell to Nigeria
Youth Initiative - This will have global appeal in the long run

In contrast...
Oganiru Ndi Igbo
Oganiru Progressive Movement(OPM),
Ohakwuru Progressive Association (OPA)
Obi Ndi Igbo Movement(ONM)
The above may appeal to many Igbos, but may not have strategic reach. Besides, there is no guarantee that some local Igbo groups have not adopted some of these names. They seem quite generic.

Basically, I prefer we choose a broad based name, even while acting locally. If Nigeria remains one, who says we will not eventually act nationally? On this note, I will encourage us to think strategically, not tactically. Lets 'think globally, while acting locally!'

I also want to add one more thought as we continue deliberating on the name of our group.

Somehow I cannot shake this feeling that if we get Igboland to function ECONOMICALLY, that almost all our problems would be solved in one fell swoop. Think of it, what can't we do if we can grow our economy without being interrupted by the cacophony of the Nigerian nation? Imagine if we can grow our economy uninterrupted. Somehow I can't shake this feeling that there is a grand scheme to force us to abandon Igboland. Why is everybody keeping quiet when our heartland lacks direct international access? It is almost akin to abandoning ones farm and to keep farming on other farmers land hoping that they would be fair in sharing the harvest with us. Honestly, this keeps me awake at nights!

Let us get our economy to function independent of other regions. Kano functions independent of Enugu and Lagos. Why can't Enugu function independent of Lagos or Kano? Lagos is in Yorubaland, Kano is in Hausaland, Enugu is in Igboland. Why can't we have direct international access? If we have it, we will prove ourselves. Nigeria was founded by three major tribes. There have been attempts to mask this fact. Only we Ndigbo can remind the rest of Nigeria that we are still here- a major tribe. If we keep quiet about this, soon someone will even tell us that we don't count, and would anyone blame such person.
Let us bear these in mind as we plan the name and mission of our group.
A hungry man is an angry man. I really don't think we should care much about what others think until we get our fair share. Nobody is mourning with us as we die on Lagos -Onitsha expressway on our way to board a flight to Japan.
So, I guess a little militancy on our part won't be a bad idea.

I could be wrong though, but I had to say these things 'cos the feeling is very real in me.

PointB: Thanks to all those who have contributed in this debate so far. Let us continue to brain-storm and give more ideas.

Apparently the leading symbolism are:

1. Elephant and tusk,
2. Trees, book, handshake and people combo
3. Iroko and Tusk
4. The Phoenix

The name suggested so far inlcudes:
- Oganiru Ndi Igbo (ONI)
- Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative__ENYI)
- Oganiru Progressive Movement(OPM),
- Ohakwuru Progressive Association (OPA)
- Obi NdiIgbbo Movement(ONM)

However, passionate discussion is still on-going around scope and sphere of influence of the organisation. Specifically, there seems to be even split on how to relate to our 'allies' and 'friends' in the South-South. While some are of the opinion that we should adopt names, symbolism, and by extension and all encompassing philosophy, some are of the opinion that we should 'think and act' only in the interest of Igbos and Igboland. Certainly both divides have merits (and of course demerits).

I will however appeal to conference members (all of us) to look into the crystal ball - look far into the future. Say 10 years, 20, or 30 years from now. How do we want this group to look? Centrist, conservative, progressive? Do we see a divided or united Nigeria? Does perception matters to us now, and will it matter 'tomorrow'?

Perhaps, we would be able to navigate this potential landmine of inclusiveness versus exclusiveness, when we start debating 'Aims and Objectives' and 'Patrons, Power, Scope and Limitation of the Association' . The lists we generate then will give more insight about who and what we are, and perhaps our help shape our name.

Let me dissect one suggestion that appeals to so far - Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative.

Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative. With this name, we can sell our ideas across state capitals in perhaps all the old Eastern Region, in the long run.
Nigeria Youth Initiative - With this we can sell in the long term sell to Nigeria
Youth Initiative - This will have global appeal in the long run

In contrast...
Oganiru Ndi Igbo
Oganiru Progressive Movement(OPM),
Ohakwuru Progressive Association (OPA)
Obi Ndi Igbo Movement(ONM)
The above may appeal to many Igbos, but may not have strategic reach. Besides, there is no guarantee that some local Igbo groups have not adopted some of these names. They seem quite generic.

Basically, I prefer we choose a broad based name, even while acting locally. If Nigeria remains one, who says we will not eventually act nationally? On this note, I will encourage us to think strategically, not tactically. Lets 'think globally, while acting locally!'

I think that any name that should be given to this organization must contain an Igbo word.

PointB: Thanks to all those who have contributed in this debate so far. Let us continue to brain-storm and give more ideas.

Apparently the leading symbolism are:

1. Elephant and tusk,
2. Trees, book, handshake and people combo
3. Iroko and Tusk
4. The Phoenix

The name suggested so far inlcudes:
- Oganiru Ndi Igbo (ONI)
- Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative__ENYI)
- Oganiru Progressive Movement(OPM),
- Ohakwuru Progressive Association (OPA)
- Obi NdiIgbbo Movement(ONM)

However, passionate discussion is still on-going around scope and sphere of influence of the organisation. Specifically, there seems to be an even split on how to relate with our 'allies' and 'friends' in the South-South. While some are of the opinion that we should adopt names, symbolism, and by extension and all encompassing philosophy, some are of the opinion that we should 'think and act' only in the interest of Igbos and Igboland. Certainly both divides have merits (and of course demerits).

I will however appeal to conference members (all of us) to look into the crystal ball - look far into the future. Say 10 years, 20, or 30 years from now. How do we want this group to look? Centrist, conservative, progressive? Do we see a divided or united Nigeria? Does perception matters to us now, and will it matter 'tomorrow'?

Perhaps, we would be able to navigate this potential landmine of inclusiveness versus exclusiveness, when we start debating 'Aims and Objectives' and 'Patrons, Power, Scope and Limitation of the Association' . The lists we generate then will give more insight about who and what we are, and perhaps our help shape our name.

Let me dissect one suggestion that appeals to so far - Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative.

Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative. With this name, we can sell our ideas across state capitals in perhaps all the old Eastern Region, in the long run.
Nigeria Youth Initiative - With this we can sell in the long term sell to Nigeria
Youth Initiative - This will have global appeal in the long run

In contrast...
Oganiru Ndi Igbo
Oganiru Progressive Movement(OPM),
Ohakwuru Progressive Association (OPA)
Obi Ndi Igbo Movement(ONM)
The above may appeal to many Igbos, but may not have strategic reach. Besides, there is no guarantee that some local Igbo groups have not adopted some of these names. They seem quite generic.

Basically, I prefer we choose a broad based name, even while acting locally. If Nigeria remains one, who says we will not eventually act nationally? On this note, [size=14pt]I will encourage us to think strategically, not tactically. Lets 'think globally, while acting locally[/size]!'

Exactly bro.

We are still debating name, symbol, and color. So far no conclusion has been reached, but the ideas are taking shape.

Let me remind us, that our Eze Ndi Igbo election started like this, but today we are here.

What will are doing here today has the potential for explosive impact on Igboland. Our commitment is a critical success factor.

Put on you thinking cap, imagine how you want Igboland to look like in 20 years time. What are you willing to do today to help achieve that? This is what this is all about. We are putting structure in place to channel our energy, thoughts, and ideas uniformly in aid of development of Igboland.

Let this debate continue...

PointB: We are still debating name, symbol, and color. So far no conclusion has been reached, but the ideas are taking shape.

Let me remind us, that our Eze Ndi Igbo election started like this, but today we are here.

What will are doing here today has the potential for explosive impact on Igboland. Our commitment is a critical success factor.

Put on you thinking cap, imagine how you want Igboland to look like in 20 years time. What are you willing to do today to help achieve that? This is what this is all about. We are putting structure in place to channel our energy, thoughts, and ideas uniformly in aid of development of Igboland.

Let this debate continue...

To support the bolded, we must do things differently from what others are already doing.
There are already MANY groups by various names out there claiming to be representing us and our interests, yet we don't see much difference in our land. That is why I am not really in support of not ruffling feathers. We have done that for 40 years since the end of the civil war. The result is that our land is being taken over by thieves and charlatans. We need to be bold and fearless because that is what would make a difference.

PointB: We are still debating name, symbol, and color. So far no conclusion has been reached, but the ideas are taking shape.

Let me remind us, that our Eze Ndi Igbo election started like this, but today we are here.

What will are doing here today has the potential for explosive impact on Igboland. Our commitment is a critical success factor.

Put on you thinking cap, imagine how you want Igboland to look like in 20 years time. What are you willing to do today to help achieve that? This is what this is all about. We are putting structure in place to channel our energy, thoughts, and ideas uniformly in aid of development of Igboland.

Let this debate continue...

To support the bolded, we must do things differently from what others are already doing.
There are already MANY groups by various names out there claiming to be representing us and our interests, yet we don't see much difference in our land. That is why I am not really in support of not ruffling feathers. We have done that for 40 years since the end of the civil war. The result is that our land is being taken over by thieves and charlatans. We need to be bold and fearless because that is what would make a difference.

I also don't think that the name of the group should necessarily be Igbo. It can be an English name provided it carries our interest and mission.

And yes, our reach should eventually reach all the relevant parts of Nigeria.
So, we must think strategic, but act locally.

Umunna, today is the second day of our deliberation on the name and scope of influence of our movement.
By the end of tomorrow, we must adopt one of the names and move on.

I have to digress a little to touch another part of what this movement will tackle, with the hope to help shape the name and scope of influence.
In addition to acute and deft politicking for the betterment of Igboland, we shall also tackle the following:

(1) Haughtiness and tendency to oppress: "i makwa onye m bu?" -(do you know who I am?} spirit destroying Igboland
(2) Mad rush for money: Which is a direct response to the "i makwa onye m bu" plague in Igboland
(3) Culture of Vanity: Still a product of item 1 above, which manifests in how some of our people seek self aggrandizement through acquisition of vainglorious titles and appellations: Chief, Dr, Engr, and all other titles that mask failure. In civilized climes, a simple Mr or Mrs/Ms would do.
(4) Religious fraud: It is becoming almost impossible to belong to a church in Igboland these days without losing an arm or a leg. We have the highest concentration of churches in Nigeria, yet we don't have some of most basic infrastructure. Everybody is celebrated irrespective of how one acquired one's wealth. Widows are neglected and even abused. If you fail to pay church duties, the church will not bury you. Where is that from? Would Jesus do that?
(5)Unbridled Individualism: A product of all of the above.

By far the biggest evil bedeviling our land is item 1 above. It makes it IMPOSSIBLE for a neighbor to share in the grief of another, or to pray for a neighbor's success ('cos the neighbor may oppress you once he "makes it". ). It is the reason we send our reps to Abuja, and they go there to amass wealth and neglect our homeland. It is the reason we have kidnappers in Igboland because these rich people refuse to invest and create jobs for the young ones. They want to keep the money in their own families alone. How can one have peace when his neighbor is hungry.
So as part of our mission, we may have to be contacting some of these rich people in Igboland to explain to them the irrationality of their behavior.

I hope you can all see that the scope of this thing is big and the mission unprecedented.

I wish us God's speed.

Onlytruth:

To support the bolded, we must do things differently from what others are already doing.
There are already MANY groups by various names out there claiming to be representing us and our interests, yet we don't see much difference in our land. That is why I am not really in support of not ruffling feathers. We have done that for 40 years since the end of the civil war. The result is that our land is being taken over by thieves and charlatans. We need to be bold and fearless because that is what would make a difference.

Eze onlytruth imeela, it gladens my heart to see that we still have igbos that think not only of themselves and direct families but also for the collective gud of the igbo amala and humanity as a whole.

@post
It may have sounded like people agitating for igbo content in an igbo initiative are anti-Nigeria. That is wrong. I strongly agree with Eze onlytruth that if we can get wat we want from Nigeria, we should stay in Nigeria. However, we should also know that if we make it a Nigerian project, I fear it might end up like all other Nigerian projects (all politics and no job done). I also strongly agree with Eze igbo nairaland, that our main focus should be economy,economy,economy. Sucess attracts friends, and not the other way around (friends do not attract success). I would like us to accommodate and embrace our neighbors, however we should never be seen to be in dire need of alliance. Yes all of us would want to see this endeavor grow into other parts of Nigeria, Africa, and even the world at large. But we have to start from home. And our collective home is Alaigbo. You can't seperate Alaigbo from its culture and language (it would no longer be Alaigbo). However everybody has a different view of things and we should not allow anything to come between this project (Economy, Economy, Economy). Igbo kwenu

Metalgoong: Igbo bu igbo, Ekele m unu!!

Here is my first input in this thread:

Anybody that calls himself or herself an Igbo must know how to SPEAK IGBO Language, or else he or she is an OFEKE. If you were born to Igbo parents in America or in any foreign country, and you don't know how to speak Igbo, it means that you are not IGBO. That you either rejected the Igbo culture or that your parents deliberately abandoned the Igbo culture.In short, you are a black American, and should be proud of that. Igbo language is a major component of our culture , and it must be enforced and upheld. Most Asians and Mexicans born in America know how to speak their parents native languages fluently. I'm harping on these because when you meet most of these kids born to Igbo parents in America,nothing about them tells you that they are Igbo. I have even met several of them that don't know the state in Nigeria their parents came from, talk more of speaking and understanding Igbo. Occasionally wearing traditional dresses does not make one an Igbo man or Igbo woman!!

Ndi be anyi ogwula ka o ha m na onu ugbua.

# Ogene Igbo #

Jesus Christ

Religious fraud actually pains me the most. A lot of them are poor people with no one to turn to, and pastors, aka businessmen, take advantage. I haven't seen or heard any group try and tackle this problem. I'd like to see This group tackle it and come out successful. I wonder how to go about it though...

+1 for ENYI

Useless thread

we are really very special and very different set of nigerians nay africans
others are buzy pointing fingers while you are getting down to doin sometin
thanx to u guys for ya efforts
thank god i am igbo

i support "eastern nigeria youth initiative" -enyi the elephant!

Thank you all for keeping the debate going. Please it just occur to me that we left out Motto, Slogan in the foregoing. A group like us should have those, to keep us focus on the task before us.

We therefore need to come up with these 'items' as part of our symbolism. Our color codes is still up for grabs. Red (the color of earth) and Green (representing) life has so far been suggested as a combo. Is that a general consensus or do we have another?

It also appears that ENYI (Eastern Nigeria Youth Initiative) is leading the race for adoption as the group's name. Will someone cook up a better name and acronym, or should we run with this?

Peer into the future, and think of something. it's hard and difficult, but be not deceived by the way things are going today. This is dawn, not twilight. We shall triumph over the challenges.


Give us a Motto
Give us a Slogan

Are you satisfied with ENYI? Or you have better name?

Which logo carries the day? What is your opinion on colour codes?

Let's keep rolling...

We are in the third day of the Constitution Drafting; let's keep the ideas flowing. Let's invite other Igbos poster from other section of Nairaland, and other online forum to make this inputs.

Let's keep the ideas coming...

Let me grab the first spot in nominating a slogan: Reclaiming The Future


This slogan is born out of a thorough understanding of the past, an acknowledgement and acceptance of faults and blames where necessary, a firm commitment to change, and a vow to succeed.

As for the logo, I think I like some of the things in Sam_Ikenna's logo, specifically the handshake(friendship/consensus) and the palm tree (Eastern Nigeria). If we can throw in an elephant somewhere in the midst of it all, it may turn out superb.
I also want to enlighten more on the "Enyi" acronym. "Enyi" (of a different intonation) in Igbo also means a friend, so we are either extending friendship (a handshake) or we move forward without caring whose ox is gored- elephant (basically stampede our way forward ). Change is always resisted, so we must expect resistance.
I suspect that we may never need to use the latter tactic. It is good that the option stays there though.

Onlytruth: Let me grab the first spot in nominating a slogan: Reclaiming The Future


This slogan is born out of a thorough understanding of the past, an acknowledgement and acceptance of faults and blames where necessary, a firm commitment to change, and a vow to succeed.

As for the logo, I think I like some of the things in Sam_Ikenna's logo, specifically the handshake(friendship/consensus) and the palm tree (Eastern Nigeria). If we can throw in an elephant somewhere in the midst of it all, it may turn out superb.
I also want to enlighten more on the "Enyi" acronym. "Enyi" (of a different intonation) in Igbo also means a friend, so we are either extending friendship (a handshake) or we move forward without caring whose ox is gored- elephant (basically stampede our way forward ). Change is always resisted, so we must expect resistance.
I suspect that we may never need to use the latter tactic. It is good that the option stays there though.

The slogan is brilliant, Eze!

With regards to the Logo, I think that in order not to make the image too cluttered or too distracting, limiting it to two symbols would be good enough. I also think that the ‘elephant’ and the ‘handshake’ would be a natural choice, if the consensus is to go with the acronym ‘Enyi’.

For the colours, the green and red remain most significant when we reflect on the meaning of those colours - Red is not only the colour of the earth and of passion. It is also the colour of the blood that unites us all. Red is also the colour of strength. Green is the colour of Life. In the Pan African flag and even in the Nigerian flag, green was chosen because it also denotes abundant natural wealth . . .

I vote for Red and Green . . .

I like the way things are taking shape around here and i must comment everyone for a job well done. Now let me re-iterate what i said earlier. "Let this group focus on Igbos and Igbos alone and not even the people that deny being Igbo". This is not an eastern movement but an IGBO movement, so it will be nice for it to carry either an Igbo name or slogan. There's nothing wrong in it being an Igbo only group for the next two hundred years but doesn't mean we won't be open to working with other groups in easter Nigeria. Let's save our arse first before exibiting the one-Nigeria syndrome that has gotten us to the level we are today.

Igbo Mmamanu

afam4eva: I like the way things are taking shape around here and i must comment everyone for a job well done. Now let me re-iterate what i said earlier. "Let this group focus on Igbos and Igbos alone and not even the people that deny being Igbo". This is not an eastern movement but an IGBO movement, so it will be nice for it to carry either an Igbo name or slogan. There's nothing wrong in it being an Igbo only group for the next two hundred years but doesn't mean we won't be open to working with other groups in easter Nigeria. Let's save our arse first before exibiting the one-Nigeria syndrome that has gotten us to the level we are today.

Igbo Mmamanu

I appreciate your comment Afam,
Indeed what we are aiming for is an Igbo group, and like you said it can remain an Igbo group for a thousand years without it being a problem. However, it is important to know that we are also trying to give opportunities to several conference members to air their views and make their contributions. Every opinion expressed so far matters a lot, and will be integral in the final draft.

Specifically, there is nothing wrong with the 'Eastern' in our name, on the contrary, it connotes Igbo in the Nigeria context and it is also forward looking. The operating principle in the suggested 'ENYI' is - strategy! A long term view of the challenge, not an immediate one. The substantive focus of the group will be debated when we approached 'Objectives', 'Power and Scope', and 'Membership'.

Hapu ihe e dere n'ugbo, ba ye n'ugbo. (Leave the inscriptions on the bus, and board)

beneli:

The slogan is brilliant, Eze!

With regards to the Logo, I think that in order not to make the image too cluttered or too distracting, limiting it to two symbols would be good enough. I also think that the ‘elephant’ and the ‘handshake’ would be a natural choice, if the consensus is to go with the acronym ‘Enyi’.

For the colours, the green and red remain most significant when we reflect on the meaning of those colours - Red is not only the colour of the earth and of passion. It is also the colour of the blood that unites us all. Red is also the colour of strength. Green is the colour of Life. In the Pan African flag and even in the Nigerian flag, green was chosen because it also denotes abundant natural wealth . . .

I vote for Red and Green . . .

I like Eze's slogan myself. However, I am still open to more slogans, who know something else much better might come one. The red, and green is 'adopted' as their appears no other challenger colour-wise.

Thing are taking shape; slow but steady, we are taking off!

More... ( I be Oliver Twist... )

These ailments u listed are a very real and present threat to igbo society. I believe its direct fallout from the effects of the war. I stand to be corrected but I believe the OMATA spirit borne out of survival instinct gave rise to all these. Our leadership and intelligentsia that weren't traders were subdued and looked down on because of money. To cut an epistle short, our leadership standard is comatose. In my village even ten year old kids know who is an "aka ji aku" and who isn't.

Onlytruth: Umunna, today is the second day of our deliberation on the name and scope of influence of our movement.
By the end of tomorrow, we must adopt one of the names and move on.

I have to digress a little to touch another part of what this movement will tackle, with the hope to help shape the name and scope of influence.
In addition to acute and deft politicking for the betterment of Igboland, we shall also tackle the following:

(1) Haughtiness and tendency to oppress: "i makwa onye m bu?" -(do you know who I am?} spirit destroying Igboland
(2) Mad rush for money: Which is a direct response to the "i makwa onye m bu" plague in Igboland
(3) Culture of Vanity: Still a product of item 1 above, which manifests in how some of our people seek self aggrandizement through acquisition of vainglorious titles and appellations: Chief, Dr, Engr, and all other titles that mask failure. In civilized climes, a simple Mr or Mrs/Ms would do.
(4) Religious fraud: It is becoming almost impossible to belong to a church in Igboland these days without losing an arm or a leg. We have the highest concentration of churches in Nigeria, yet we don't have some of most basic infrastructure. Everybody is celebrated irrespective of how one acquired one's wealth. Widows are neglected and even abused. If you fail to pay church duties, the church will not bury you. Where is that from? Would Jesus do that?
(5)Unbridled Individualism: A product of all of the above.

By far the biggest evil bedeviling our land is item 1 above. It makes it IMPOSSIBLE for a neighbor to share in the grief of another, or to pray for a neighbor's success ('cos the neighbor may oppress you once he "makes it". ). It is the reason we send our reps to Abuja, and they go there to amass wealth and neglect our homeland. It is the reason we have kidnappers in Igboland because these rich people refuse to invest and create jobs for the young ones. They want to keep the money in their own families alone. How can one have peace when his neighbor is hungry.
So as part of our mission, we may have to be contacting some of these rich people in Igboland to explain to them the irrationality of their behavior.

I hope you can all see that the scope of this thing is big and the mission unprecedented.

I wish us God's speed.

Sorry I don't know how to embed this from youtube. Its a link to a song that may help get the juices flowing.

rtsp://v6.cache3.c.youtube.com/CjYLENy73wIaLQmxiXB-d6wPOBMYESARFEIJbXYtZ29vZ2xlSARSBXdhdGNoYJjc692h8933Tww=/0/0/0/video.3gp

Its called ikenga sunrise

ENYI is a good suggestion i must say but umunnem my reservations has to do with the 'Eastern', don't you think it disenfranchises our western kith and kin? I stand to be corrected though but that's my fear and as afam4ever said earlier on about those who deny their Igboness, same way we have those who cherish it. Unfortunately i have no suggestions yet.
Igbo mmamma nu!

afam4eva: I like the way things are taking shape around here and i must comment everyone for a job well done. Now let me re-iterate what i said earlier. "Let this group focus on Igbos and Igbos alone and not even the people that deny being Igbo". This is not an eastern movement but an IGBO movement, so it will be nice for it to carry either an Igbo name or slogan. There's nothing wrong in it being an Igbo only group for the next two hundred years but doesn't mean we won't be open to working with other groups in easter Nigeria. Let's save our arse first before exibiting the one-Nigeria syndrome that has gotten us to the level we are today.

Igbo Mmamanu

Gbam !! . . . That's exactly my view. I don't see anything strategic in not including an Igbo word in the name of this fledgling group. No matter how the name sounds or how we try to mask the identity of the group in order to appease outsiders, those who are hell-bent in working against anything that has to do with the Igbos will still do so. I strongly believe that whatever we do, we should always promote our culture, and that includes Igbo language.

Udo!!

Umunne m ana m ekele unu nile o!

I wish to thank everyone that has contributed his/her opinion/voice to this effort.
Together we shall march forward and claim the future!

I wish to explain my position more on the use of "Eastern Nigeria" and also my opinion about not necessarily using an Igbo name (please note that I am not opposed at all to using an Igbo name). I was hoping that the idea should be self explanatory, but apparently it is not because some of our brothers are having a problem with it.

Okay here we go.

Nigeria is a country standing on a tripod; I know that this fact tends to hurt some feelings in some parts of Nigeria, but the fact remains that Nigeria is driven in the main by THREE main tribes -Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba who are in the North, East and West respectively.
There is the Hausa in the North, the Yoruba in the West and the Igbo in the East. Have any of you seen where the Hausa are forming a group called "Hausa" anything in Nigeria? Instead you have "Arewa", the membership of which span the whole 19 Northern states. Even the Yoruba is seriously exacting influence up to Edo and Delta states using ACN and other vehicles. Why should we Ndigbo then start confining ourselves to "Igbo" in name and scope of influence in Nigeria? It is my studied opinion that this mentality is the reason why some Igbo deny their "Igboness", because frankly it makes us very vulnerable. No group has a HARD AND FAST territory in Nigeria, if you doubt it you would find that some Yoruba even claim Igala people.
I am not saying that we should be claiming people who have nothing to do with us, but I maintain that it is the worst form of self defeatism to confine oneself. With all due respect only a blind, deaf and dumb person would not associate Eastern Nigeria with Igbo. However, by far the biggest reason behind my support for a non-Igbo name for this group is that there are COUNTLESS Igbo groups out there, and they aren't making much impact on our fortune. We want to be able to contact and work with highly placed individuals in Nigeria; therefore we don't want to be hamstrung from the beginning, thereby crippling ourselves even before we take off. Finally, we are planning to make this movement INDESTRUCTIBLE. One of the best ways to insure that is by affixing its foundation to the ORIGINAL foundation of Nigeria.
I doubt that world powers see Nigeria in any different way. When they look at Nigeria, they still see North, East and West. Period. So, let's not work against old established and accepted foundations.


Let the debate continue. . .

Let's take a deep breath and relax a little. Nothing has been concluded yet, even though some ideas are strongly being considered.

Name and symbols are just one of the many items to be discussed, the substantive issues are yet to be touched.

At the moment ENYI (friend and elephant) as espoused by Eze is looking very promising.

But like I said nothing is concluded yet, so anyone with better suggestions should feel free to make them.