Ben Ezechime, Enugu
The President of Igbo Women Assembly (IWA), Mrs Nneka Chimezie, has called for collective efforts by people of the South-East region to restore the Igbo Language, Culture and tradition.
She said this at the Agro Export Summit 2024 organised by the IWA in Enugu, with the theme: “Unlocking the Potential of Igbo Women in Agro/Export Business.”
Chimezie, who is also a consummate business woman and philanthropist, said that the primary motive of the establishment of IWA was to restore the language, culture and tradition of the Igbo society.
“IWA is aimed at restoring the Igbo language, culture and tradition.
“We have other programmes but the restoration of Igbo language and culture remains the most prominent.
“We want to restore the Igbo as the leading tribe in Nigeria,” she said.
According to her, the summit was aimed at building the capacity of the South-East women Entrepreneurs and to expose them to market their products internationally.
“The main reason for our gathering is to train our women Entrepreneurs on export processes for their local products.
“IWA wants to build thousands of women from the five states of the region and lift them out of poverty,” she said.
The IWA president challenged sons and daughters from the zone, who are holding positions of authority as well as successful businessmen and women, to assist the women and other less privileged.
She further disclosed that IWA had various departments within its fold including Business Development, Education, legal services, health, apprenticeship, employment and rehabilitation.
According to her, all these were designed to develop the South-East and encourage “our people to return back to the region and settle.”
Chimezie lamented that the population of people resideng in the region was fast depreciating and called on lovers of the Igbo nation to join hands with IWA to restore the Igbo population.
Speaking, Mrs Ngozi Eni, Commissioner for Children, Gender and Social Development, in Enugu State, thanked IWA for the initiative and for bringing the event to Enugu State.
Eni said that IWA’s vision to uplift women and the less privileged was in line with Governor Peter Mbah-led administration’s target.
She said that the government of Enugu State was doing everything possible including construction of rural roads to give farmers access to transporting their products to various markets in the state for better profit.
The Commissioner warned the women to change their attitudes towards their their husbands and in the way they treat house helps and apprentices learning work under their husbands.
“I fully support IWA and its initiative to lift our women out of poverty, it is part of our target as a government in Enugu State.
“But we (women) are our own problems; the way we treat our house helps and that apprentice under your husband, you turn him into a slave.
“We should change our attitude,” she said.
In his remarks, Chairman of the event, Professor Ukachukwu Awuzie, said that the Igbo nation and people were highly endowed with natural environment for massive agriculture.
He, however, regretted that many sons and daughters of Igboland now chose to go outside the region in search of greener pastures.
He said it was time for Igbos to return home and embrace Agriculture as the only way to go.
The event featured Igbo songs by the women and exhibitions of different locally made items by the women.
Women from Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi states attended the summit.
