Igbo Net: the Igbo Network :: Igbo Heritage; Foreword by Dim C. Odumegwu Ojukwu;

Office of Eze Igbo

4 Isiuzo Street

Independence Layout,
Enugu

May 8, 2003

by
Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu
Eze Igbo

Igbo Heritage, lnc.

1788 Wilson Avenue

Upland, CA 91784

Fax: (909) 949-2559

Phone: (909) 437-5314

F.-mail; ihi@igbonet.com

The importance of information as a major resource in political education and cultural orientation cannot be over emphasized. Information management and dissemination assumes an even more crucial position in the life of a marginalized group like the Igbo nation whose voice is continuously drowned by the well orchestrated media run by their rivals in Nigeria. It is therefore in the light of the above that I commend the team of young Diaspora Igbo who have mustered the courage and commitment to seize the proverbial bull of Igbo information dissemination by the horn.

I am personally delighted that our esteemed elder brother and friend Dr. Okechukwu Ikejiani has not only given his blessing, but is taking an active part in the Igbo Heritage media project, the IgboNet, as a guest writer. I can hardly wait to read articles by Dr. Ikejiani for like l told the members of the Igbo Heritage you couldn’t have made a better choice of a Diaspora elder to approach for topics on Igbo culture and evolution. God willing, I promise to write for the IgboNet when I am less busy and I look forward to participating in the intellectual debates in the virtual Igbo Forum (Ọgbakọ Ndigbo).

My wife and I are excited that the IgboNet portal will also offer a free online Igbo language course. I had warned in my visit to the World Igbo Congress two years ago the Igbo language was in danger of becoming extinct according to factua1 UN statistica1 data. Our thanks also to the Igbo Heritage for rising to the challenge to reverse this unhealthy trend. It is my hope that the IgboNet will enjoy the support of all Igbo as they avail themselves of the resources the Igbo Heritage Foundation has freely provided. I am sure the archival information on Ahịajọkụ and Odenigbo lectures will prove invaluable to research students interested in studying the lgbo norms and ethos.

I urge you all to remain steadfast and totally committed to the task you have set for yourselves. May the IgboNet Project mark the beginning of a large and modern media empire that will tell the story of the Igbo Nation to a listening world.