Asagba of Asaba Expresses Concern About Proliferation of Igbo Sociocultural Organizations

Sociocultural organizations of the Igbo nation in the country have been advised to dwell more on strengthening the existing dominant ones among them rather than proliferating the groups.

The Asagba of Asaba, His Royal Majesty, Prof Epiphany Azinge, SAN, OON, FNIALS, gave the advice when a delegation of the United Kingdom of Great Igbo Nation (UKGIN) paid him a courtesy visit.

The Monarch noted that rather than stand strong and focused, some of the notable Igbo sociocultural organizations had been weakened by splinter groups springing up in different parts of the country, some of which he observed had been highly politicized.

Asagba Prof Azinge said any of such organizations not founded to pursue the cultural and social interests of its members and the larger society, or conceived as an amalgam of like minds committed to pursuing a particular cause of action, had missed the point.

“If you proceed on that premise and look at things from that prism, then things will go well. Once there is an ulterior motive that is not as noble and lofty as it should be; may be people are targeting to use the group because 2027 is by the corner and after that everything fizzles out, then it ceases to be honorable, lacks in integrity, and it’s not something I will want to identify with or relate to because from the onset it will appear that the vision is not as lofty as it should be”, he added.

The Asagba urged the group to draw a line and make its mission statement known, stressing that the set objectives of the organization should be clearly spelt out of it must be able to win concerts and avoid running into a brick wall earlier in the day.

The First Class traditional ruler assured the delegation of the safety of Asaba for their upcoming cultural carnival and the hospitality of Asaba people, pointing out that Asaba had generally been acclaimed to bless residents, especially the non indigenes.

“But all we want is for anyone on this land to see himself or herself as a critical stakeholder in what we are doing and support us in keeping this land as peaceful as we have tried to keep it, make it as safe as possible, secured for people to come in and live, and also invest in freely. That is the Asaba of our dream and that is the Asaba that I am proud to lead. So, whoever wants to do anything on this soil must see himself or herself as a critical stakeholder and be prepared to partner with us to achieve some of the goals we have set for ourselves”, the highly revered Monarch insisted.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Henry Chukwuemeka Ugbeh, congratulated Asagba Prof Azinge on his emergence as the 14th Asagba of Asaba, pointing out that the visit was to pay him homage and respect, and to inform him about the group’s forthcoming cultural festival billed to take place in Asaba.