Report of the Discussion Forum on “socio-cultural Development of Ibusa: What is the Way Forward” Organized by the Ibusa Like-minds Association Held at

Ibusa Like-minds Association (ILA), a non-partisan and				Amatokwu would further suggest that getting
youth-oriented association with the aim of developing				designers to be versatile in the art of Otogwu fabrics
Ibusa recently held a Discussion Forum well attended				and moving it into the youth market in form of
by the elders and youths of the town, and indeed				jeans, scarf, skirts, trousers, and generally as a
the crème de crème in the Ibusa community. They				beauty apparel will ensure that people buy them. To
all exchanged ideas on the various problems				him, the Yoruba scholars popularized the Asho-oke
confronting the town, especially as it pertains to				attire, and Ibusa scholars can also do the same, if
disharmony, lack of unity and the underdevelopment				Otogwu is to remain with the Ibusa society.
of the town.				First to speak on Community Development
Topics which formed the basis of the Discussion				Consciousness was Mr. Alex Okonma who strongly
were drawn from the following, and were debated at				called for the dissemination of information which he
great length:				believed would very much enhance the spirit of
1. ISSUES AFFECTING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE				community development consciousness which, he
TOWN				agreed the average Ibusa man is lacking. Empowering
(a) Non-existent and patchy government’s				the youths to think along this line was recommended
presence in the town.				by him. Mr. Peter Egbuchua towed along this line but
(b) Deplorable state of public infrastructural amenities.				remarkably lamented the fact that Ibusa is one
(c) No single Government Ministry and Establishment				community with the highest number of professors
in the town except Agricultural Development				and scholars, yet this community has no single
Programme (ADP).				tertiary institution of its own, located in the town. He
(d) No dual carriage roads in the town.				blamed the ugly scenario on the Ibusa people who
(e) High level of unemployment.				have never given thought to this, and advised that
(f) No street names and light in the town.				something in this avenue be done to give the
2. SECURITY RELATED PROBLEMS				community a tertiary institution.
(a) Under-policing of the town.				That Ibusa people retire and do not want to come
(b) Inadequate security gadgets for combating crime				back home to be part of the system, he further
in the town.				argued to be one area which continues to negatively
(c) The need for effective community policing.				affect the town in terms of development because
(d) Increase in robbery incidents and insecurity of the				Ibusa people allow others to rule over them. His
town.				recommendation is that Ibusa people should form
3. EDUCATION				part of the government, which is the only way
(a) Inadequate public primary and secondary schools				development of the town can be guaranteed. Prof.
in the town.				Amatokwu would further add to this by saying that
(b) Inadequate classrooms, chairs, desks and				Ibusa people are not socially responsible to their
equipments.				youths, and that Ibusa youths are entitled to
(c) Inadequate teachers.				engaging in protests. Employment ratio of Oshimili
(d) “Miracle centers” for GCE/WAEC/NECO				North he advocated should be raised to
JAMB candidates in the town.				accommodate Ibusa people who are also entitled to
4. YOUTH RELATED PROBLEMS				employment in government establishments. This is
(a) Moral decadence among the youths of the town.				the only avenue through which marginalization of the
(b) Increase in cultism and gangster activities in the				people of Ibusa will be brought to an end, he noted
town.				Reciting the recent incident of delinquency which
(c) High level of violence among the youths.				nearly engulfed the 2008 Ibusa Football tournament in
(d) Educational decadence.				violence, resulting to the loss of the goal post nets
5. SOCIALLY INCLINED NORMS				by unknown youths of the town, the moderator,
(a) Increase in the level of illiteracy in the town.				Emeka Esogbue called on Mr. Emmanuel Kwasa
(b) Lack of spirit of community development among				Amatokwu to speak on the issue of violence which is
the Ibusa people.				fast taking a shine off Ibusa as a town. Mr.
(c) The apolitical nature of Ibusa people.				Amatokwu who took to the floor frowned on what
(d) Problems confronting the Ibusa Sports Club.				he described as over dependence on English language
6. CULTURAL PROBLEMS				to the detriment of Ibusa dialect. To him, the ongoing
(a) Cultural decadence.				Discussion Forum should have at least been identified
(b) Non-identification with the cultures of the land.				with the Ibusa language. He commented that, that
(c) Dying out of Otogwu attire.				some of Ibusa youths cannot adequately express
7. DISHARMONY IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE				themselves in Ibusa dialect, is itself a problem.
TOWN				He was quick to point out that Ibusa has a problem
(a) The Obuzor/Diokpa dispute.				as a town, and that our fathers have failed us, but
(b) Factionalism of the Ibusa town.				that absolute amendments are necessary to correct
(c) Bickering among families.				this, which is quite the reason there is an ongoing
(d) Land disputes.				meeting in Lagos between the V10 and Body of
(e) Traditional/Chieftaincy disputes.				Ibusa professionals headed by Mr. Ike Nwabuoku,
Some of those who took part in the Discussion				with himself (Amatokwu) being the Community
Forum are				Relations Personnel between Lagos and Ibusa. This
1. Professor Fidelis. N. Amatokwu, an Educator,				arrangement he hoped would correct a lot of
Ex-Sub Dean, social Sciences, University of Lagos,				mistakes made by our elders. He called for the
Ex-Head of dept. Novena University and Professor,				empowerment of “Egbeni” (Local Vigilante
Mass Communication Dept. Delta State University.				Group) by paying them monthly salaries.
2. Dr. (Mrs.) Grace Nwabuoku, Educator.				He condemned the attitudes of the youths who
3. Mr. Emmanuel Kwasa Amatokwu, Banker and				have become quite violent roving the town with
Sports Administrator.				daggers. He lamented that if these youths are to be
4. Mr. Kenneth Efozie, Head Teacher, Young Minds				the leaders of tomorrow, then Ibusa needs to have
Private School, Asaba, Delta state.				a re-think on re-orientating them for the betterment
5. Chief Edwin Onyemaechi Okolie, Politician.				of the future of the whole town. Mention was made
6. Mr. Halim Michael Eloka, Student.				of how the payment of the hall where the “Ife
7. Mr. Emeka Esogbue, Historian, International				Ibusa nasom” event which took place in Lagos
Relations/Political Affairs Analyst, and Chief Scribe,				was financed by only two individuals as an attempt
Ibusa Like-minds Association.				to project the good image of Ibusa sports to the
8. Miss Florence kanayo Bob-Okonkwo, Public				whole world. He suggested the need for Ibusa to rise
Servant. Mayor, Ibusa Like-minds Association.				up as a town and embrace development, and
9. Mr. Anthony Ike Nwabuoku Nwaokoloba, Estate				achieving this, networking is necessary.
Manager and Consultant.				It was the turn of Mr. Ike Nwaokoloba to speak, and
10. Dr. Albert Umeadi Okolie, MD/CEO, Phil-Umeh				he started on quite a good note calling for the
Ventures, Lagos.				projection and encouragement of Ibusa language
11. Mr. Egbuchua Peter, Regional Manager, Patech				among the people of the town. He also spoke on the
solutions Nigeria Ltd and Account Executive (Olivier				need for peace in Ibusa, which he said must start in
Africa Plc).				every Ibusa home because Ibusa must be protected.
12. Mr. Halim Henry, Senior Estate Officer and Civil				He spoke in favour of capable Ibusa businessmen
Servant.				and women raising funds to sponsor their own
13. Miss Gloria Tariah, Educator.				children. The youths he said, must agitate to achieve
14. Mr. Philip Ngozi Ifechukwude, Creative Writer.				results, move and meet with the elders for the
15. Mr. Alex Okonma, I.T Consultant.				development of the town. He concluded that Ibusa
16. Mr. Awele Achakpo, Trainer and Coach, Baseball				needs peace because it is achievable, and prosperity
Sports.				will follow. To him identifying with Diokpa or Obuzor
17. Dr. Okwudili Iwebunor Iwedi, Health Worker and				camp will yield nothing.
Counselor.				Mr. Henry Chiedu Halim spoke on the need for
18. Chief (Mrs.) Patricia Okolie, Solicitor and Advocate.				strengthening our culture, arguing that the problem
19. Mr. Emeka Achakpo, Senior Lecturer, Bauchi State				the town is facing at the moment radiates from our
Polytechnic, Bauchi State.				homes. The issue of “miracle centers” will not
20. Mrs. Felicia Nwankwo, Chairperson, Centre for the				help our education to grow. Parents are aware of the
Defence of Women's Right, Kano, Kano State.				existence of secret cults which their children are
The leadership of Ibusa Like-minds Association also				belonging but they do nothing to discourage them.
paid official visits to prominent Ibusa people to gather				Many of our parents also encourage their children to
progressive ideas, personal opinions and suggestions				acquire wealth fraudulently. He compared the situation
on how the Ibusa clan can move forward.				of Ibusa with building a large mansion on a weak
Some of those visited were:				foundation which is bound to collapse. His advice is
1. Professor Fidelis N. Amatokwu				that parents guide their children to become useful to
2. Mr. Austin. Abuah, Erstwhile President-General of				the Ibusa society in particular and the nation at large.
Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU), Ibusa				Several other Discussants also aired their views on
3. Obi (Prof) Chike Onwuachi, former Head of				the Ibusa situation but one strong point held by
Nigerian Institute of International Affairs				everyone is that the Ibusa society is suffering, and
4. Princess Patricia Ajudua, Minority Leader, Delta				this can be corrected if only we approach it with
State House of Assembly (Met her absence because				genuine seriousness, concern and sincerity. The
the House had not resumed for the year)				commitment of everyone is necessary if this is to be
5. Obi (Prof) Louis Chelunor Nwoboshi, the Obuzor of				achieved; after all, no one is too small to contribute
Ibusa				towards this.
6. Mr. Albert Enenmo, Former Principal, St.				Many of those visited by the officials of Ibusa
Thomas’ College, Ibusa				Like-minds Association also spoke in the same vein.
7. Mrs. Ndidi Okonta				Obi (Professor) Chike Onwuachi, believes that the
8. Obi Onyemauche Okafor, Umuodafe, Ibusa				elders of Ibusa have failed the town, and it would be
9. Mr. Anthony Ike Nwabuoku Nwaokoloba				difficult for the youths of the town to rectify this,
The moderator, Emeka Esogbue after recognizing the				therefore it forms the responsibility of the elders of
presence of participants enjoined everyone to				the town in association with the youths to solve this
courageously speak his/her mind without fear of				problem and not pass it to the future generation. He
intimidation on how the Ibusa community could take				expresses further belief that the instrument of
her place among the comity of developed towns in				radicalism and gradualism will bring about the much
the nation. Shortly after, Florence Bob-Okonkwo				cherished peace and unity to the town. He warmly
(Miss) the Mayor of Ibusa Like-minds Association read				welcomed the members of Ibusa Like-minds
out the citation of the Association in which the				Association and commended them for their efforts in
problems of Ibusa were noted as forming the aims				seeking peace and unity for Ibusa. He expressed the
and objectives of the Association.				view that only truth, love and compassion will save
The Discussion Forum flagged-off with an informative				Ibusa from the present crisis.
and entertaining opening remark given by Prof.				Mr. Austin Abuah on his part called for the
Amatokwu. In his remarks, he expressed his delight				strengthening of Ibusa culture, lamenting the inability
for the invitation extended to him by the Ibusa				of today’s Ibusa youth to effectively
Like-minds Association, while acknowledging that the				communicate in Ibusa dialect, and the situation
Discussion was a timely one. He further noted that				whereby our youths are seen hanging the Otogwu
Ibusa has always been in the limelight socio-culturally,				attire on their shoulders during funerals, with elders
and recounted how Ibusa recorded history in				not rebuking them. He also thanked the members of
Ekumeku and Cassava wars. He described the military				Ibusa Like-minds Association that paid him a visit and
courage of Ibusa in the words of a British				said he was delighted on the topic of
Anthropology who described how Ibusa utilized				“Socio-cultural Development of Ibusa” which
trenches to prosecute wars. He recollected the				he said was what Ibusa needed. He said that Ibusa
history of healthy competition between Ibusa, Asaba,				has seen some elements of development if we
Okpanam and Ogwashi-Uku in which Ibusa triumphed				consider the achievements of our illustrious sons and
with the Nigerian number of military officers that				daughters who are achievers in their various
prosecuted the Nigerian Biafran War, and the				endeavours of life. He promised to grace the next
greatest number of professors from the town.				program of Ibusa Like-minds Association as long as it
According to him, Ibusa has emerged as the fountain				will have to do with the development of the town.
head of Delta state.				As Reported by:
On the culture of dressing in Otogwu attire which is				Mr. Emeka Esogbue
fast dying out in Ibusa, Florence Bob-Okonkwo spoke				Historian and International Relations/Public Affairs
on the need to make dressing in the attire to some				Analyst.
traditional occasions compulsory. Professor Fidelis

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Report of the Discussion Forum on “socio-cultural Development of Ibusa: What is the Way Forward” Organized by the Ibusa Like-minds Association Held at