Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc.
INTRODUCING THE GRASSROOTS ASSOCIATION OF ALL UMUADA IN THE DIASPORA

The name of this association is Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc., and California is the INTERNATIONAL HEADQUARTERS. The organization has chapters in many states in the USA and abroad, and we plan to set up further branches so that every Igbo woman living in the USA will have an opportunity to have a chapter in the State/City where she lives — to facilitate interactions with other Umuada. We also plan to have Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora Inc. branches in EUROPE, ASIA, NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA, MIDDLE EAST, ASIA, & AFRICA soon.

The Motto of the organization is Love, Peace, Unity, Respect, and Empowerment.

It is our belief that the Igbo Nation is enormously endowed with vast human resources, but the impact of this rare gift from God has not been felt in Nigeria so far. One very important reason is that Igbo women (Umuada) have not been fully engaged. So far, we seem to be interested only in our individual achievements and short-term benefits in whatever we do. This type of thinking and philosophy has not yielded anything substantial to us as people. There is, thus, the need for us to start doing things differently in order to have a more favorable outcome. Umuada should strive to be more involved in community affairs and engage each other in a more cordial and respectful way, show sincere love for one another, and create an atmosphere of peace where unity can very easily be attained. But for us to achieve anything tangible as a group, there is a need for us to first empower ourselves, take advantage of our living in the more prosperous Diaspora, and copy the positive impact of community service in national development.

Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc. is a non-political, non-governmental cultural and corporate organization. She draws her membership from the seven Igbo speaking states of Nigeria, namely: ABIA, ANAMBRA, EBONYI, ENUGU, IMO, DELTA, & RIVERS (Maka odinma Ndi-Igbo).

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GOALS AND OBJECTIVES OF UMUADA NDI -IGBO IN DIASPORA, INC.

1) Mobilization of Igbo women towards Igbo unity and progress —” Maka oganiru Ndi-Igbo”: This can only be realized by us emphasizing core Igbo family values in the matrimonial home where the husband is head of the family. Husband and wife should live in peace, love, and harmony with mutual respect for one another and be mentors and role models to our children. As Umuada, it is our responsibility to raise our families in traditional Igbo and Christian ways, so children grow up with humility and the fear of the Lord, and have respect for self, family, elders, and others. So, Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora is very serious business! It is not another AUGUST MEETING!!
2) Preservation of our fast fading Igbo Language, Tradition, and Culture:
It may interest you to know that our Igbo language is predicted to be one of those currently widely spoken languages in the world that might fade away in the next 15 to 20 years if nothing is done about it right now! This is in part due to the fact that our children are no longer taught or encouraged to speak Igbo. Our children are also not being taught our rich Igbo History, especially the Igbo Traditional Marriage institution.

Since the woman is the bedrock of every family, Umuada Igbo encourages us to wake up and start teaching our children the Igbo Language, Igbo marriage traditions, and other relevant aspects of our very rich but endangered culture.
3) Women Empowerment:
This organization believes that Umuada is immensely skilled and talented. As such, Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc. encourages her members to wake up and move beyond just being housewives, and strive to be the best we can possibly be in our matrimonial homes, in public service, business, politics, education, and other walks of life, our gender notwithstanding.
4) Youth Development/Empowerment – Maka odinma umu anyi:
Umuada Ndi-Igbo takes issues pertaining to our youths very seriously since the youths represent our future — the Obamas of tomorrow! This association stands to do everything possible to give our children the exposure and tools required to prepare them for a better tomorrow. We are currently proposing a yearly Youth Awareness Summit to be organized by each Umuada Ndi-Igbo Chapter in the USA with the intention of having our kids come together, know one another, and get exposed to our very rich cultural heritage, including the Igbo language. There will also be academic programs aimed at identifying talented kids and providing them with scholarships and academic loans to help them attain their optimal potentials. We believe that if you teach a child the path to follow, he/she will never depart from it.

5) Promoting Healthy Matrimonial Relationships/Fighting Against Domestic Violence:
Umuada Ndi-Igbo in the Diaspora, Inc. promises to determine possible causes of matrimonial disharmony and the resultant rising incidence of spousal abuse, neglect, and violence within some Igbo communities, and to look for ways of preventing them (including counseling and other forms of assistance and improving our self- esteem). This will go a long way to prevent unwarranted cases of separation and divorce since our children need both of their parents to grow up in a healthy way and develop properly.
6) Promoting Unity amongst Umuada with the ultimate aim of bringing all Ndi Igbo in the Diaspora together:
Umuada Ndi-Igbo Nigeria sincerely believes that the Igbo Nation will never benefit in any meaningful way from the Federation of Nigeria if the Igbos do not immediately put aside their individual interests, come together, and unite under one strong Igbo Nation and speak with one voice. The big question on the lips of every mainstream Umuada is this: If Igbos cannot help themselves, then who would? We have to start by first creating a platform to bring all Umuada together. An organized will then find it easier to pull together their husbands and families, followed by friends and other acquaintances. From there it gets even easier to build bridges between and amongst the different Igbo communities in the Diaspora and back home. Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc. is providing that basic platform.

VISION / MISSION of Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc.

Our immediate/short-term project is to build a united Umuada Ndi-Igbo in the Diaspora (around the globe) that can stand strong in the face of any adversity that may face us (umuada). This is not money oriented, but building a connecting bridge with love that will link all Umuada Ndi-Igbo across the United States of America and other parts of the world.
Long-term, we plan with our International Headquarters to raise funds to acquire an UMUADA NDI-IGBO CENTER. This center will be used for cultural and traditional heritage events and programs. It will also be used to provide shelter for battered women/children, for counseling, protection, and other forms of assistance as the case may be.
We also look forward to working with non-governmental and government agencies to procure loans/financial aid to help us carry out developmental projects to benefit the Igbo communities back home in Nigeria and in the Diaspora, as well. It is our hope that our husbands, opinion/community leaders, philanthropists, and politicians give us that much-needed encouragement and support required to realize these lofty goals that we have set for ourselves. Such projects will include the construction of cassava grinding/garri processing mills in rural areas across eastern Nigeria to alleviate the suffering of the local farmers, help boost productivity, and make more food available to the masses.
There is no doubt that the Igbo Nation has had a very difficult and lamentable history ever since Nigeria became an independent country. But we have continued to direct blaming fingers at the other major ethnic groups in Nigeria for our woes for too long! Unfortunately, this whole blame game has not yielded anything positive for Igbo land. It is time for us, as a people, to wake up and take our collective destiny into our own hands. Igbo men, our husbands and brothers have done a lot in this direction already but much more is needed. That is where we, Igbo women/wives/sisters square in!

For a long time, there has been that pressing need for Igbo women (Umuada) to have a platform that will enable them to come together/mobilize themselves, put their rare gift of resourcefulness on the table, and come out with plans/strategies needed to complement the enormous work that our men are already doing to project the dwindling image of the Igbo Nation to higher heights. That prayer has been answered. So, don’t go looking elsewhere for such a platform as we have already created one. Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc. is the name! Membership into Umuada Ndi-Igbo is open to every woman of Igbo descent, i.e. those who hail from any of the seven Igbo-speaking states of the Federation of Nigeria. Admission is open and ongoing! Sisters, come on in as the train is already leaving the station!!

It will be a pity if Igbo women living in the Diaspora (who are exposed to, and see/feel the importance of community service in nation-building in the developed world) would not take advantage of the positive experiences obtained out here, get together, and engage in community service aimed at positively touching many lives back home. It will also be a disservice to our people should we not harness our acquired skills and experiences to the service of our people. It is not an easy task, but I believe we have all that it takes to accomplish it. In Obama’s words, YES WE CAN!

Please join us to make a better Igbo Nation. We need every body, and we need your help too! JOIN US TO BUILD A MORE PROGRESSIVE IGBO NATION THAT IS BUILT ON THE IDEALS OF UNITY, LOVE, RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER, HARD WORK, AND EMPOWERMENT. Together we stand, divided we shall fall!Thank you for believing in a strong and united Igbo Nation.

**Chukwu chiri anyi eze (GOD HAS CROWNED US) ***

Sincerely,

Chief/Lady Ada Ozo Grace Chinonyelum Agude (K of C)
Founder/National President,
Umuada Ndi-Igbo in Diaspora, Inc.