Amaigbo
Town Union, USA, INC.
September 8, 2003
Our fellow Amaigbo citizens,
Good tidings wherever you are. We the elected officers of
the newly formed Amaigbo Town Union, USA, are wishing you all a very pleasant
fall season.
By now, you must have heard the news of Amaigbo convention
in Los Angeles, California. But if you have not heard, we wish to use this
opportunity to spread that news to you and further bring you more good news
about the Amaigbo community in the United States - “the formation of Amaigbo
Town Union, USA (ATU-USA).”
Amaigbo Town Union, USA, was born following a very
successful 2-day convention in Los Angeles, California, over the 4th of July
weekend. The convention was a culmination of several months of efforts and hard
work between many sons and daughters of Amaigbo Town. We are happy to report
that many people from different states attended the convention. However, it
pained us to learn that you could not and did not make it. We understand. Your
presence was surely missed.
The major goals of Amaigbo Town Union, USA is quite
simple:
1)
For Amaigbo
Town Union, USA to be an umbrella organization for all Amaigbo sons and
daughters here in the USA and,
2)
For Amaigbo to
speak and do things with one clarion voice. “Anasha gba kuu onu, anu olu
ha.” “When the giant ants come together, their voice will be heard.”
(Detailed minutes of the convention may be obtained from
your local Amaigbo organizations.)
With those goals in mind, we wish to introduce and welcome
you to Amaigbo Town Union, USA (ATU-USA). As worthy sons and daughters of
Amaigbo, ATU-USA is our organization (yours and mine). To that end, we are
strongly encouraging every son and daughter of Amaigbo to join ATU-USA. At this
point in time, all membership requirements to join ATU-USA have not been fully
worked out. Nevertheless, we are urging you to join and be actively involved in
your local Amaigbo organization. It is through these organizations that we will
be accepting memberships to ATU-USA. “Eshi n’ulo aru mma ma n’apu ama.”
“Charity begins at home.”
As an umbrella organization of all Amaigbo people,
we will try as much as possible to reach and communicate with each and every
Amaigbo person in the US. We pledge to keep you abreast of all happenings within
the ATU-USA. However, due to cost, it will be quite difficult to reach every
individual at once. That would be quite a “Herculean” task. Thus,
information regarding ATU-USA will be disseminated through all Amaigbo local
organizations.
Amaigbo town needs development and has many
development projects in the works. During the convention, we discussed a number
of issues that boiled down to development. Based on those discussions, we agreed
to begin with the renovation and repair of schools, then, move on to some other
projects. As you know, any development project needs money. Because of that, we
are asking all Amaigbo households to pay an annual due of two hundred dollars
($200.00). All dues can be paid to Mr. Cletus Osuala (ATU-USA treasurer, Denver,
CO), or to Mr. Fabian Mbagwu (ATU-USA financial secretary, Baton Rouge, LA), or
to Mr. Nwokedi Ibewuike (ATU-USA president, Baltimore, MD), whichever one is
closest to you.
We also agreed to have the next Amaigbo convention the
same time next year (July 3-5, 2004), in Baltimore, Maryland. You do not really
want to miss out two in a row, do you? I don’t think so! Please make
arrangements for you and your family to attend. It was a lot of fun in Los
Angeles; it will be much bigger fun in Baltimore.
Finally, brothers and sisters, the time has come for all
Amaigbo sons and daughters in the US to jointly make a difference. Let us all
come together to affect some changes in our town. We have remained quiet and
dormant for a number of years. And in that period, many things have passed us by
and many people have overlooked us. It is time we say no more. With the
formation of ATU-USA, we are jointly saying “never more” to Amaigbo being
relegated to the background and things passing us by. Let us remember that
“Umunna wu ike.” We must be a part of something much bigger than our
individual thinking. Amaigbo ga n’ihu! Thank you all. May God bless our
efforts. Long Live Amaigbo! Long Live Amaigbo Town Union, USA!
Sincerely,
Cash Ezimako, Secretary, ATU-USA
(On behalf of the elected officers of ATU-USA, Inc.)