IGBO Union Nottingham of second edition of IGBO Kwenu! publication. This year, as we celebrate the 2015’s New Yam Festival, we are focus on the need to celebrate our women and children. We pay attention on the importance of IGBO culture and Language. We introduce Igbo language school and Nigerian current affairs. We cover Igbo count numbers, the map, states and capitals of Nigeria, and the map of Africa. The chairman IGBO Union Nottingham Britain Chief Dr. Emeka Ilione also explains the reason why we celebrate harvest in Igbo land and diaspora with yam as the main symbol. We also look at the role igbo women in igbo society by featuring an article by Mrs Hope Ngozi eruchie (Adachinyelugo of Umuabi) of our sister igbo Union in Leicester. Mrs Eruchie’s article also contains some pet names given to women in igbo land and their meanings and I hope you will choose.
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IGBO Kwenu! IUNB @ Hyson Green Youth Club, Terrace Street, NG7 6ER SUNDAY 3 SEPT 205 CHIEF, ONYEMA ANTHONY AJIDUAH. (NWAODOGWU ABI) PRESIDENT OHANAEZE NDI IGBO UK. FORMER LORD MAYOR OF NOTTINGHAN IAN MALCOM 4 th Annual IUNB`s New Yam Festival (Iriji) 205 Traditional Ruler of the day: HRH IGWE & LOLO CHRIS EJIOFOR - EZEKWESILI 1H- NGAMIKPO IV OF OYOFO-OGHE EZAGU Father of the day: HIGH CHIEF BENARD OKENWA Chief Host: CHIEF, DR EMEKA ILIONE Special Guest:
We value your patronage and appreciate your confidence in us. Counting on all our
valued customers is something for which we are especially grateful for.
On behalf of us at WILOKS we wish all the Nigerians,Africans and non Africans the best
of luck; we appreciate you all.
3IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
FRom THe ediToRmembers, friends and relatives of the igbo Union Nottingham. i am so excited to welcome you to the second edition of igbo kwenu! publication, titled igbo knwenu! Vol 2. it’s unbelievable that 12 months are gone since the first igbo kwenu! was published. We mark its first birthday as we celebrate the FoUTH ANNUAL NeW YAm FeSTiVAL (iRiJi) of the iGBo UNioN NoTTiNGHAm (iUNB).
We were overwhelmed by the positive feedback we received as five hundred (500) copies of the publication went
round Nottingham even after the New Yam festival 2014. This unprecedented journey started when mojatu Foundation’s media and Advertising magazines which covered iRiJi festival. The magazines placed at information stands and community groups including New Art exchange, Hyson Green Youth Club, Nottingham Trent University’s Global Lounge, homes, shops, and other important places. This created the driving force towards making the future editions better!
igbo kwenu! was born to: enhance the knowledge and understanding of igbo culture among our children, family and friends; Create a medium where local businesses can advertise their goods and services to wider audience and give them the opportunity to appreciate their loyal customers. This is why the chairman of the iUNB, Chief dr emeKA iLioNe, in his visionary leadership, gave us the task to bridge this gap in collaboration with mojatu magazines. Last year’s igbo Kwenu, featured ‘New Yam Festival in igbo land’ by edwin Ubah, ’ The Symbol of kola in igbo Culture’ by dr. Uchenna enem and ’ The ever Green proverbs of Chinua Achebe’ by dr ogueri Nwaiwu.
This year, as we celebrate the 2015’s New Yam Festival, we are focusing on the need to celebrate our women and children. We pay
special attention on the importance of inculcating igbo culture and Language in our children by introducing igbo language school and Nigerian current affairs. it includes igbos count numbers, the map, states and capitals of Nigeria, and the map of Africa. The chairman igbo Union Nottingham Britain Chief dr. emeka ilione also explains the reason why we celeberate harvest in igbo land and diaspora with yam as the main symbol. We also look at the role igbo women in igbo society by featuring an article by mrs Hope Ngozi eruchie (Adachinyelugo of Umuabi) of our sister igbo Union in Leicester. mrs eruchie’s article also contains some pet names given to women in igbo land and their meanings and i hope you will choose one of these pet names for yourselves, friends and spouse. There is an article on how igbo’s traditional marrige by edwin Ubah while mr Kelvin Ugwuna, writes on how to tackle child abuse in our society.
Special thanks to all the individual and bussiness who have supported this publication in all ways especially the mojatu media and Advertising staff, local businesses, article writers, photographers and most importantly members of the igbo Union Nottingham for their freewill donations towards the 2015’s New Yam Festival and iriji committee for their unrelenting efforts. This occassion and publication wouldn’t have been possible without you all. You are the best!!
Kind Note & Caution:
While Igbo kwenu! comes as the Nottingham’s Iriji brochure/ magazine, it is our intention that parents should take this magazine home and use it as one of your ‘little references’ in teaching Igbo language to your children as well as a reference on African culture and tradition. So please don’t throw away what may be a valuable asset to you and your family in future!
The views of the contents in the magazine are those of the contributors and not necessarily those of Igbo Union Nottingham.
Edwin Ubah Co ordinator igbo Kwenu / Chairman igbo Cultural Group Nottingham
British National Anthem:
GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!
God save our gracious Queen, Long live our noble Queen,
God save the Queen! Send her victorious, Happy and Glorious,
Long to reign over us; God save the Queen!
NIGERIAN NATIONAL ANTHEM:
ARISE, O COMPATROITS!
Arise, o compatriots, Nigeria’s call obey
To serve our FatherlandWith love and strength and faith. The labour of our heroes past
Shall never be in vain, To serve with heart and mightone nation bound in freedom,
peace and unity.
Abia State - UmuahiaAdamawa State - YolaAkwa Ibom State - UyoAnambra State - AwkaBauchi State - BauchiBayelsa State - YenagoaBenue State - MakurdiBorno State - MaiduguriCross River State -CalabarDelta State - AsabaEbonyi State - AbakalikiEdo State - Benin CityEkiti State - Ado-EkitiEnugu State - EnuguFCT - AbujaGombe State - GombeImo State - OwerriJigawa State - DutseKaduna State - KadunaKano State - KanoKatsina State - Katsina
Kebbi State - Birnin KebbiKogi State - LokojaKwara State - IlorinLagos State - IkejaNasarawa State - LafiaNiger State - MinnaOgun State - AbeokutaOndo State - Akure
Osun State - OshogboOyo State - IbadanPlateau State - JosRivers State - Port HarcourtSokoto State - SokotoTaraba State - JalingoYobe State - DamaturuZamfara State - Gusau
Map of Nigerian,
States & CapitalsNigerian Population: �73. 6 million (20�3)
4 IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
:) Provides Care for Children b/w 6wks & 5 years in a secure and stimulating environment
:) Services tailored to meet Children’s individual needs
This igbo union fosters solidarity and spirit of co operation among the igbos. The rason d’être of the association is the promotion and propagation of the igbo
culture, language and heritage thereby boosting the igbo cultural awareness.
in igbo land there are many festivals and cultural performances but the most notable ones are the masquerades and the New Yam festivals. Also the yam and the kola nut are two of the most important ingredients in igbo land – both in the motherland and the diaspora.
The yam signifies the hard working igbos, who do whatever it takes to earn their living honestly while kola nut demonstrates the desire of the igbos to maintain oneness.
The iri ji festival is of a high significance to the igbos as it marks the beginning of the harvest season for the new yams. it is an occasion for celebration and offering of special prayers to the gods for a good harvest. it is also an occasion marked with fanfare and colourful display of cultural dances and rites, roasting and toasting of new yams, feasting and merry making, all of which you shall witness here today.
The theme of this year’s festival is the role of language in the transmission and propagation of culture.
The igbo people are widely travelled and have established abodes in the far reaches of the diaspora. There is no extended family within igbo land that does not have at least a family member outside of igbo land. igbo language and culture therefore should be spoken widely, virtually everywhere. But this we know is far from the reality. igbo language especially outside of the motherland is on the decline. igbo people sometimes find it very difficult to speak the language amongst themselves. This comes into an acute focus within the homes where parents communicate with themselves and their children in languages other than igbo. This has made it that the majority of our children cannot understand igbo language and amongst the few that do, even fewer can speak it. in other words, our beloved language, the vehicle of transmission of our culture and heritage is on the road to extinction.
Culture and Society are co-existent – one does not and cannot exist without the other. A culture must have at least one language which it uses as a dominant medium of communication to convey its defining ideas, customs, beliefs etc, from one member to another and from one generation to another. Hence language remains the verbal expression of culture and there cannot be cultural transmission in the absence of language.
For us the igbos that medium of communication is and must remain our language - the igbo language. it goes without saying that the only way we can propagate and pass on our culture down the generations is by using the language of that culture – the igbo language.
Then the question arises as to how we can achieve this cultural transmission when the vast majority of the children of igbo parentage living outside of the motherland, in the diaspora and even some living within the motherland, do not understand let alone speak the language. At this rate, igbo language and with it our culture and heritage will be lost within two generations in families of igbo parentage in the diaspora.
There is however a simple solution to this impending catastrophe.
This simple solution is that every igbo person must learn to love this language, be willing to speak it always at every opportunity especially in their homes and to their children, take pride in speaking it and by so doing teach the children – the igbo men and women of tomorrow – the language of our people. Teach them the idioms and proverbs which our language is well renowned for. By so doing we will be able to reverse the rot and avoid the extinction of our traditions.
igbo Union Nottingham, understand the problems that are inherent in the fact that we are all immigrants to this society with the associated difficulties of a minority language and the problems igbo’s face in trying to teach their children their language.
iUN therefore plans to commence igbo language lessons for her members and their children. This it is hoped will alleviate some of the difficulties that we face in trying to teach our children igbo language. it must also be said that the igbo language lesson is but only a small part of the programme. The greater lesson and work remain with the parents in their different households, who must remain engaged, motivated and willing to speak and communicate with their children in the mother tongue, hence improving their chances of being proficient in the language. And by doing so, ensures that our language is passed on to the next generation and with it our culture and heritage.
iUN remains the primary union for ALL THe iGBo- meN ANd WomeN- LiViNG iN ANd ARoUNd NoTTiNGHAm. The only criterion for membership is that you are an igbo by birth or association such as marriage. membership to iUN remains a right of every igbo person and does not prevent you from belonging to any other unions or associations as you wish.
i therefore ask every igbo person to claim their right and join the union for all the igbos and together as brothers/sisters work to promote and preserve our language, our culture and our heritage.
Your people need you, do not let your language and traditions to die with your generation. Join iUN to ensure that your wonderful culture and traditions is passed on to future generations and the occasion that we celebrate here today will continue to be celebrated for generations to come. A word is enough for the wise; let’s make hay while the sun shines.
i will conclude with the sayings of our people,
igbo kwenu yaa !, igbo Kwenu yaa !!, igbo Kwezuonu yaa !!!
Nke onye diri ya
onye iro anyi biri, m’anyi biri
Ya bara onye, bara ibe ya
onye anwuna, m’ibe ya efula
K‚anyi rie Ji ohuru afo nkea n’ Udo
Udo diri unu
Ndewo nu
Chief (Dr) Emeka Ilione
ojinmaegbuaku
Chairman iUN.
Chairman’s Welcome addressYour excellencies, My Lords spiritual and temporal, Igwes, Chiefs, Members of IUN, Distinguish guests, Ladies and Gentlemen. It is with great joy that I welcome you all to the Iri ji festival of the Igbos in Nottingham, the 4th since the inception of this union.
compatriots of igbo extraction as you celebrate your 4th new yam festival.
long live igbo union Nottingham ! Long live
Nigeria. igbo Kwenu! Nigeria Kwenu!! Africa Kwenu!!!
UNITY BARBBERSOUR OWN BARBBER. WE ARE HERE TO
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7IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
In Igbo society, a woman is a daughter, a sister and possibly a wife. A female child in Igbo culture represents continuity; a tacit acknowledgment that without a woman, man will not be able to fulfil Gods injunction in Genesis Chapter �: 28 to be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth.
Ada as a name means daughter. in general usage every igbo woman is “ada” and is recognised as such even in her matrimonial home. in a particular usage however “ada” refers to the first female of a family, often called Adaobi, literally the first female child of the nuclear family (obi). Umuada is a compound noun and is formed from two igbo words; “Umu” and “Ada”. Umu is a generic plural word which denotes the sense of many. Umuada therefore connotes, many daughters in a social group in the same lineage – a social unit consisting of a group of people who can trace actual decent from one ancestor”.
Umuada should be contrasted from “Ndinyom di” i. e. the “married wives” who are conversely “Ada’s” in their own father compounds. The socio-political importance of the Umuada is that they whiled the power of finality in issues concerning women in the family, the community and in conflicts situations where men are unable to settle them. They make these judgements after careful deliberation and their judgement is respected and followed. one reason for this is that they have a vested interest in the smooth running of their father’s home. if a married woman is being maltreated by her husband, her family will intervene and it is a thing of pride and joy for her, the realisation that her people are behind her.
Umuada plays an important and pivotal role in conflict resolution. The minimisation of conflicts and enthronement of peace in the family and wider community is the function of Umuada. Where men fail in conflict management and or resolution, Umuada weighs a big stick and their decision is final. Umuada igbo employ two main approaches to conflict management and resolution. The first is through conciliatory approaches to the protagonist encouraging them to reach agreement interpreting the issues at stake and exploring ways of reaching an amicable solution. However, where this fails, there is a second approach involving threats of sanctions or force. This is not meant to suppress the conflict but to concentrate minds and draw boundaries between the protagonists especially where the conflict has created deep rooted feeling of hatred and acrimony. Care is taken to redress any power imbalance.
Umuada are not involved or the first port of call in every dispute or conflict resolution. The igbo’s has a developed system of conflict resolution involving a hierarchy of mediatory bodies. The family is the first tier followed by Umunna (brother’s commune) where the family are unable and or unwilling to settle the issue. The Umu ogbo (age grade or peer group) is another tier that a dispute or conflict can be referred to for resolution. They also act as executors of an interim or final order by the council of elders. The elders are charged with the day to day running of the town and the council of elders are the highest policy making body and act as an appellate authority from disputes and conflicts. Where conflicts prove difficult to resolve the elders can resort to using a dibia (chief priest of an oracle) to arrange for an oath
to be sworn. The use of dibia and oaths can result to deaths and generational curses, so this is where the Umuada comes to their own. They will wade in and persuade the protagonist to settle without swearing an oath and their decision is final. Nobody in their right of mind will want to be on the wrong side of Umuada because of the love, respect and affection in which they are held by the entire community.
The role of the Umuada in igbo culture in engaging in economic and cultural life of the people has been given recognition by the Federal Government of Nigeria. it has been certified and registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja under the Companies and Allied matters Act of 1990. With its Headquarters in enugu, Umuada igbo is a non-governmental cultural organisation and her membership are drawn from the igbo speaking states of Anambra, enugu, imo, ebonyi, Abia, delta and Rivers states. igbo daughters in the diaspora are also members. The remit of the organisation is the peace and progress of igbo families and homes.
‘The Role of Ada in Igbo culture and tradition’. By Mrs Hope Ngozi Eruchie (Adachinyelugo of Umuabi), Member, Igbo Union Leicester, Uk
NB. Titles and pet names explained.
Adaku – a daughter born when her parents have made some wealth.
Adamma – a pretty little girl or woman
Adania or Adanna – his father’s daughter
Adaora – our daughter or everybody’s daughter (a term of endearment).
Adannie or Adanne – mum’s daughter
Adaugo – daughter of esteem.
Adaeze – “Princess Royal” or the daughter of a King (eze).
Adaobi – first daughter born into a nuclear family.
Adadioramma – A daughter of wide acclaim or approval.
Adachinyelugo – a daughter crowned by God from birth.
Adaejiejenba – a daughter fit as an ambassador for the family.
8 IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
Chief dr emeka ilione Chairman
vv
CURRENT IUNB’S ExECUTIVE MEMBERS
Bar. emeka ogu, Vice Chairman
mazi Chidi Nzerogu, Secretary
dr Paul dim Ass. Secretary
Chief dom okafor Treasurer
mazi Sunny izegbune Financial secretary
mazi edwin UbahAss Financial secretary
mazi Cajethan Anike Provost
mazi Uzochukwu okonkwoPRo
Rev Father Stanley ofoegbu Chaplain
Nze emele Former treasurer
mazi ekewoke Bejer welfare officervHigh Benard
IRIJI COMMITTEE
20�5 daniel moris Chairman,
edwin Ubah, Chibuzor okolo, Kelvin Ugwonna,
Uloma daniel moris, Blessing Adiruo,
Victoria Uzor
�IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
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�0 IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
ezi na Ụlọ Chief (dr) emeka ilione – ojinmaegbuaku - na odozi aku
Nnenna ilione na ekele ụmụ afo igbo nile, ma kachasi ndi otu ụmụ igbo
nọọ na Nottingham, na emume iri ji ọhụrụ nke afo a – afo puku abụọ na
iri na ise. Ana m agọ ọfọ ogologo ndu na
ahu isike, aku na uba, ihe ewewe na omụmụ, na isi Ndigbo nịle.
Ma na asi kwa ndi bu ndi otu igbo na Nottingham - jide kwanu ka unu ji, unu adakwana mba, were nu ofu obi, maka na anyukọọ mamiri onu, ọgbaa ụfụfụ. Cheta kwanu na gidi
gidi bu ugwu eze. Ka udo diri onye ọbụla.
��IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
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334 Radford Rd, Hyson Green
Nottingham, NG7 5GP
Wish to use this New Yam
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all Nigerians, Africans and non Africans in Nottingham for their patronage so far. We appreciate
your support!
Mobile: 07�83042�28
�5IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
Late Mrs Ifeyinwa Hope Okonkwo (Nee Uchendu)
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The Okonkwos’ wish to felicitate with the Igbo Union Notts on her 4th annual Iriji celebration. Igbo Kwenu!!!
�6 IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
IGBO UNION LANGUAGE SCHOOL Numbers list ENGLISH -IGBO 1 – otu2 – abụọ3 – atọ4 – anọ5 – ise6 – isii7 – asaa8 – asato
9 – eteghiete10 – iri11 – iri na otu12 – iri na abụọ13 – iri na atọ14 – iri na anọ15 – iri na ise16 – iri na isii
17 – iri na asaa18 – iri na asato19 – iri na eteghiete20 – iri abụọ30 – iri atọ40 – iri anọ50 – iri ise60 – iri isii
70 – iri asaa80 – iri asato90 – iri eteghiete100 – nnari1, 000 – pukuone million – ndeone billion – ijeri
�7IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
TWOJ MINI MARKET 338 RAdFoRd RoAd, WiSH To FeLiCiTATe WiTH THe iGBo UNioN NoTTiNGHAm oN THieR 4TH ANNUAL NeW YAm
FeSTiVAL ANd To THANK ALL THeiR CUSTomeRS.
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In Igbo land, vows are not sealed by words of mouth alone but also with what we eat being kola and palm wine, water etc. In some parts of the world marriage involve fewer relatives, friends and well-wishers, but in Igbo traditional marriage, the entire community play a role in celebrating this sacred union.
When a man has made his choice on whom to marry, he is expected to arrange a first visit to the parents to declare his intention to her family. He must finding out the right time to visit the family to make a presentation of introductory palm wine to the bride’s family. due to the igbo cultural courtesy, there is no YeS or No answer at this stage as long as the bride or the parents does not have strong reasons while the process should not proceed to the next sage. on the other hand, if there is any issues of concern while the marriage may not go ahead, the family of the bride may reject or suspend drinking of the wine until such concerns are addressed. Concerns that may ruin the process of marriage are mainly matters reputation and family history on the side of both parties and families.
in the absence of no major concern, the process goes through a more character and family reputation investigation stage called “iGBA NJU” meaning asking to find out. Both families are expected to carry out secret investigation deep into the family history of their in-laws to be.
if everything goes down well, a second visit known as introduction takes place. This is where more relatives will be present at the compound of the bride. Here the groom will address the family of the bride through one of his elders and also question will be putted to him by his family to re- affirm his intention to marry the lady in question. According to custom, the bride is not part of the meeting where traditional marriage rites are discussed, during this discussion, she is expected to be busy preparing food for hosting of her guest. on request by the elders the bride to be will be asked to come and greet their visitor, the reason for this is for the relatives of the man meet their ‘wife’ to be and to make a brief assessment her beauty and character.
Before the ‘igba Nkwu’, in some communities, the bride to be is expected to go and spend some time with the family of the groom to familiarize with family members as well as the environment she will be marrying into. When the bride comes back, she is expected to report her finding to the parents who will now advice her on whether to go ahead or not with the marriage.
if the family and bride wish to go ahead with the marriage, a date will now be fixed for the actual traditional marriage which usually involve a reasonable number of people from both sides. in some communities a small part of the bride price and traditional rite should be presented to the brides closer relatives before the traditional marriage. This is known as igba Nkwu ime Nne. After this day, a date will be fixed for the traditional marriage to take place.
on the day of the traditional marriage, the groom is usually expected to present the following gifts as traditional rites to the bride’s family: yam, goats, palm wine, cowries, textile materials, bride price money etc. (varies from community to community). if the groom could provide all thatthe brides kindred customs requires, a negotiation for alternatives usually takes place. it is important that the two families will be in agreement before proceeding ;this is to festive atmosphere laughter, exchange of greetings during the occasion and beyond.
At the climax of the occasion, the bride’s father shall ask the bride to come forward and kneel down to collecting a cup of palm wine which she will give to the man who she wish to marry. This is the most dramatic moment of the occasion as many men in the gathering will be making gestures like: stretching out their hands asking to be given the wine instead which signifies that the girls character and beauty has earn her a high reputation among suitors who would have loved to marry her had
she not made her choice. This also it also signifies that:|if she wish to change her mind before is too late, that they are also available.
As soon as the bride spots her husband to be, she walks to him kneels before him and presents palm wine. The crowd cheers as the man accepts and drinks the wine. The bride leads the groom to her family to return the cup, receive blessings, final approval and advice. He takes her home as crowd sings, claps, dances and shouts pet names to the bride... Ada mma !Nwanyi omma, ! oyoyo Nwa ! Asa mma!, Ada mma (good looking woman) Nwunye anyi meaning: our wife ! our wife!! our Wife!!!
As in other parts of Africa, Christianity and colonial influences have led to two types of marriages ceremonies, traditional and church (white) wedding. Traditional wedding usually takes place before the white wedding. in igbo land, traditional and white wedding parties may take place on the same day. This helps cut down the costs while giving family and friends a chance to enjoy and celebrate marriage in full.
TRADITIONAL MARRIAGE IN IGBOLAND- NIGERIAby Edwin Ubah
In Igbo land, traditional marriage is known as’ IGBA NKWU‘ meaning palm wine carrying. According Igbo
tradition, Igba Nkwu takes place at the bride’s compound. Igbo marriages are unique in their dramatic gestures and cheers that fill the atmosphere when the bride presents
palm wine to her husband. The wine seals the vow of marriage in presence of the community.
��IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
GOODWILL MESSAGE Chief dom okafor and lolo ogechi okafor, Nwachimere eze 1 of obi mbieri. Wish to
congratulation the igbo Union Nottingham on this great iriji
festival 2015.
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2�IGBO Kwenu! IUNB
As we celebrate our new Yam Festival (iri-ji), a unique cultural heritage of the igbo people, We should also use these opportunity to reflect and recognise the real danger of child abuse and exploitation, our individual and collective responsibilities to safeguard and protect the well-being of the children in our community. We lived in a diversed, complexed and advanced society where children are easily abused and exploited without the knowledge of their parent or guardian. A society that is different from our normal Africa setting where we are obliged to show concern not only to our children, but also to other children by speaking out to protect them from harms-way and their well-being. As a community, we have to find the balance path way between these two ways of life for our children by inculcating Africa ethics and norms of respect, obedience, tolerance and hard-working, at the same time embracing the rule of law, human right and good governance.
Child abuse and exploitation is a heinous crime that affect us all including families, friends and the our entire community. it is one of the most pervasive violations and horrific crimes, one of the least reported and prosecuted crimes, and one of the greatest threats to lasting peace and the common value of humanity. We all know that we have to do much more to respond to the cries of injustice on children who have suffered abuses in our community. We have
to do much more to end these horrific abuses and the impunity that allow these human violations to continue. i think we can all agree that the time for complacency is long gone, has passed and belongs to another era and the silence on abuse children has been broken and now is the time for stronger action.
The effect of abuse and exploitation can remain with children for a lifetime, and can pass on from one generation to another. Studies show that children who have witnessed or been subjected to abuse are more likely to be repeated victims or abuser themselves. Child abuse and exploitation is an issue of great concern to the community because it does not only affect the victims but our shared values of rule of law, human right and good governance, and our community is a better and safer place to live when we cooperate together. We fully recognised and acknowledge that abuse and exploitation poses a real and present danger to its victims and to our community and that is why we have continue to provide safeguards and promote the well-being of our children in our community.
Africa are the fastest growing ethnic minority group in the UK and the migration for a better life makes Africa children vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. Africa parents and relatives are increasingly willing to give their children away to strangers in the belief
that they will be coming to have a better life in the UK, without the common knowledge of the fate of their children in the hands of these traffickers. The number of children abused and exploited in the UK is rising according to a Home office abuse figure and a large proportion of child abuse cases are never recognised or reported, and do not appear in any statistics to measure the size of the problem. There is no consistent grip on the actual numbers and agencies charged with such responsibility are groping in the dark for a sense of scale. The recent cases and reports of abuses and exploitation indicate more community efforts and safeguards are needed to combat these heinous crime.
igbo Union Nottingham is the socio-cultural community organisation for all the igbo people in Nottingham and we are the voice of the Nigeria community in Nottingham. our commitments and efforts in promoting awareness on Child abuse and exploitation in our community will strengthen our togetherness and will make our community a better and safer place to live when we work together in the spirit of cooperation. Africa indigenous NGos should wake up from their slobber and stand up against all forms of abuse and neglect by working together in partners and collaboration with the relevant agencies and others community interest groups.
TACKLING CHILD ABUSE AND ExPLOITATIONiN THe AFRiCA CommUNiTieS UK
BY KELVIN UgWONNA - DIRECTOR OF COMMONWEALTH AFRICA NETWORK
Are you a victim of any form of Abuse and exploitation or do you know someone who has suffer any such fate in our community. Do you have the “Fear Factor” or any personal reasons for not speaking out about your experience. Its now time to stand up
against abuse and be counted.
Advisory Sessions – Appointment onlyVenue: Nottingham Community and Voluntary Service (NCVS), 7 Mansfield Rd. Notts. NG1 3FB
Phone: 01159348408 Mobile: 07469938307
info@ africa. orgwww. commonwealthafrica. org
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