From: ourmotherland2002@yahoo.com

Cc:    frankagolue@yahoo.com, biafra@pacbell.net, selonnes@aol.com,        nwafili@msn.com, projectteam@mail.ogbaru.org

 We have talked of ODA HOUSE project as a signpost for Ogbaru development.  Another signpost which would be the greatest milestone if achieved is what may be called Ogbaru Education Endowment Fund, or Foundation. 

Our Secretary General was at the Ogbaru Public Library, Atani, the other day to assess the ongoing improvement project at the Library (courtesy of Ogbaru USA Assocation Inc., New Jersey, USA)  He saw books donated by individuals and organizations, but he did not see readers.  That was not his first time observation of absence of readers at the Library.  Reason for general lack of regular readers at the Library cannot be far-fetched.  Ogbaru generally is still suffering from the I.P.I. syndrom  of illiteracy, poverty and ignorance.  This syndrome, unlike AIDS, and to a lesser extent SARS is curable.  The good thing in the curative approach to IPI is that you only need to tackle the first ‘i’  for the other components to disappear.  Like it is said, Education Maketh a Man 

The best  way to tackle illiteracy effectively in Ogbaru , given the poverty of the generality of our people, is through Education Education Fund.  This position is borne out of a painstaking analyses of some of the problems of Ogbaru.  Most of our brilliant children at home are wasting away because of the poverty of their parents.  One other reason for the decline in Education in Ogbaru is negative cultural transmission to Ogbaru youths by our neighbours in the Ibo hinterland.  Getting apprenticed to petty trading at very young age is a vogue that must be crushed with formal education through the proposed Fund as a better alternative.  This we should do, if we must be relevant in the National scheme of things in thirty years from now.It is not late to start now to salvage the situation.  Education, needless to say, is a long term project but it pays huge dividends at the end.  Ogbaru from history had the first contact with Education, and indeed civilization, before our brothers in Ibo hinterland.  You know as much as everyone else that Ogbaru relatively cannot boast now of leading in Education any more in the south-east of Nigeria. 

If we do nothing today to institute the Foundation – if we lack the will to institute the Fund – it would not be long when the bye-products of illiteracy would make Ourmotherland a rotten place to live in or visit.  We can ill-afford, given the vagaries of life itself, to rest on our oars with the current crop of educated men and women of Ogbaru.  The proposed Foundation would be managed by select Ogbaruans drawn from across the globe.  The launching of the Foundation would take place at the Opening Ceremony of the ODA House.  Ogbaru would ever remain indebted to this generation if we gird our loins today to tackle these issues.  We can do it, and we will do it, by your affirmative resolve and patriotism.  It is the responsibility of all Ogbaru sons and daughters to ensure that Ogbaru takes back her prime position in Education.  Please send in your input on all of the above, whether for, or against the projects.  Your suggestions, and co-operation could, and indeed would be crucial to our success. 

Lest we forget, please avail to us at your earliest e-mail address of:                    

1)      Ogbaru Union of Great Britain & Ireland

2)      Ogbaru Unions or organizations, State by State, in the U.S.A.

3)      Ogbaru Unions or organizations in Italy and Germany

4)      Ogbaru Unions or organizations anywhere else in Europe, Asia, and the Far-East 

It is good news that O.N.A would soon hold Annual Convention for 2003.  Permit us to recap for your discussion at the Convention the following issues: 

1)      ONA’s Annual Dues to O.D.A. Nigeria

2)      ODA House project

3)      Ogbaru Education Endowment Foundation

4)      General Financial Empowerment of O.D.A for the good of all.

.  Thank you for your time in reading this mail. 

GC NWABUEZE (President)       OBIBULU ESIMAI (Secretary General