A newly formed Igbo group, ‘Mgborogwu Ndi Igbo Development Initiative’ has vowed to make southeast the technological hub of Africa.
‘Mgborogwu Ndi Igbo’ meaning ‘the root of Igbo people’ comprises professionals from different disciplines, and captains of industries.
Inaugurating the group on Saturday in Enugu, the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the group, Mr Ndubisi Nwasike, said the initiative would bring innovation and development for the region.
Nwasike said the mission was to consciously refocus and engage a resourceful people of Igbos into the field of knowledge and innovation.
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He stressed that trading, commerce and apprenticeship system could be done in the field of innovation.
“We shall reengage our people to think of technology and innovation as a means to create wealth, whilst providing solutions to the challenges of the world.
“A platform for our top scientists and professionals in diaspora and within to engage our resourceful people.
“We shall catch them young by introducing love for science, technology and innovation at very early stage of their educational development,” Nwasike said.
The chairman added that the group would attract the attention of venture capitalists from around the world, professionals in diaspora in ensuring it yielded fruits.
According to him, the group is partnering with institutions of higher learning on manpower development and easy way of doing business.
“We have Igbo graduates who are unemployed, innovators and inventors but nobody to assist them but we have our brothers who are investing outside the region.
“We will bring them here to help these young innovators by providing enabling environment for them, thereby touching lives.
“Technology influences everyday lives and the problem thrown up by the COVID-19 pandemic reinforces that future of the globe lies on continuous application of knowledge and innovation,”.
The chairman recalled that technology exhibited during the civil war, there was no sincere effort to harness skills and knowledge of Igbo scientists.
“This time, Africa is waiting and we shall not disappoint,” Nwasike said.
Speaking also, the President of the group, Mr Cajetan Otuekete, said the group would help young talented Igbos in directing their innovative and inventive efforts from crafts to sophisticated ideas and artefacts.
According to him, this will lead to sustainable development and commercialisation in every facet of economic space and create opportunities for Africans through the Igbos.
Otuekete explained that the group was not socio-political organisation but a move to advance Igboland.
“We, therefore, call on Ndigbo to support this project for in it lies the future of the southeast.
Ndigbo, the time to act is now,” he appealed.
NAN reports that members of the group are professionals from all field of lives determined to the face of Igboland, Nigeria as well as Africa in general. (NAN