ENUGU— OHANAEZE Ndigbo said it has decided to use the 2017 Igbo Day celebration to submit their worries, agitations and marginalization to God. The apex Igbo body said Ndigbo had at all times believed in God’s superintendence in their affairs and urged the Igbo not to lose faith in God in their tribulations in Nigeria.
The body, therefore, prayed the people in all parts of the world to use the one week 2017 Igbo Day celebration to rededicate their worries to the Almighty.
Chairman of the National Organising Committee of the 2017 Igbo Day celebration, Dr. Greg Ibe, made this known during a World Press briefing at Enugu, yesterday, when the committee released the timetable for celebration. Ibe said they were praying over a myriad of challenges currently facing Ndigbo, which they would use the occasion to ask God for intervention.
He said: “Our prayer points are numerous. It ranges from justice, peace, equity and all that will bring us in total belonging to this country called Nigeria.” Ibe said that in keeping with the tradition of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, activities for the 2017 edition of Igbo Day celebration have been scheduled to hold from Saturday 23, to Friday 29 ,2017 with the theme “Oganiru Anyi Di N’aka Chukwu.” With the grand finale scheduled to hold in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on September 29, the activities will commence on Saturday, September 23 with worship in select Sabbath churches.
On Sunday, September 24, members will worship in select church denominations across the nation and in the diaspora. Tuesday and Wednesday, September 25 and 26 are for awareness activities by state chapters of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, while September 27 is for prophetic prayers in Abuja.
Thursday, September 28 is a symposium at University of Port Harcourt followed by an all night vigil, while September 29 is the grand finale in Port Harcourt. Ibe said Ohanaeze annually organises the Igbo Day celebration as a way of commemorating the unique Igbo traditional heritage. He said: “Against the backdrop of the current challenges of Ndigbo and as a way of seeking divine solutions to these problems, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has decided to use the annual Igbo Day celebration for 2017 to mobilise Igbo across the globe to pray and seek the face of God for Nigeria and Ndigbo in particular. “All Igbo in Nigeria and in the diaspora are enjoined to be actively involved in the programme.”
Source: Vanguard News