By Japhet Alakam, Prisca Sam-Duru & Obinna Ekwem
The Igbo nation has been urged to return to the core Igbo virtues of hard work, truthfulness and resilience that made them triumphed in the days of old.

The call was made by former Minister for Information, Dr Walter Ofonagoro, Thursday, at a public presentation and launch of an Audio Project on Igbo Character and Values at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs(NIIA), Lagos.

Speaking in his capacity as chairman of the occasion, Ofonagoro, who enjoined  the Igbo to follow the path of rectitude, reiterated the need for them to go back to their roots.

On his part, chairman of the apex Igbo body, Ohanaeze, Chief Ralph Uweche, charged Igbo parents to teach their children Igbo language, norms and values, pointing out that if nothing was done about that, in the next 100 years, the Igbo language would go into oblivion.

Also speaking, Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning & Budget, Prof. Ben Akabueze, described the timing of the presentation as very auspicious as it came on the heels of Nigeria’s national elections during which the worrisome erosion of Igbo character and values  glaringly manifested. He  reiterated the need for Igbo to embark on a journey of self-rediscovery and return to the best of their cultural heritage.

Presenting his paper titled: “Random Thoughts on Igbo Character and Values” under three major headings; Who are the Igbos, Is culture static or Dynamic? And Specific issues in Igbo Character and Values, Prof. Akabueze, in the mind boggling presentation, which hopefully, will stimulate further dialogue on the subject matter, stated that the Igbo race, one of Africa’s largest ethnicities are regrettably known to live and invest outside traditional Igbo land.

According to him, the core values of the Igbos, which include prudence, justice, solidarity, self-worth, family pride, integrity, bravery, hard-work and communal aspiration are progressively being jettisoned rather than being reinforced adding that greed, opportunism, falsehood and ostentation seem to increasingly characterise the modern Igbo.

“Materialism is a canker-worm that is eating away all that is good in the Igbo Value system. traditionally, the Igbos put a premium on knowledge and competence but today, the stereotypical Igbo man is a wealthy illiterate”, he lamented.

He further commended Ndigbo Lagos and Ndigbo Ethics Revival Forum(NEREF) for the Audio project, a six track CD which highlights the life, journey and experiences of the Igbo man in Nigeria with a view to sensitising the Igbo Nation on the importance of reclaiming their rightful position in the areas of Education, agriculture, technology and trading.