USA Africa Dialogue Series - UPDATE 10: Pledges Hit 1 Million Naira [Total $6,670] for Zik Legacy Project in Onitsha !

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August 24, 2010 

 

 PLEDGE TABLE

 

 

Due to additional pledges totalling almost $1,000 today alone, the pledges attained the 1 Million Naira initial target earlier today, calculated from $6,670 from 66 donors,  at $1 to N150!  The table is presented below, and we believe that we have accurately captured all those who pledged.  Any omissions - or those who still wish to pledge - should please be brought to our attention.

 

 

S/N	Donor	Amount US$	Comment	Status of Pledge	Email
1	Aluko, Mobolaji	300	Reflects a $100 increase since the last update		alukome@gmail.com,
2	Ojo, Valentine	50			valojo@earthlink.net, valojo@md.metrocast.net,
3	Ojedokun, Olu	50	Used to be BP25		employlawone@aol.com,
4	Nwakanma, Obi	100			rexmarinus@hotmail.com,
5	Madu, Abraham	50			abraham.madu@yahoo.com,
6	Kolawole, Suji	200			sujikolawole@gmail.com,
7	Ogundimu, Folu	100			ogundimu@msu.edu,
8	Edosomwan, Charles	100			edosomwanlaw@gmail.com,
9	Igietseme, Joe	200			jbi8@cdc.gov,
10	Chief Gemologist	50			usgemology@yahoo.com,
11	Ekechi, Felix	50			fekechi@kent.edu,
12	Aina, Tade	100			tadeakinaina@yahoo.com,
13	Udogu, Ike	100			udoguei@appstate.edu,
14	Zakari, Aisha	100			azdauda@yahoo.co.uk,
15	Raji, Taju	50			traji@aol.com,
16	Kuforiji, Kayode	50			omokuforiji@gmail.com,
17	Anonymous	67	N10,000
18	Mensah, Edward	50			dehasnem@uic.edu,
19	Gyasi, Kwabby	50			kwabbyg@aol.com,
20	Onyegbula, Festus	100			fonyes@gmail.com,
21	Mustafa, Salihu	100	N15,000		salihumustafa@gmail.com,
22	Garba, Lawal	100	Reflects a $50 increase since last update		lawal.garba@gmail.com,
23	Olajide, Saheed	50			lagoslife32@yahoo.com,
24	Adeniyi, Michael	100			mgadeniyi@yahoo.com,
25	Kassim, Ola	100			OlaKassimMD@aol.com,
26	Viscount Slim	43			viscount_slim@yahoo.com,
27	Nwosu, Okenwa	250			okenwanwosu@covad.net,
28	Egbo, Benedicta	100			beegbo@gmail.com,
29	Osunsan, Rotimi	100			rotimi_osunsan@yahoo.com,
30	Williams, Dapo	160	BP100		dapow@aol.com,
31	Aghadiuno, Eric	150			eric@devace.com,
32	Babajide, Ibukunolu	100			ibk@usa.net,
33	Dawodu, Segun Toyin	100			stdawodu@gmail.com,
34	Akuechiama, Jude & Ebere	200			ebyjud@aol.com
35	Anugom, Azuoma	100			adaejiagamba@gmail.com, adaejiagamba08@yahoo.com,
36	Irozuru, Julius	50			jirozuru@yahoo.com,
37	Okafor, Victor O.	100			vokafor@emich.edu,
38	Frempong, Sandra	50			blassys@yahoo.com,
39	Oyedeji, Kale	50			koyedeji@morehouse.edu,
40	Abegunrin, Layi	50			abegunrin@yahoo.com,
41	Enweze, Obi	100			obienweze@yahoo.com,
42	Omoigui, Nowa	200			nowa_o@yahoo.com,
43	Adam, Baba	100			drbadam@yahoo.com,
44	Adeboye, Adeniran	100			aadeboye@mac.com,
45	Adeyeye, Sola	100			solaadeyeye@gmail.com,
46	Ibe, Kevin	50			k.i.n.ibeh@strath.ac.uk,
47	Awofolaju, Akin	100			awofolaju@aol.com,
48	Adesanmi, Pius	100			piusadesanmi@yahoo.com,
49	Okala, Emeka, R.	100			reukal@yahoo.co.uk,
50	Dada, Ganiyu	100			gdada@aol.com,
51	Odusanya, Adeola	100			odusanya8@aol.com,
52	Oviawe, Joan O.	50			joanoviawe@gmail.com,
53	Okojie, Paul	100			okojiepaul@aol.com,
54	Aduba, Obi	150			baduba54@aol.com,
55	Okeke, Okwy	200			okwudili98@yahoo.co.uk,
56	Raheem, Ade	100			scansectech@gmail.com,
57	Akindana, "Matto"	100			matto1@msn.com,
58	Nwabuzor, Steve	100			wabuz@comcast.net,
59	Iberosi, Simon	100			s.iberosi@ieee.org,
60	Omeaku, Cyriacus	100			Omeakucy@sbcglobal. Net,
61	Aniedobe, Chris	100			chrisaniedobe@yahoo.com
62	Ezeoke, Marcel	100			munamarx@yahoo.com,
63	Okoye, Gabe	100			gabe@essexgeo.com,
64	Umeweni, Uchenna	100			girardfamilypharmacy@verizon.net,
65	Anetor, Lucky & family	100			anetor55@yahoo.com,
66	Umunnakwe, Fred	50			fredumunnakwe@yahoo.com,
	Total So Far	6670

 

Considering that this was merely the 9th day since Ms. Azuoma Anugom's intimation of this Restoration project following a sudden re-production in Cyberspace of a dated (2006) gory picture of me (Bolaji Aluko) sitting next to a headless statue of Zik of Africa near his Inisi Onira Retreat at Onitsha, this amounts to more than N100,000 per day of pledges.  Sincere appreciation is due to everyone for this unprecedented gesture, especially ironically to Stan Okechukwu Chira (aka Oderaigbo) of Guangjou, China, who inscrutably recollected the picture in question that touched off this exercise. 

 

Hopefully by  October 1, and certainly by November 1, we would have raised  the entire N1 million and more, to be REDEEMED in time for November 16, which would have been Zik's 106th birthday.  If we raise N1 million by October 1 (50th Independence Anniversary), then it could be an opportunity to highlight an appreciation for Zik's role in Nigeria's Indepence struggle - among other things.  We might even get some matching funds from Nigeria.

 

We will rely on the integrity of all who have pledged to send in their pledges.  Your money will be in good hands. 

 

Consequently, kindly begin to redeem your pledges by sending a check or money-order made out to "The Zik Legacy Project", and mail to either one of the following two addresses:

 

                               Ms. Azuoma Anugom, PO Box 881352, Los Angeles,  CA 90009, USA

 

                                                         or

 

                       Prof.. Mobolaji E. Aluko, PO Box 343, Burtonsville, MD 20866, USA

 

Kindly email BOTH of us PRIVATELY ( adaejiagamba08@yahoo.com, AND alukome@gmail.com) when you actually send your pledge forth.  Pledge receipts will be updated periodically.

 

We continue to hope that others will be generous and continue to make their pledges.

 

To those who have pledged, we urge  you to sign up, if you wish,  by clicking the following URL:

 

http://groups.google.com/group/zikproject/sub?s=0LjfEwwAAABXA9Mxq2YtqYtIE6o0EQFc&hl=en

 

This is an invitation to join the ZikProject listserve set up by Ms. Azuoma Anugom, so that as many pledgors as possible can contribute to a discussion of the Next Steps, including what the FORMAL name of the enterprise will be.  The group's initial description is as follows:

 

"This group is for all who share the vision of keeping Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe's legacy alive. We are committed to raising funds for the restoration and/or completion of his statue/mausoleum amongst other goals and objectives."

 

A full digital pictorial update of the present condition of the Zik's Statues (at DMGS Roundabout and at Inosi Onira Retreat) and his Mausoleum (at the Retreat) will be made available in the next day or two.

 

I thank you all in advance. 

 

 

Bolaji Aluko

 

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SOME BACKGROUND

 

 

Timeline:
 
1.  November 16, 1904 - Zik is born in Zungeru
2.  January 1, 1960 - Zik becomes President of the Senate of Nigeria (under British Colonial Rule)
3.  October 1, 1960 - Nigeria becomes an independent country
4.  November 16, 1960 - Zik becomes Governor General of Nigeria
5.  October 1, 1963 - Zik becomes President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
6.  November 16, 1963 or thereabout - Zik's life-size statue in Onitsha (near DMGS) unveiled by sculptor Prof. Ben Enwonwu in commemoration of then President Zik's 59th Birthday

7.  May 11, 1996 - Zik dies in Onitsha
8.  November 7, 2005 - large portion of Inosi Onira Retreat (home of Zik) in Onitsha destroyed allegedly by MASSOB;
9.  November 7, 2005 or thereabout - head of Zik's Statue removed by unknown (?) person(s).
10.  February, September 2006 - Visits to statue site by various persons confirm the headless-ness
11.  September 2006 - August 2010 - No documented report of replacement of Zik's head on statue
12. August 2010 - Photographic status of statues and state of mausoleum are in.
 

Note: The date  that Zik's life-size statue near his Inosi Onira Retreat home was unveiled is not known at this time. Latest information is that the statue at the site near DMGS is INDEED there - and that there is a head now on the statue at the Retreat site since January 2007.  More pictorial information has been now been obtained from both sites - to be comprehensively provided in a forthcoming update.

 

Stay tuned.

 
Compiled by Bolaji Aluko

 

 

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