IDU North America
The association is made up of six (6) local chapters, whose members reside in the USA, and each local chapter reports directly to IDU North America, the parent body on the national level. The rationale for creating this association is that we believe that we achieve more when we gather and deliberate as one body, rather than as discrete units.
The major aim of IDU North America is to reach out to our mother community, Igbodo, in whatever way we can to ensure that our people do not lack any good thing within our capacity. Another aim of the association is to render help to our members when the need arises.
Origin
The association was founded in the late 1980s by then Igbodo students in diaspora (USA and Canada), and it emanated out of a few chapters that got together. It was born out of a careful thought of what to do to give back to the community where we hail from and love dearly. So, we decided to form the organization, and today, the organization has grown. It is a fully registered nonprofit entity in the USA, governed by the laws of USA, the organization's constitution, and by-laws.
As a national body, this association receives funds mostly from local chapter-members, other organizations, friends, and well-wishers. The association also engages in fund raising during our biennial national convention. The association’s 13th national convention was held in 2019 in New Jersey, USA, and the next the 14th convention will be in on August 5th, 2023.
The people of Igbodo have since the inception of this association really benefited from us. Our first project was ensuring that our late Obi crowned in 1986 (the father of our current Obi) had a befitting palace. So, we built the palace. When the immediate past Obi was alive, we fully sponsored his trip to America, along with his entourage. Our children, spouses and many Igbodo sons and daughters that did not know him were privileged to meet him, and we were all jubilant. Similarly, we fully and glamorously sponsored the current Obi’s trip to the United States of America in 2017 for our 12th national convention in Charlotte, USA, along with his entourage of the Queen, IDU President General Deacon Mathew Okwaje and his wife. At the end, we presented our Queen with the gift of a car.
IDU North America Acheivements
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An illustrious member (Chief Emma Mbulu) single-handly sponsored the University education of our current Obi (HRM Barr. Ikechukwu Nkeobikwu Osedume 1)
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Contributed to building the stalls at Igbodo market
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Contributed to building the Youth Corpers Lodge
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Contributed to building the Police Station
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Contributed to the renovation of Igbodo Community Hospital
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Donated medical equipment to the Igbodo Community Hospital
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Contributed chairs to all schools in Igbodo
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An illustrious member, Dr. Victor Ubani contributed science equipment to the secondary schools; provided each student of the 5 primary schools and secondary schools with a bag filled with notebooks, pencils, eraser, and pens.
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Many illustrious members provide scholarships to students.
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Donated 80bags of rice to residents of Igbodo Town on May 8, 2020 as palliatives to Igbodians during COVID restrictions.
As you can sense, we Igbodians in IDU North America (National) truly love our people in Igbodo. In all, we were able to accomplish most of these endeavors in collaboration with the Central Executive Committee of Igbodo Development Union in Nigeria currently headed by the elected President General, Deacon Matthew Okwaje.
