Achebe Day – Investing & Managing Family Like & Community Advancement: A Driver of Economic Development.

The Achebe Day segment

This segment seeks to address the concerns Prof Achebe had when he attended the 25th year of the Organization for Economic Corporation and Development (OECD) and found himself, a writer, among world economists and bankers. According to him, his puzzlement grew as these experts prescribed three solutions that compelled him to cry out to the audience, when asked to speak, that “”Africa is People not a lab report”. The solutions were 1. Implementation of structural adjustment, 2. Removal of subsidies on food, fuel, and the devaluation of national currency. Prof. Achebe reminded of the status of countries that accepted this offer. Those countries had woefully failed and were worse than they were at the beginning. He said these experts simply conceded that Africa’s failure to advance is due to their lack of discipline. He was interviewed by award winning and renowned singer, Lady Onyeka Onwenu in a 1980’s documentary on Nigeria & the Igbos, and he listed a number of reasons countries like Nigeria is and will continue to struggle economically. According to him, the green revolution scheme was an incredible example of mismanagement where funds were misappropriated and siphoned by and to political persons who don’t know “maize from millet.” Since the documentary and since his death, the economy has turned from bad to worse in many African countries. This conference wonders if AGOA can rescue Africa and if it is, the question remains: what is AGOA? what is the % of success stories? and is it late for entrepreneurs to utilize this strategy?

Sports Diplomacy & Chiefs for Change Day 1

Sports Diplomacy: Basketball Exhibition – Adults vs Kids

The Sports Diplomacy segment will engage & connect people of multi-ethnicities & bringing awareness to the below key issues of interest to people of African & other Diaspora: 
Victims of Ukraine – Russia conflict, human trafficking, domestic violence, Teen Suicide, Black on Black Crime, Increased High School Dropouts, Gun Violence, Exploitation of Children & Child Sex Tourism, Community Policing Engagement, health (including mental illness), etc. 

The segment will also achieve WEN’s “Getting to Know Me and How I Can Care for My Community program by educating the audience (youth and parents, guardian, and the village), which includes interaction with those who execute the law: The Law Enforcement Officers. The objective of this public safety awareness program is to continue reinforcing what is needed to maintain the welfare and order of the community and how to avert danger and damage toward public safety.

Chiefs for Change: Dialogue with Hundreds of Titled Holders

The Chiefs for Change segment will begin with a Chieftaincy Title Nomination Recognition ceremony were nominated conferees will receive certificates from the traditional rulers of the kingdoms they have accepted to serve. With this certificate, they are eligible to be installed chiefs. The actual installation of the chieftaincy title, where they will be conferred chiefs will happen in the kingdom. The selection criteria are predicated on their on their integrity and their accomplishments and upon nomination, their eligibility to receive the chieftaincy, and their ability to adhere to the required philosophies, philosophies, and practices (3Ps) of the community, and their contribution to the community on an agreed upon project with the kingdom ruler. Once they receive their certificates to be installed chiefs, they become ambassadors of that kingdom.

This session of the Achebe Day segment educates those nominated and/or interested in receiving a chieftaincy title on the role of a chief as elders and a role model in the community he or she is called upon to represent. They learn of their expected duties as ambassadors of a community, where they are educated on the philosophies, principles, and practices of that community and of how their role supports the community’s traditional ruler in the management of the land as well as act as gatekeepers of enduring and noble customs.

Chiefs for Change Day 2

This segment provides a dialogue on
Manhood/Womanhood Rites of Passage – Their Roles in Communities. This segment educates those nominated and/or interested in receiving a chieftaincy title on the role of a chief as elders and a role model in the community he or she is called upon to represent. They learn of their expected duties as ambassadors of a community, where they are educated on the philosophies, principles, and practices of that community and of how their role supports the community’s traditional ruler in the management of the land as well as act as gatekeepers of enduring and noble customs. Following this year’s event, this segment of the festival will be an actual ceremony, where the traditional ruler who accepts the nomination is present to present the certificate. This certificate authorizes he or she to prepare and travel to the community for the chieftaincy installation.

Women Rights Managing Legal, Racial, and Ethnic Conflicts featuring topics such as “Atrocities Across The World”

This activity presents a voice for women to inform the world about various topics to advance ethnic equality and equity. No community is more important than the other. Highlights of the day include:

Atrocities Across the World
Experts and representatives in this session share current affairs on atrocities in their home countries, In these countries, millions have died, intimidation is on the rise, thousands of women are raped, and people in the rural areas are frustrated, further tearing them apart from their family members in faraway countries like the United States. While those who are doing the killing are getting away with these abominable acts, women, girls, and children in these countries, are mostly impacted. They “continue to suffer differentiated harms with too little attention directed to addressing them” (International Crisis Group). Family members of these victims live among us. they work with us, and take care of us in some cases. If we must have a thriving community and improve our communities, we must care about one another enough to listen, and effectively grow our economies, otherwise, when some of us are gone, the next generation will be in trouble and saying nothing means nothing can be done ,,,

Child Custody, Support, and Enforcement Issues and Challenges
Children are the future and one of our most precious resources, so it is critical to ensure their financial, emotional, etc., wellbeing. The family & Community have a huge role to play in actualizing this dream. Sometimes one of the parents fail in their duty to uphold this obligation and some communities reinforce this behavior by not taking action and allowing this behavior to continue. This segment focuses on our collective responsibilities to hold the absentee parent responsible and protect our children. It assesses the implementation of the 2007 Hague Child Support Convention, makes the case that all countries should participate in formalizing this agreement,, and determine solutions to making this happen.

Go to the Segment page to learn more about other topics that will be covered.

Change for Change Day 3

Inflation, the Economy, and Real Estate: The case of Nigeria and America – Residential & Commercial

Pandemic, inflation, job loss, etc., are increasingly putting a strain of all sorts, including financial hardship on people. As a result of policymakers putting a full throttle on strategies to prevent the economy, from nosediving, eviction moratoriums, low interest rates, etc., were issued to come to the rescue of millions of renters. With pandemic almost over, the housing market has started climbing up again while many are not only loosing their rental spaces but also their wellbeing are tilting toward the red-zone of mental illness. While mitigating options were available in the US and other developed nations, what about a developing country like Nigeria?

Juneteenth

Health Conference and Exhibition

Uninsured – What Will Happen to Your Family if Something Happens to You?

Life insurance exists to protect beneficiaries of policyholders from financial hardship in the event he or she passes. The consequences of no life insurance are not limited to no money for the policyholder’s funeral, family forced to cremate policyholder’s remains, family required to repay policyholder’s debts out of their own money, etc. These are pretty serious consequences begging the question of why people don’t get life insurance. “I have no money”, “I have life insurance from my job”, “I’m strong and healthy”, etc., are some the reasons why people don’t get life insurance. Because life can happen when it is least expected, no one is prepared for the pain that comes with it. Since to be forearmed is to be forewarned, especially in post COVID era, this segment presents experts who would help the audience to answer the #1 question and more that plague people when considering insurance. That consideration is “How do I know which type of life insurance I need? Presenters representing the basic types of life insurance will be available to educate the audience and answer this and more questions they may have.

The Arts – Fashion,

Tour