As Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Monday night, commenced celebration and commemoration of the 2026 Igbo Day in Umuahia, Abia state capital,  the Abia state governor Dr Alex Otti Monday  declared that his  about three years  and half old administration has retrieved and recovered the state and been steadily moving it up, having laid the necessary solid foundation.

He spoke at Michael Okpara auditorium in Umuahia, during flagg off of  the 2026 Igbo Day celebration that had the topic
” The Igbo Charter  And Development Of Alaigbo” and was  hosted by the state government featuring a Lecture,  Dinner and Panel discussions.

Renowned veteran Journalist and pioneer Chairman of the Niger Delta Development Commission ( NNDC ), and son of the state, Chief Onyema Ugochukwu chaired the event while the Chairman of the Igbo Charter Committee for Strategic Engagement for National Development, Professor Kingsley Chiedu Moghalu, virtually presented the keynote address.

Professor Muoghalu , a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria Deputy  in his presentation posited
that the Igbo Charter must be separated from party politics, serve as a non-partisan roadmap for development, and  driven by merit, accountability and measurable targets.

He urged Ndigbo to engage in practical implementation of policies rather than  discussions, and underscored  true federalism, equitable citizenship and devolution of power, rating governor Alex Otti as one of the  best in Alaigbo ( Igboland).

Professor Muoghalu listed  some key priorities he identified for Ndigbo as;  promoting the Igbo language, creating a digital marketplace, strengthening diaspora engagement, improving security and investment, and shifting from dependence on remittances to productive investments.

President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Senator John Azuta-Mbata, in his address said that the celebration/commemoration of the Igbo Day was part of the ways to galvanize and  harness the strength of Ndigbo through a unified development strategy.

He remarked  that despite the  individual brilliance, enterprise and resilience of  Ndigbo, they  are yet to fully achieve their collective potential.

He recalled that the Igbo Charter for Strategic Engagement for National Development, that was written by over 67 Igbo technocrats and business leaders, provided a documented framework for engaging the Nigerian State and the wider world.

The Charter, he noted , proposed pathways to protect Igbo culture, particularly the Igbo language hence, he urged that Igbo language be made compulsory in primary and secondary schools across Igboland, even as he urged  that the Federal Government should find a political solution to the case of the  life imprisoned Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB).

In  his address,  Governor Otti further  reported that his administration would subsist  repositioning the State from conventional trading to digital commerce, in line with the  emerging global business trend  using  technology and digital delivery.

Emphasizing that historically, Ndigbo that were  known for trading, are now deliberately shifting focus towards manufacturing and technology-driven commerce, the Governor said that  the development of digital commerce will enable Abia entrepreneurs to compete globally rather than remain dependent on conventional physical markets.

Apparently asking why  the Chinese  were coming to compete with here, he said ”  We ( Ndigbo ) must therefore move away from there, starting in Abia. Abia is both in manufacturing and trading. But we are moving from conventional trading to digital trading. That’s where the world is going hence, we  either embrace it or risk being left behind,” Gov. Otti stated.

According to governor Otti, his administration is also  investing heavily in digital skills for young people, citing  that some Abians trained under the  TechRise Initiative are already working  from Aba, for global Tech giants .

“When I spend money here training my young people in digital technology under the TechRise initiative, I know what I am doing. Some of them are already working for Google and Amazon from Aba.

“Because,  if you resist technology, it is  at your own risk hence, we  are not afraid because we are moving from that part of business to technology,” Otti further reported.

Assuring  the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo of his administration’s continued support, while  describing as apt,  the  2026  celebration theme , “Njikọ Ka” ( Unity is Supreme ), Otti stated it was a reflection of  the importance of unity in diversity.

” Our  administration has laid a solid foundation for the development of the State, and are  assure that Abia will continue to witness significant transformation.

“We have retrieved and recovered our State and we going up up , which is the only way to go, because,  once you have laid the foundation, the only way to go is up,” the governor asserted.

Buttressing it,  he said ” In Abia, we have markets; the markets are important. But we are moving from the market to manufacturing. So, this Government is supporting manufacturing. We are driving digital delivery. We are leaving that physical store for digital delivery. So, when somebody talked about Alibaba, that’s exactly where we are headed.

” The development of digital commerce will enable Abia entrepreneurs to compete globally rather than remain dependent on conventional physical markets.

“Abia is  both in  manufacturing and trading. But we are moving from conventional trading to digital trading,  where the world is  now going, and it is either we  embrace it or risk being left behind,”.

Founder of Gregory University Uturu, professor Gregory Iyke Ibe who  chaired the 2018 edition of Igbo Day Organizing Committee  held at Owerri, Imo state, congratulated governor Otti and the Abia state government for hosting this 2026 Edition.

In his goodwill message signed by Rev Sleek Ogwo, Professor Ibe,  who was awarded the Abia State state Title of ” Enyi Abia” ( Abia Elephant ) stated ” This is a profound vote of confidence on Abia state rising profile as the epicenter of good governance , peace and Igbo Renaissance under Governor Otti’s transformative leafership”.

The University Founder ( professor Ibe) noted that the benefits of hosting this global Igbo fiesta are enormous, including  repositioning Abia  as the cultural capital and rallying point of Ndigbo, while strengthening it’s claim as the heart of  Alaigbo ( Igbo Land ).