History

The Association started as a WhatsApp blog in July 2018. Various dignitaries had given their strong support for the convocation of Akanu people in the US which gave thrust to the establishment of the WhatsApp chat blog. This did not become very busy till the Covid-19 period. 

Discussions graduated from text chats to conference calls, and later to face-timing using the zoom app. The group had a more defined sense of purpose stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic when necessity was laid upon the members to raise funds to cushion the effect of the pandemic on our people back home since most of them could not go out to fend for themselves and were already disadvantaged due to poor economy. 

In a short time, the group raised over seven thousand dollars ($7000). An ad hoc committee was raised, and they handled the purchase and disbursement of various food items. Some local contractors were used for the procurement and the committee worked with some selected indigenes for the equitable distribution of the food items to all the listed indigent persons in Akanu. Account was properly rendered.

The group then moved on to identifying with distressed members, especially in bereavement and several of our members have been so encouraged. The enthusiasm in the meetings got so much that it was deemed necessary to have a physical gathering in the form of a national convention. Despite the hiccups, the first national convention took place in Houston TX in July 2022 and it was adjudged a great success. 

There, the constitution was approved, and a substantive executive committee was elected to comprise the current executive members. The convention was fully internally funded and it was a great reunion of Akanu people in the US. There was also a lot of fanfare, about eleven thousand, five hundred dollars ($11,500) was raised with focus on the Akanu Ukwu Health Center and Maternity at Ukpacha, Akanu. 

Work at the Health Center has since started and is being completed in phases, the first phase being the complete remodeling of the dilapidated building, and some landscaping. The 2023 National Convention was even more glorious and pulled a lot of crowd, a little over thirty-two thousand dollars ($32,000) was raised, again with the focus being on the Health Center, the second phase of the work being the construction of staff quarters, security house and generator house. These conventions have shown that, indeed, Akanu has people.

The Association became registered with the State of Texas in 2020 and with the IRS as 5013-C exempt in 2023. Hence, donations to the Association are tax-deductible.
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