By Jeph Ajobaju, Chief Copy Editor
Mbaise People’s Congress (MPC) has cancelled this year’s Annual Mbaise Colloquium, in honour of Innocent Chukwuma, Regional Director for Ford Foundation (West Africa), who died in April, and also to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
However, Mbaise Professionals’ Forum 2021 is planned to hold later in the year.
The Colloquium usually holds on August 14 of every year in Mbaise.
MPC Publicity Director Ben Nnaji explained in a statement that it was decided after a crucial meeting that the 2021 edition be cancelled “in honour of our departed member, the late Innocent Chukwuma, who died recently after a brief illness.
“The second reason, the statement added, is the resurgence of Covid-19 and the need not to add to its spread in the country.”
MPC National President Carl Azudibia added that although almost all arrangements for the Colloquium had been concluded, “the Congress could not proceed with the conclave because of the factors enumerated including the health and general implications for the expected participants.”
He said as a socially responsible organisation, despite the cancelation, MPC is still focused on its core mandate: ‘Towards a Greater Mbaise.’
“We regret the inconveniences this would cause everyone who had planned to attend; however, we are happy to announce that Mbaise Professionals’ Forum 2021, another major programme of the Congress, will hold later in the year,” he added.
Mbaise Colloquium is perhaps the longest surviving annual discussion platform in the community and Azudibia explained that in its over 25 years of existence the Colloquium has been abruptly canceled only three times
The first time was in 2014 when it lost one of its foundation members, Dan Iheagwara, the second was last year due also to the pandemic.
Nnaji said Mbaise Colloquium remains an important platform to discuss political, social, economic and existential issues relevant to the people.
Intellectuals who have delivered papers at the conference include the late Professor COE Onwuliri, Pini Jason Onyegbaduo, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah, Innocent Chukwuma, and Andy Nkemneme.