The Igbo Cultural Organisation Mannheim has been the foremost and probably the most
successful Igbo union in the federal Republic of Germany and has indirectly been
instrumental to the formation of many similar unions in other parts of Germany and Europe at
large. Its existence metamorphosed from the quest for cultural and communal togetherness
which are naturally the hallmarks of Ibos anywhere an
d everywhere in the world. However, the idea was kindled by the rise in number of Ibos settling in the Rhein-Neckar area
of the ‘Bundes Republik Deutschland’ in the early to the middle of the 1990s. Among other things, the founder and pioneers had wished to bring about togetherness that
borders on brotherhood, integration with the local culture, recreation among members as
well as reaching out to the under-privileged and lending helping hands of charity to the poor. These objectives have been embedded in everyday life of ICO and have reflected in its
activities from America through Europe to Africa with some zenith points when Haiti was hit
by a deadly earthquake, and when Mrs Felicia Stevens, a special envoy under ICO’s
delegation, visited orphanages in five States in South-East Nigeria with humanitarian support. ICO’s cultural dance and activities have also always reverberated in every part of Germany
and Europe. The ‘Rote Mutze Gruppe’ as the dance group was described in Zurich
Switzerland has never failed to showcase Igbo culture in world arena. ICO, like every other man-made organisation, has also its own problems of internal strife,
policies, leadership and membership; but its ability to learn and regenerate after each problem
has become the center of its strength – making it the most formidable Igbo conglomerate in
Germany. Today, after nearly thirty years of existence, ICO is stronger than ever. With high motivations
and membership in record-highs, success has never before appeared so achievable. The
vision of seeing bigger pictures ahead of time and breaking new grounds, the dream of
making its footprint larger than Europe, appeared to have all fallen within the scope of reality. As great ambassadors, all members of ICO pledges to support and maintain the inherited
cultures of the most indestructible land of the rising sun of Africa – Igbo. Engr. Edward Morgan-G (Founder)
