Just A Few Words
About ICDU (UK)
Welcome to the London Branch of Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU). ICDU is a global organisation set up to support the progress and development of the people of Ibusa. Membership is strictly limited to men and women of Ibusa origin – by birth or marriage.
Ibusa is one of the prominent towns of Delta State in Nigeria. Geographically it is located on the left flank of the lower part of the River Niger. The inhabitants of Ibusa are renowned for their rich culture, tradition, industry, impressive academic pursuits and religious leanings.
The Diokpa of Ibusa – the eldest man is in-charge of traditional affairs, while HRM Obi Professor L C Nwoboshi, the Obuzor of Ibusa Kingdom is the traditional ruler and prescribed authority of the town.
The federation of Ibusa comprises ten Quarters or villages thus the common reference to the town as “Igbuzo ebi Ili” These ten Quarters are Umuekea, Umuodafe, Umuidinisagba, Umueze, Umuehea, Ogbeowele, Anyalabum (i.e. Ezukwu and Achalla-Igbuzo), Umuwagwu, Umuezeagwu and Ogboli.
The Ibusa town is today basically a federation of two autonomous settlements with different origins, the Igbuzo settlement and the Ogboli settlement in what Prof. M. A. Onwuejeogwu has illustrated it as a friendship alliance which has developed into a complicated political union, a political union that has undergone many processes which today constitute the unwritten constitution of Ibusa.
Christianity is very rife in Ibusa, a town which in 2009, its population reached 566, 310. History seems to suggest that the people of Ibusa were Igbo migrants from the Eastern part of the country. The first indigenes of Ibusa embarked on an expedition led by Prince Umejei, where they reportedly crossed the River Niger about the 15th Century.
Farming is quite commonplace amongst the populace. Crops such as yam, cassava, beans, mango, maize and several other tropical plants thrive in this geographic setting. Nsala soup with pounded yam – Nsala na Nni osusu – is a delicacy amongst the community.
It has also been historically noted that at the beginning, the Ibusa-Ogboli federal knit had its Diokpa because the settlements have different origins, so they have different ofo. Today, the entire Ibusa clan have a single Diokpa and ofor. In 1936, the Ibusa-Ogboli union was threatened owing to a dispute as both settlements threatened to suspend marriage, but this was soon resolved amicably as both groups have continued to live as one community.
Greetings in Ibusa are quite remarkable and usually follow a pattern of whether one is an indigene of any given quarter or not. In Umuekea Quarter, for instance, while a native is greeted with “Omogwu”, a woman being married in that quarter is exclusively greeted with “Oliofe.” Familiarity is therefore necessary before salutation is paid in the native way of the town. This broad range of native greetings is hugely typical of the Igbuzo people, a tradition that reminds them of their admirable history.
Picture above shows the Classic White ‘Otogwu’ cloth, which is a customary symbolic wear of the people of Igbuzor at all major ceremonies and festivals.
Meet Our
Current Executive Officers
Mr Victor Uchuno
President
ICDU Worldwide
Dr Patrick Justus
ICDU UK
President
Barr. Charles Nwanze
ICDU UK
Vice President
Mr Felix Nkadi
ICDU UK
General Secretary
Onowu Jude Nwanze
ICDU UK
Treasurer
tba
ICDU UK
Publicity Secretary
Mr Mike Ashikegbe
ICDU UK
Asst. Gen. Secretary
Dr Ben Ushedo
ICDU UK
Welfare Secretary
Mr Emmanuel Ezechie
ICDU UK
Provost
tba
ICDU UK
Social Secretary
A Few Words
About The Formation of ICDU UK
In brief, sometime in 1985, a few of our Ibusa men took their wives to attend a meeting in Bognor Regis. During the trip, the men realised that they have had so much informal gatherings of Ibusa people and therefore, there was need to formalise such meetings, in line with ICDU worldwide. The names of the Sons (now deceased) who went to Bognor Regis were Diokpas Ezechie, Okocha, Okonkwo and Okonta.
The traditional ‘Otogwu’ cloth as used by our women folks
Our Meeting Venue
Wheatsheaf Lane
Off South Lambeth Road
London SW8 2UP
United Kingdom
Trusted Hands Behind the ICDU UK Men's wing are the ICDU UK Women's Wing
To become a Men's Wing Member -
Get in touch on
+44 (0)7424 093985
Ibusa Community Development Union (ICDU) is a global organisation set up to support the progress and development of the people of Ibusa. Membership is strictly limited to men and women of Ibusa origin – by birth or marriage.