The rationale behind the establishment of Anambra State Community Association in Bangkok, Thailand, ASCAT, resonates with Chinua Achebe’s philosophy of brotherliness captured in his book, Things Fall Apart, “when we gather together in the moonlit village ground it is not because of the moon, every man can see it in his compound. We come together because it is good for kinsmen to do so.”
With this philosophy and exigent need for Ndi Anambra in Thailand to come together, the association was formed in 2007. However, to set the association in motion, the first meeting was called to discuss how to give the association a human face. It is significant to note that such a meeting witnessed the massive attendance of Ndi Anambra with enthusiasm to consolidate the unity as one people and promote the spirit of brotherhood, communitarianism, togetherness, educational consciousness, and entrepreneurial mindset that Ndi-Anambra are known for.
In an attempt to solidify the association, a caretaker committee chaired Mr Sam Philips was set up and a constitution drafting committee was appointed and chaired by Dr. Emmanuel Okafor with a mandate to *amend* the constitution and conduct an election within six months.
Former ASCAT Presidents who gave their time and resources to get the association to her destination today and institutionalize the core values of the association of justice, fairness, tenacity of purpose, equity, and a deep sense of belonging include Mr. Sam Philips, Chief Emeka Igboagbala, Dr. Emmanuel Okafor, Mr Fedinard Nduka and Mr. Chukwunonso
Today, ASCAT has grown in leaps and bounds with a total of 160 registered members and has made appreciable progress in different areas. Through the constant lectures on the importance of education, ASCAT can now boast six persons with doctors of philosophy, Ph.Ds, thirty persons with Master’s Degrees and forty persons with Bachelors Degerees in different academic fields.
ASCAT has helped to trained one hundred members on different skills and especially on agrobusinesses. They have organized and sponsored the training of interested members on different aquaculture value chains such as fisheries, fishery management, and fish feed technology, fish processing technology, and fisheries post-harvest technology.
This motivation spurred the entrepreneurial spirit of Ndi Anambra, and has led to four illustrious sons of the state to now own factories in Thailand that produce shoes, lady’s bags, and fruit wine, three sons of Anambra who own logistics companies in Thailand and three with the best African kitchens.
To consolidate these achievements and ensure the continued existence of the association, an election was held on the 29th of May, 2022 in accordance with ASCAT constitution, articles eight and fourteen respectively and produced a fifteen member executive led by the President, Mr. Chukwunenye Patrick Charles Okoye.
The process of the election monitored by sister organizations were described as inspiring and as a hope that Nigeria can still get it right if a transparent process is replicated in the Nigerian electoral process.
At this juncture, ASCAT congratulates Mr Governor, Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo, for his achievements so far and pray for more wisdom and political will to continue to deliver the dividends of democracy to Ndi- Anambra.
ASCAT expresses readiness to collaborate with the Anambra State Government in the area of youth training on agrobusiness in Thailand and the Anambra/Thailand student exchange program on Information Technology and Technical courses to create an avenue for students to exchange ideas and leverage on other opportunities available.
Written by COMRADE ISAAC ANAYO EGWUONWU
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