BY Biafra Diboh (slightly edited from the original)
(Teresa Kemp)
Teresa R Kemp, one of African Americans
involved in the free medical care trip to the Anambra region, northwest
Igboland, has traced the ancestral home of her father to Oka, Igboland.
Kemp, a military historian, who recently organised an Igbo arts and cultural festival in South Carolina, United States, said
that her great grandfather, named Osinachi, was enslaved and trafficked over
187 years ago as a metalsmith from Oka to the United States, as confirmed by
DNA.
With an interest in the works of
African peoples, Kemp told The Nation
that she had written a book, Keeper of
the Fire, of an Igbo metalsmith from Awka, detailing the story of her ancestor.
She describes Igbo people as hardworking, intelligent, unassuming, and
entrepreneurial in nature: “I am proud to be linked to Ndiigbo, the world has
prospered because of Ndiigbo”.
Kemp went to Anambra with an
organisation called ASA-World (which has membership in 27 countries), made up of the
region’s indigenes resident overseas whose mission is to provide free medical
care for the people, costing US$ 800,000.
The team brought diagnostic
equipment and medicine to be left behind for resident doctors and other health
officials to continue using in Oko, in Orumba north local government, Abagana, Njikoka
local government, Obosi, Idemili north local government, Ihembosi and Ozubulu,
both Ekwusigo local government, and Oba, Idemili south local government
district.
The medical mission treated and
provided medicine to people suffering from different ailments. Total treated
are: 1,100 in Oko, 8,500 in Abagana, 1,200 in Ihembosi, 1,300 in Obosi, and 1,200
in Ozubulu.
Twitter@HerbertEkweEkwe
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