Igbo Community Seeks Greater Cultural Inclusion in South Australia

The Igbo Community of South Australia has called for enhanced cultural recognition and institutional collaboration with the South Australian Government as part of efforts to deepen multicultural integration in the state.

This was contained in a press statement made available to Naija News Today following a formal engagement with the Honourable Zoe Bettison, South Australia’s Minister for Multicultural Affairs and Tourism.

Delivered on behalf of the community by its President, Mr Joseph Amaefuna, the statement commended the South Australian Government’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, describing it as a “platform for communities like ours to thrive, preserve our heritage, and contribute meaningfully to civic life.”

The Igbo Community of South Australia (ICSA) highlighted its recent achievements in community-building, including youth engagement programs, cultural festivals, language workshops, and notably, the hosting of the first-ever Igbo Catholic Mass in the state—an event it described as historic.

According to the statement, the ICSA tabled several proposals during the visit aimed at strengthening both cultural representation and educational outcomes in South Australia.

Among the key proposals were:

1. The establishment of an Igbo-Africa Village:
   The community is seeking support for a dedicated cultural and educational space inspired by the Igbo Village in Staunton, Virginia. The envisioned facility would celebrate Igbo history, architecture, music, and cuisine, while also serving as a resource hub for schools, tourists, and researchers.
2. Curriculum inclusion of African literature:
   The ICSA urged the incorporation of celebrated works such as Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie into the state’s school system. The books, the community argued, offer rich insights into African societies and provide students with global perspectives on history, gender, and identity.
3. Public recognition of notable Igbo figures:
   The community recommended naming streets and public spaces after globally influential Igbo personalities including former Commonwealth Secretary-General Chief Emeka Anyaoku, WTO Director-General Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and award-winning author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
4. Introduction of Igbo as a school elective:
   The statement further advocated for the introduction of Igbo as a language option in South Australian schools, noting that the language has over 30 million speakers worldwide and offers opportunities for students in diplomacy, business, and education.

Quoting an Igbo proverb, “Onye kwe, chi ya ekwe” (When one agrees to move forward, even destiny aligns in their favour), Mr Amaefuna stressed that the community was not merely seeking support, but offering partnership in shaping a culturally inclusive South Australia.

In a vote of thanks also contained in the statement, Public Relations Officer Nnaemeka Umenzeakor expressed gratitude to Minister Bettison and her team for their hospitality and openness.

“This visit has been both meaningful and encouraging,” he noted. “We look forward to continued collaboration and contributing to South Australia’s social, cultural, and tourism development.”

The ICSA reiterated its commitment to working with government and other cultural groups to ensure that the voices of African-Australian communities are heard, respected, and reflected in the state’s evolving multicultural landscape.

SEE FULL STATEMENT

Speech to the Honourable MP Zoe Bettison, Minister of Multicultural Affairs,

Delivered on Behalf of the Igbo Community of South Australia by Mr Joseph Amaefuna, President of the Igbo Community of South Australia.

[Minister’s Office Adelaide & 31 July 2025]

Dear Honourable MP Zoe Bettison Minister of Multicultural Affairs, and guests,

On behalf of the Igbo Community of South Australia, I bring you warm greetings and heartfelt appreciation. It is both a privilege and an honour to speak with you today – not just as representatives of a cultural group, but as active partners in building a more inclusive, vibrant, and unified South Australia.

First, we wish to sincerely thank the Government of South Australia for its ongoing commitment to cultural diversity and social inclusion. Your leadership in supporting multicultural communities has allowed us to share our heritage, preserve our identity, and contribute meaningfully to the civic and economic life of this state. We are grateful for the respect, opportunity, and recognition extended to our community.

As the Igbo people of Nigeria, our culture is ancient, dynamic, and deeply rooted in communal values – values which, interestingly, align in many ways with those of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples of Australia. Both cultures uphold a sacred connection to land, honour ancestral wisdom, and maintain rich oral traditions passed down through generations. We are both peoples who have endured, adapted, and remained proud of who we are.

The Igbo Community of South Australia (ICSA) has made great strides in recent years. We have hosted annual cultural festivals, facilitated youth engagement programs, supported language and heritage workshops, and formed partnerships across cultural and civic platforms. One of our proudest milestones was organising the first-ever Igbo Catholic Mass in South Australia – a truly historic event that united our people in both faith and culture, and brought our language and tradition into sacred community life. That moment reaffirmed our belief that South Australia is a place where every culture can flourish.

To build upon this momentum, we respectfully present several proposals that we believe will benefit both our community and the broader South Australian society.

First, we propose the establishment of an Igbo-Africa Village – a cultural, educational, and tourism-focused space that showcases Igbo traditions, architecture, food, music, craft, and history. Inspired by the successful Igbo Village in Staunton, Virginia, USA, our vision is to create a similar space here in South Australia that would serve not only the Igbo community, but also schools, tourists, researchers, and the general public. This village would host events, exhibitions, and educational programs that enrich South Australia’s tourism sector while strengthening cultural understanding.

We believe the Igbo-Africa Village can become a unique cultural tourism destination, adding value to South Australia’s identity as a multicultural state. To help realise this vision, we respectfully seek support through government grants and partnerships, which would allow us to move from vision to reality and ensure community access, safety, and quality programming.

Second, we propose the inclusion of celebrated African literary works in the state’s school curriculum – especially Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe and Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. These books are internationally respected for their literary quality and their powerful exploration of themes such as identity, colonisation, gender, and resilience. Their inclusion will enhance global literacy, critical thinking, and cultural representation in South Australian classrooms.

Third, we recommend that public streets be named after distinguished global Igbo figures. This practice is common in Nigeria, where we honour international and Commonwealth leaders by naming streets after them such as Egerton Street, Williams Street, and Nottidge Street in Onitsha; Milliken Hill Road in Enugu; Douglas Road in Owerri; and Faulks Road in Aba. In the spirit of shared recognition, we propose that South Australia honour global Igbo icons such as Chief Emeka Anyaoku, former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth of Nations; Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the World Trade Organization; and Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, internationally acclaimed author and feminist.

Lastly, we call for the inclusion of Igbo as an elective language in the South Australian high school curriculum. With over 30 million speakers worldwide, Igbo is a major African language. Teaching it in schools will affirm the identity of African-Australian students, provide linguistic diversity, and prepare students for a future of increasing engagement with Africa in fields such as business, diplomacy, and education.

Honourable Minister, the Igbo proverb says, “Onye kwe, chi ya ekwe” – when one agrees to move forward, even destiny aligns in their favour. We are not merely asking for support; we are offering partnership. We bring a rich culture, a motivated community, and a shared desire to build a more inclusive and internationally connected South Australia.

Once again, we express our sincere thanks to the Government of South Australia for the opportunities you continue to provide to all communities. We look forward to collaborating further, growing together, and contributing significantly to South Australia’s multicultural success – and its tourism, educational, and civic future.

Daalu. Thank you.

Compiled by:

Nnaemeka Umenzeakor,

Public Relations Officer,

The Igbo Community of South Australia.

Vote of thanks

Honourable MP Zoe Bettison, Minister of Multicultural Affairs and Tourism, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the Igbo Community of South Australia, I sincerely thank you for warmly receiving us today. We are truly grateful for your time, your hospitality, and your openness to hearing our voice and vision.

This visit has been both meaningful and encouraging. Your support and the commitment of the South Australian Government to multicultural inclusion give us confidence in the future we are building together.

We appreciate the opportunity to present our proposals, particularly regarding the Igbo-Africa Village, the incorporation of the Igbo language and English versions of Igbo folklore novels into the South Australian high school curriculum, and the recognition of Igbo contributions. We also thank you for acknowledging the efforts of our community, including the historic first Igbo Mass held here in South Australia.

To everyone who helped organise this visit, and to those who joined us in unity and support-thank you.

We look forward to continued collaboration and contributing to South Australia’s social, cultural, and tourism landscape.

Daalu. Thank you once again.

Kind regards,

Nnaemeka Umenzeakor,

Public Relations Officer,

The Igbo Community of South Australia.