State of the Association Report by Dr. Chidi Igwe, President, Igbo Studies Association

Dear distinguished members of the Igbo Studies Association, members of the Executive Committee, Advisory Board, presenters, partners, elders, colleagues, students, and friends of ISA,

It is my honour to present this State of the Association Report at the 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Igbo Studies Association.

As we gather in Chicago for ISA’s 23rd Annual International Conference, hosted by Dominican University under the theme “Ọsọ Ndụ Agwụ Ike: Building a Sustainable and Resilient Future,” we do so with gratitude, reflection, and renewed commitment. This theme speaks not only to the Igbo spirit of endurance, renewal, creativity, and collective strength, but also to the journey of ISA itself.

This past year has been a year of rebuilding, modernization, and growth. We have worked to strengthen ISA’s digital infrastructure, improve membership and conference systems, renew our publishing activities, increase communication with members, and expand the visibility of Igbo Studies.

I am pleased to present the following achievements.

1. Successful Organization of ISA 2026 in Chicago

One of our major achievements is the successful organization of the 2026 ISA Conference here at Dominican University, River Forest and Chicago Campus.

This gathering has brought together scholars, students, cultural leaders, artists, community builders, and friends of Igbo Studies from around the world. The program reflects the richness of our field, with panels and conversations on language, history, literature, gender, music, artificial intelligence, diaspora identity, leadership, mental health, economic development, cultural preservation, and sustainability.

We are deeply grateful to Dominican University for hosting us. I offer special thanks to Dr. Nkuzi Nnam, our Chief Host and Local Organizing Committee Chair, and Dr. Uchenna Onuzulike, our Program Chair, for their leadership and tireless work.

I also thank the students of Dominican University who have supported the conference through their time, energy, and service, and the Igbo Association of Chicago for their warm hospitality, cultural support, and friendship.

2. Celebration of the 2026 Madubuike Keynote

This year, we are proud to celebrate Dr. Ada Uzoamaka Azodo as our 2026 Madubuike Keynote Speaker.

Her keynote invites us to reflect on Igbo cultural values, wisdom, dignity, family, community, and moral imagination. Her scholarship reminds us why ISA exists: to preserve, study, and advance Igbo knowledge in serious and meaningful ways.

3. Relaunch and Strengthening of the ISA Website

ISA has relaunched and strengthened its website, transforming it into a more useful digital platform for members, presenters, conference participants, journal readers, and the wider public.

The website now supports conference information, news updates, program downloads, certificate access, membership communication, journal access, and broader public engagement.

This is an important step because the future of scholarly associations depends on strong digital systems. ISA must remain visible, searchable, accessible, and professionally presented to the world.

4. Improved Membership and Conference Systems

We have improved our membership and conference systems.

ISA now has a stronger structure for managing membership records, conference registration, payments, presenter information, and certificates. These improvements reduce manual work, strengthen accountability, and allow us to serve members more efficiently.

Members and conference participants can now access clearer records of participation, payments, attendance, and presentation certificates.

5. Expanded Certificate System

We have strengthened the system for generating and managing certificates.

This includes membership certificates, conference attendance certificates, and presentation certificates. The certificate system now gives ISA a more professional and reliable way to recognize members, presenters, and participants.

This is important for scholars, students, and professionals who need official documentation of their participation and contributions.

6. Relaunch of the ISA Newsletter

Another important achievement is the relaunch of the ISA Newsletter in electronic format.

The newsletter will serve as a platform for news, scholarship, member achievements, conference updates, photos, resources, calls for papers, and community announcements.

It will help ISA communicate more regularly with members, remain active beyond the annual conference, and preserve the institutional memory of the association.

7. Renewal of the Publishing Partnership with Goldline and Jacobs Publishing

We have renewed and strengthened our publishing partnership with Goldline and Jacobs Publishing.

This partnership supports the continued publication and visibility of the Igbo Studies Review and other scholarly materials connected to ISA.

It also helps us move toward a more sustainable and accessible electronic publishing model.

8. Release of the First Two Electronic Volumes of Igbo Studies Review

I am pleased to report that ISA has released the first two electronic volumes of the Igbo Studies Review.

This is a major step forward. It makes our journal more accessible to scholars, students, libraries, and readers across the world.

The electronic release supports accessibility, preservation, visibility, and sustainability. Our next responsibility is to continue strengthening the journal, improving editorial workflows, encouraging submissions, and increasing its academic visibility.

9. Launch of the Online Journal Hosting Platform

ISA has launched an online journal hosting platform to organize, host, and preserve scholarly publications.

This platform allows journal issues and articles to be accessed electronically in a more structured and professional way. It gives ISA greater control over how its intellectual work is presented, preserved, and shared.

For an association dedicated to Igbo Studies, this is a major institutional achievement.

10. Introduction of ISA Scholars

We have introduced ISA Scholars, a member-driven platform designed to showcase ISA members and their work.

Through ISA Scholars, members can create profiles, list research interests, share publications, upload materials, and make their academic contributions more discoverable.

This initiative will help strengthen networking, collaboration, and visibility among scholars working in Igbo Studies, African Studies, history, literature, linguistics, cultural studies, gender studies, diaspora studies, and related fields.

11. Strengthening of Communications and Public Visibility

ISA has improved its communication and public visibility through website updates, electronic newsletters, blog articles, conference news, digital certificates, and online publishing.

These efforts help ISA tell its story more clearly and consistently. They also allow the wider public to see the intellectual, cultural, and community work being done through the association.

12. Stronger Community and Institutional Partnerships

This year has reminded us of the importance of community and institutional partnerships.

Our collaboration with Dominican University and the Igbo Association of Chicago shows that ISA grows stronger when scholarship and community work together.

The academy and the community should not be separated. Igbo Studies must remain connected to the lived experiences, cultural practices, and aspirations of Igbo people at home and in the diaspora.

13. Continuation of ISA’s Intellectual and Cultural Mission

Beyond technology and administration, ISA continues to fulfill its deeper mission: to advance the study of Igbo people, language, history, literature, culture, society, and diaspora experience.

This year’s conference program demonstrates that Igbo Studies is alive, expanding, and engaging contemporary questions. Our field is not only concerned with the past. It is also concerned with the future: artificial intelligence, migration, sustainability, mental health, economic development, language preservation, leadership, identity, and intergenerational continuity.

14. Recognition of Collective Service

None of these achievements would have been possible without the work of many people.

I thank the Executive Committee, the Advisory Board, the Program Committee, the Local Organizing Committee, moderators, presenters, volunteers, technical supporters, students, partners, and members who have given their time, talent, and energy to ISA.

Associations are built not only by speeches and titles, but by invisible labour: emails sent, programs edited, certificates prepared, websites updated, payments tracked, calls answered, documents reviewed, and problems solved.

ISA is stronger because of this collective work.

Challenges and Priorities Ahead

While we have made significant progress, we must also be honest about the work ahead.

We need to continue growing our membership, increasing participation beyond the annual conference, strengthening our financial base, supporting the journal more consistently, improving fundraising, and encouraging younger scholars and graduate students to see ISA as their intellectual home.

As we move into the coming year, our priorities should be clear:

1. Strengthen membership engagement and renewal.
2. Continue developing the Igbo Studies Review.
3. Grow the ISA Newsletter as a regular communication platform.
4. Expand ISA Scholars and encourage more members to create profiles.
5. Build stronger institutional and community partnerships.
6. Improve fundraising, sponsorship, and financial sustainability.
7. Begin early planning for the next ISA conference.

Conclusion

Dear colleagues and friends, the state of the Igbo Studies Association is strong, hopeful, and full of possibility.

We have renewed our systems, strengthened our digital presence, improved our publishing platform, relaunched our newsletter, expanded member visibility, and successfully gathered again as a global community of scholars and friends of Igbo Studies.

ISA exists because Igbo Studies matters. It matters for our language, our history, our literature, our culture, our children, and our future.

As president, I thank you for your trust, support, patience, and commitment. I invite all of us to continue building ISA with seriousness, love, humility, and purpose.

May the Igbo Studies Association continue to grow.
May our scholarship continue to flourish.
May our culture continue to speak.
May our future remain resilient and strong.

Thank you.

Dr. Chidi Igwe
President, Igbo Studies Association