About Íjùtà

Honouring the memory of Igbo and other victims of genocide

Íjùtà is an Igbo term that describes the ritual of laying the unmourned dead to rest. In this ritual, the living remember, commemorate, and mourn their dead. So Íjùtà is never just about loss. It is also, and perhaps primarily, about the conservation of human relationships (kinships, friendships, and solidarities). Íjùtà conserves relationships with memory. When we remember and commemorate the dead, we keep our relationships, and ourselves, alive.

Purpose and Goals

The purpose of Íjùtà is to honour the memory of the victims of the Nigerian genocide (1966- 1970), most of whom were Igbo people, and to acknowledge and mourn with the survivors of the atrocities that occurred in Nigeria during that period. To meet this purpose, Íjùtà organizes educational events and activities that raise awareness about this genocide, encourages inquiry about genocide, and fosters a deeper understanding of its long-lasting traumatic legacies.

The objectives of Íjùtà shall include but not be limited to:

Advancing knowledge and understanding of the genocide of Igbo and other peoples in Nigeria associated with them by setting up and executing various programs and projects in Canada and elsewhere in the world.
Promoting education about the genocide by granting scholarships, bursaries, and other financial assistance to university students based on their academic achievements.
Offering scholarships, bursaries, and other financial assistance based on academic merit to high school graduates who wish to pursue their first-year studies in genocide and related issues at any university in the world.
Supplying books, equipment, and educational materials on subjects related to genocide and mass atrocity education and prevention to schools, libraries, research institutions, and students.
Sponsoring/funding research and research publications on the genocide of Igbo and other peoples in Nigeria.
Awarding prizes to scholars/students of the genocide of Igbo and other peoples in Nigeria to foster academic excellence and recognize research potential and achievement.
Awarding prizes to scholars/students of the genocide of Igbo and other peoples in Nigeria for outstanding contributions to genocide research.