The History of ANCD | How the Association Started
The Spark (Summer 1992)
The idea to celebrate Nigeria’s independence began with casual conversations between Engineer Amen Omorogbe and his friends, Mr. Sonny Moze, Mr. Adebayo Adegoke, and Ms. Tina Oyarekhua. This led to the formation of a committee dedicated to organizing the very first Nigeria Independence Celebration in the Capital District of New York.
The Inaugural Celebration (October 1992)
- Host: Dr. Charles Nwankalo graciously opened his home for the event.
- Date: October 3, 1992.
- Outcome: The party was a massive success, sparking strong interest among attendees of Nigerian descent to establish a formal local association.
Exploration & Formation (1992–1993)
- The First Brainstorming Session: Held at the apartment of Engineer and Mrs. Amen Omorogbe, with about 10 people in attendance. The majority voted to officially move forward with an association.
- The Official Launch: The follow-up meeting took place at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Edwin Kaliku in the spring of 1993, where the organization was officially formed under the name “Nigerian American Social and Cultural Organization” (NASCO).
Early Leadership (1993–1994)
- Founding Interim President: The late Dr. Sam Otitigbe led the association from 1993 to 1994.
- First Elected President: Dr. Ola Adewunmi took over the leadership affairs from January 1995 through December 1996*.
Note on Original Text: The original text states “January 1995 through December 1994.” If this was a typo in the source material meant to say 1996, you may want to adjust it, but it has been left as-is to preserve your exact content.
Name Change & Evolution (1999)
In 1999, the association’s name was officially changed to its current title: “Association of Nigerians in the Capital District” (ANCD). This change was designed to pave the way for a broader scope of community engagement and activities.