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REP. DANNY K. DAVIS, MARY MITCHELL HEADLINE FUNDRAISER ORGANIZATION

COMMEMORATES LOSS OF LIVES IN RECENT TERRORIST ACT

CHICAGO: The elite of Chicago’s architectural, engineering, urban planning and construction community joined with politicians recently to commemorate the loss of lives and one of the world’s major architectural structures, at the Organization of Nigerian Building Professionals’ 5th Annual Outreach Scholarship Fundraiser, an annual celebratory event tempered by the recent terrorist attack on America.

This year, attendees paused during the event to mourn the loss of lives in the recent terrorist attack, as well as to dissect the architectural and engineering aspects of the toppling of the World Trade Center, one of the world’s great architectural treasures.

Entitled “Education: the Strongest Foundation and Building Resource of Any Nation,” the event, featuring keynote speaker U.S. Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-7th), was, held September 22, at Harambee House, 11901 South Loomis in Chicago.

Davis, dressed in babanriga, urged some 200 attendees made up primarily of first generation African immigrants to be more pro-active on issues affecting the continent.

“Many of you are well-educated. You are experts in various fields. These skills need to be used for the good of Africa and the various communities needing it here,” said Davis, who has received hundreds of awards and citations for outstanding work in the areas of education, health, human relations, politics and advocacy.

ONBP officers said Davis was sought as keynote speaker because he has been a strong advocate in Congress on Africa trade and investment issues, and recently returned from Lagos, Nigeria, where he helped launch the Mahogany Scholarship Foundation International Scholarship Exchange Project 2001.

“There are many policy issues now before Congress. You know what is going on in the Motherland better than many of us here. We need your knowledge and expertise in writing these foreign policies,” Davis said.

Some 300 corporate representatives in the building professions attended the event sponsored by ONBP, a nonprofit organization founded in Chicago in 1993, which represents architects, engineers, contractors, surveyors, construction managers and urban planners practicing in the private sector as well as in federal, state, county and city Government.

Special guest speakers included James R. DeStefano, Founding Partner and President of DeStefano and Partners, Ltd., the Chicago firm responsible for the four-year, renovation” of Sears Tower. The benchmark event was meant to highlight the trade of minds as the U.S. marks a year since passage of the historic African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), and drew the support of policymakers across city, county and state government for an elegant evening benefiting a most worthwhile cause.

“The ONBP has worked to enhance educational and career mentoring initiatives for African and African American communities both in Chicago and Nigeria,” wrote Gov. George Ryan in a letter of greetings. “I commend the goals of the ONBP and their efforts to promote self-improvement and community empowerment both here and abroad.”

“Committed to education, the ONBP aims to preserve Nigerian culture outside the nation’s borders, to educate the public about the effects of development on the environment and to inspire professional development in Nigeria,” Mayor Daley wrote. “Our city’s rich ethnic diversity is one of its greatest strengths, and the ONBP helps raise cultural awareness of Nigeria and American-Nigerian relations throughout the Chicagoland area.”

As the national spotlight turned to U.S. trade and investment with Africa in the wake of last year’s passing of AGOA, many African countries sought to expand the trade of minds with the U.S. This is not surprising, as education remains atop the priorities for developing nations. As an example, Mexican President Vicente Fox in his recent Chicago visit, lobbied Gov. Ryan to allow Mexican citizens here illegally to access education without discrimination.

For the past several years, ONBP has provided college resources to deserving young people exemplifying strong academic potential but facing socio-economic hindrances to higher education. ONBP awards up to five scholarships ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 annually to students of Nigerian descent enrolled in construction related professional disciplines at universities throughout the United States and Canada. More than $20,000 has been awarded since 1997, as ONBP strives to establish a full scholarship endowment.

Chicago Sun-Times Columnist Mary A. Mitchell, a recipient of numerous Journalism awards, including the Studs Terkel Award from the Chicago Media Workshop, the Peter Lisagor Award from the Chicago Headliner Club, and the prestigious Award of Excellence from the National Association of Black Journalists, hosted this year’s event.

ONBP’s special guest speaker, James R. DeStefano, heads a Chicago firm boasting a portfolio of over $6 billion of built work, and responsible for some of the largest projects currently under construction in Chicago. DeStefano throughout his career has been a leader on issues affecting architectural education and professional growth. He was a founding member of the SOM Foundation, established to initiate educational, exhibition and fellowship programs to encourage the professional growth of students and young architects.

“ONBP believes that increasing educational trade between the U.S. and countries such as Nigeria-Africa’s most populous country at 100 million people is important.” ONBP President Dr. Gene C. Mojekwu, CEO of Chicago-based Matrix Engineering Corp. and Adjunct Associate Professor of Structural Engineering in the School of Architecture at the University of Illinois/Chicago; told attendees.

“That’s why ONBP’s philanthropic endeavors seek to enhance and expand educational opportunities for African communities both here at home in Chicago-and back home in Nigeria,” said the award-winning designer and published writer who has been interviewed extensively regarding the fall of the World Trade Center.

In an “Open Letter of Condemnation and Condolence” read at the beginning of the event, accompanied by playing of the American National Anthem, ONBP members declared: “Nearly two weeks ago, this great nation was rocked by an unspeakable act of evil. We cannot but pause at our annual event to denounce and grieve the terrorist attacks that left thousands dead and destroyed the World Trade Center and part of the U.S. Pentagon. America grieves the loss of lives. As members of the building professions, we join America in grieving also, the loss of one of the worlds greatest architectural treasures and the epicenter of American economy.”

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