Join your Region
Itsekiri, married to or family of an Itsekiri, or a friend of the Itsekiri: you are welcome.
8 Member Regions. One covers your city.
Why join
- A vote in your RegionMembers in good standing elect their Regional officers.
- Member pricesAt the Convention and at Region events.
- Family in hard timesThe condolence fund and your Region stand with you.
How joining works
- Sign up and choose your RegionYour name, your email and the Region that covers your city. Community membership is free.
- Your Region welcomes youYour Regional Secretary confirms you, usually within 48 hours, often with a quick call.
- Take partMeetings, WhatsApp groups, the Convention, and your vote. Move up a tier whenever you like.
When you need the details
The four tiers
- CommunityFree
Join the diaspora conversation. A free seat at the table — newsletters, event invitations, and public directory access.
Join free - SupportingAnnual
The working tier. Dues fund Iwere Care telehealth, scholarships, and the condolence fund. Voting rights at Regional elections.
Become Supporting - Lifetime$1,000 once
Paid once, honored for life. A one-time covenant that anchors the next generation and removes the annual renewal.
Become Lifetime - Benefactor$5,000+ / yr
For members who carry a program line. Benefactor gifts fund a named scholarship, a clinic night, or an Academy cohort.
Become Benefactor
Dues are set by the Constitution and handled by your Region. Dues can be waived, reduced or paid monthly on a confidential request to your Regional Secretary.
Everything membership includes
- Voting rights. Members in good standing elect their Regional officers. Constitutional amendments are adopted by the Regions, voting through their credentialed delegates (Article V).
- Convention member pricing. Member pricing at the Convention every Labor Day weekend. Supporting tier and up unlocks the discount.
- Member-only content. The private Regional newsletters, leadership minutes, financial detail, and cultural archive materials that don't sit on the public site.
- Business directory. A verified Itsekiri-owned business directory is in build — searchable by category, city, and member-only discounts as merchants enroll.
- Matchmaking. A discreet, member-verified introduction service for single Itsekiri professionals. Intake is manual, private, and free to Supporting members up.
- Condolence fund. When a member or immediate family member passes, the fund underwrites travel, flowers, and family support — coordinated by the Region.
- Elder care subsidy. A small monthly subsidy for members aged 70+ facing transport or prescription cost gaps. Quiet, automatic, verified through the Region.
- Member business discounts. As Itsekiri-owned restaurants, clinics, salons, law firms, and retailers enroll, members will see preferred pricing in the directory.
- Iwere Care access. Supporting members and up can book telehealth visits through Iwere Care at preferred rates, whether you carry insurance or not.
- Scholarship priority. Children of members receive priority scoring in the scholarship cycle when all other factors are equal. No cash advantage — just a tiebreaker.
- Emergency fund review. Small emergency grants ($250 – $2,500) reviewed by the Region for members facing medical, funeral, or housing crises. Confidential.
- A name in the Annual Report. Every member in good standing is named in the Annual Report. Anonymity is respected on request, but most members choose to be named.
How the Congress is organised
INC-USA is a federation of Regions. People are members of their Region, and the 8 Member Regions are the members of the Congress. Each Region runs its own programmes, elects its own leaders and sends representatives to the National Convention.
Questions
Transferring between Regions when you move.
Yes. When you relocate, notify your current Regional Secretary. Your membership, tier, and voting rights move with you — no gap, no re-verification. The new Region confirms within a week. Dues already paid carry forward; no double payment.
Student or youth tier.
Full-time students aged 18-24 pay a reduced Supporting rate on presentation of a current student ID. Youth under 18 are enrolled free under a parent or guardian’s membership and are counted toward household voting representation at age 18. Specific rate set by the Constitution and shared by your Regional Secretary.
Household membership option.
Yes. A household Supporting membership covers a primary member, spouse, and all dependent children under 18 — a modest discount over two individual Supporting tiers. Household Lifetime is also available, covering both spouses for life. Specific amounts set by the Constitution and shared by your Regional Secretary.
When dues are genuinely out of reach.
No member is turned away for financial reasons. Supporting dues may be waived in full, reduced, or paid in monthly installments on confidential request to your Regional Secretary. The dues-waiver form is one page and never reviewed publicly. Waived members retain full voting rights.
Joining from outside the United States.
International members are welcomed at the Community (free) tier. Supporting and Lifetime tiers are open to international applicants where the Region has explicit reciprocity — ask your closest Regional Secretary. International members vote in national Convention business but not in US Regional officer elections.
Still unsure? Ask us and your Regional Secretary will help.