Isiozi Akah bestows chieftaincy title on Dr. Gertie Chimeka Anyanwoke.
3 min read
Tuesday April 23 2024 was one of the greatest days Isiozi Akah Autonomous Community quietly made history. On this date, the royal father of the community and the Isiozi Akah Council of Chiefs gathered at the palace of HRH Eze Victor Ijeoma and bestowed a chieftaincy title on one of the daughters of the community, Eziada Dr Gertie Chimeka Anyanwoke, a famous and highly reputed infectious disease control expert based in the United States of America.
Umuaka Times local affairs correspondents who covered the event coincidentally arrived at the palace together with the chieftaincy award recipient, Dr Gertie Anyanwoke. Few minutes after the arrival of all the guests expected at the palace for the epoch making event, the royal father of the community, HRH Eze Victor Ijeoma and his amiable wife, the Ugoeze of Isiozi Akah stepped into the palace for the big event. As they moved in, everyone stood up to welcome them. He and his wife took their seats and the Traditional Prime Minister of the community, cleared his voice and alerted the guests that it was time to greet the royal father. After the exchange of greetings by the royal father and his guests, he then told the guests to sit down and the event officially began.
The next thing that followed was the presentation of kola nuts and the royal father himself blessed the kola nuts. After that, the royal father made his opening remarks. In his speech, Eze Ijeoma, first greeted the chiefs again and welcomed them to the palace of peace. He told them that Gertie Chimeka Anyanwoke, MD, MBA, FIDSA, FACP and the Medical Director, Baton Rouge Multi-Specialty Care Center, LLC. Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States is their daughter who has received several awards and honours in and outside Nigeria but too bad that the land of her birth, Isiozi Akah was yet to honour her with any. Hear the monarch: “That is why we are here today, to give honour to whom honour is due. She is our daughter who read medicine in University of Lagos before she proceeded to the United States where she then acquired more degrees in medicine and took a speciality in infectious disease control. In fact, she was the first woman president of University of Lagos College of Medicine Students Association.” As he was making his speech, some of the chiefs expressed surprise that such a high profile personality is from their community and they never knew.
At this juncture, Eze Ijeoma who is a barrister at law told the exclusive gathering that it was time to read the citation of the woman of substance, Dr. Gertie Ihuaku Onyebuchi Chimeka Anyanwoke. As the royal father was reading the citation, he was severally interrupted by rounds of applause as the elders of the community were astonished by the accomplishments of the human dynamo Dr Gertie Chimeka Anyanwoke. By the time he was done with the citation, the atmosphere in the palace was highly electrifying as more rounds of applause immediately followed.
Dr Gertie Anyanwoke was then called out and the royal father crowned her the Ugo Mmuta 1 of Isiozi Akah. The Ugoeze of Isiozi Akah also wore her chieftaincy a necklace and blessed her as well.
The Traditional Prime Minister of Isiozi Akah, Chief Andrew O. Duruanyanwu, the Eze Kwesiri 1 of Isiozi-Akah then took the time to hand over the traditional hand fan to the new female chief and told her the role of the hand fan. Eze Ijeoma also signed the chieftaincy certificate and handed it over to her.
Dr Anyanwoke was then told to go round and greet the chiefs and elders of the community which she did immediately. After the exchange of pleasantries, she made an acceptance speech and thanked all the people of the community and assured them of her commitment towards the development of the community.
The next segment was a photo session which followed immediately before the event came to an end.
