Umuaka Times 2021 Merit Award Winners.
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1. Umuaka Times Man of the Year Award: Winner: Chief Chris “Chriwowo.” Nwachukwu.
JUSTTIFICATIONS: Over the years, Chief Nwachukwu has touched many lives and institutions etc across Umuaka with a big chunk of his personal fortune. He is currently tarring a road in Uba Umuaka at the cost of N24million. The first of its kind in Umuaka.
2. Imo State Royal Father of the Year: HRH, Eze Justin Ezeala, the traditional ruler of Obinwanne Umuaka Autonomous Community.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For his ability to initiate positive leadership and security conscious intervention programs aimed at restoring order and dignity in Obinwanne Umuaka Autonomous Community. He has also used his personal fortune to build the capacity of several Obinwanne youths and embarked on sustainable empowerment programs for a number of low income earners in Obinwanne.
3. Umuaka Times Medical Doctor of the Year: Prof Obioha Kingsley Chukwu Episteme.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For having used his position as a medical doctor and assisted several Akalites without asking for payments, especially in the case of Master Ugochukwu Iwunwa.
4. Umuaka Times Most Influential Woman of the Year: Barrister Lesley Chinwe Agams.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For being the brain behind the listing of Umuaka among 50 Super Cities in the World in a Bloomberg Foundation funded international program. In the globally famous Bloomberg listings of super cities in the world, Umuaka is among cities like Tokyo Japan, New York New York, Paris France etc. This program has a financial reward of one million USD if Umuaka beats other cities.
5. Most Outstanding Footballer of the Year: Daryl Dike.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For having played in European league and having made the list of American national football team.
6. Umuaka Times Female Footballer of the Year: Marvelous Duru.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For being the winner of an online pull on the best female footballer in Nigeria organized by the Nigerian Football Federation NFF .
7. Sports Ambassador of the Year: Elizabeth Anyanaso.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For being the only woman that represented Nigeria in taekwondo in the 2021 Olympics held in Tokyo Japan.
8. Best Graduating Student of the Year (International): Kingsley Duru.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For graduating with a first class in law at the prestigious Leeds University in the United Kingdom.
9. Best Graduating Student of the Year (Nigeria): Ohanekwu Favour Ebuka.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For emerging the Overall Best Graduating Student of Obafemi Awolowo University, Electrical and Electronics Dept.
10. Rev Fr of the Year: Fr Emmanuel Eburuaja.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For all his commitments towards youths’ empowerment and the development of football activities in Umuaka.
11. Best Community Service of the Year Winner: Ik Ehirim
JUSTIFICATIONS: For his professional and Selfless Assistance to our People and humanity.
12. Most Outstanding Philanthropist of the Year: Chief Ibezimako Dire.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For donating 100 bags of rice to low income earners for their Christmas celebrations. Each village went home with 10 bags. Chief Dire also personally monitored the distributions.
13. Youth Ambassador of the Year: Hon Obinna “Brainbox” Orgazi.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For his donations during the Covid19 pandemic to Akalites in South Africa and Umuaka born students in tertiary institutions across the country.
14. Best Foundation of the Year: Emelong Foundation.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For all the positive impact and intervention programs the foundation has made over the years in Umuaka and beyond.
15. The Fastest Developing Autonomous Community of the Year: Obinwanne Umuaka Autonomous Community.
JUSTIFICATIONS: The Obinwanne community has been able to develop at its own pace by providing all the social amenities it requires to forge ahead as an autonomy.
16. Most Organized Autonomous Community of the Year: Obinwanne Autonomous Community.
JUSTIFICATIONS: The Obinwanne Autonomous Community has social and structural administrations among the youths, women, the elderly and students in such a way that it has been able to create a healthy competition aimed towards greater developments and successes.
17. Most Peaceful Autonomous Community of the Year: Obinwanne Umuaka Autonomous Community.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For being the only autonomous community in Umuaka that has maintained adequate security network with no ezeship and autonomous community instigated crisis.
18 . Most Outstanding NGO of the Year: Women’s Crisis Centre WCC.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For bringing the name of Umuaka among 50 Super Cities in the world in a Bloomberg Foundation funded international program. WCC has also initiated some programs locally with the aim of fighting domestic violence, poverty and poor medical care.
- Cultural Ambassador of the Year: Mr Dennis Chinedu Okoro.
JUSTIFICATIONS: For being able to lead a group of young Akalites in America to establish a socio-cultural organization, the display of his love for Umuaka and her culture as well as his ability to command Igbo language in Umuaka dialect despite being born and raised in America. He is currently organizing Oghu dance in America.
Umuaka Times and Umuaka Times Institute heartily congratulate all the winners of the Umuaka Times 2021 Merit Award.
I congratulate Umuaka Times for its exemplary leadership especially in community journalism and beaming its search light on areas of mutual interest and flagging up concerns. Really proud of the positive impact, keep the flag flying.
Congratulations to all awardees, very well deserved.
Special thanks to Umuaka Times for bringing the good works of our people to life, you deserve an award yourself for the initiative