Umuele Amazano set to honour Prof. Chidi Oguamanam with football tournament.

Umuele Amazano Autonomous Community in Umuaka, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State, is set to honour one of its illustrious sons, Professor Chidi Oguamanam, with a football tournament following his recent appointment to the UNESCO World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST). The tournament, tagged “Professor Chidi Oguamanam Success Cup 2026,” is scheduled to kick off on September 27, 2026, in the community, according to the President of the Umuele Sports Council, Comrade Barrack Ozoagwu.

Speaking with Umuaka Times last week, Ozoagwu said the community was filled with joy and pride following the international recognition accorded Professor Oguamanam by the United Nations. He said the appointment was viewed by the community as a significant achievement for Umuele Amazano and a source of inspiration to younger generations in Umuaka generally. Ozoagwu explained that the football tournament was being organized not only as a sporting event but also as part of the community’s celebration of the academic and professional achievement of Professor Oguamanam. He added that the people of Umuele Amazano welcomed the UNESCO appointment and prayed for God’s continued guidance and protection for Professor Oguamanam, his family and the entire community.

Umuaka Times was reliably informed that the Sports Council contacted Professor Oguamanam about the proposed tournament and that the professor welcomed the initiative and gave the organizers the go-ahead to proceed. The development has reportedly generated excitement among football enthusiasts in the community, with preparations already gathering momentum ahead of the September 27 kick-off. When Umuaka Times local correspondents visited the Umuele Amazano community, they observed intensive training sessions involving the community’s football players, who are preparing for what is expected to be a major sporting event in the community.

It can be recalled that Professor Chidi Oguamanam, a Nigerian scholar and Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, was recently appointed as a member of the UNESCO World Commission on the Ethics of Scientific Knowledge and Technology (COMEST) for the 2026–2029 term. For those who may not know, COMEST is an independent advisory body established by UNESCO in 1998 to examine ethical questions arising from developments in science and technology and provide advice to UNESCO and other stakeholders.

The commission brings together experts from different disciplines and countries to consider emerging ethical issues associated with areas including artificial intelligence, biotechnology, climate change, environmental ethics, quantum computing and space exploration. Oguamanam’s academic work spans areas including law, intellectual property, biotechnology, agriculture, traditional knowledge and indigenous knowledge systems. His appointment to COMEST has therefore been welcomed by his home community as an achievement with significance beyond Umuele Amazano, particularly because it places a Nigerian scholar among international experts contributing to discussions on the ethical dimensions of scientific and technological development.

For the people of Umuele Amazano, the Professor Chidi Oguamanam Success Cup 2026 Football Tournament will provide an opportunity to combine sport, community celebration and recognition of one of their prominent sons.