The Ogwa Unity Forum (OUF), an apex socio-cultural organization in Ogwa Clan, last month honoured one of her illustrious daughters, Ugoeze Chinyere Obichukwu, with the prestigious Ezi Ada 1 of Ogwa award.
Ugoeze received the award at the occasion of Ogwa Unity Cultural Carnival which took place at the Community Primary School, EkwereazuOgwa in Mbaitoli LGA, Imo State. The event which was graced by the Imo State Deputy Governor,Lady Chinyere IhuomaEkomaru, as special guest of honour according to the organizers was designed to create unity and bond the people. The deputy governor also received the OUF award.
Ugoeze Chinyere Obichukwu is an American based nutritionist and event planner and having distinguished herself in the service of the Ogwa community and humanity generally was honoured with the award of excellence as the Ezi Ada 1 of Ogwa. The presenter of the award, Chief (Engr.) Emeka Ekeanyanwu in the citation recalled how very early in life as a young girl the awardee got herself enmeshed in community service.
The traditional ruler of Isi Ogwa Community, HRH Eze (Engr) G.C. Ihenacho (Ph.d), EzeOgwa 11 of Isi Ogwa recalled specific significant contributions of Ugoeze in 2008 while on a medical mission with a team from the United States to the Ogwa general hospital highlighting how she resolved a huge challenge during a surgery.
Receiving the award, Obichukwu expressed gratitude for the recognition and dedicated the award first to her husband who she stated had moulded her. She also dedicated the award to her late brother, Obinna Nwafor popularly known as Saint Obi, a Nolly Wood icon and her late parents whom she acknowledged gave her a good backgrounding that transformed her.
Explaining her affection for Ogwa the awardee explained that she was completely home bred in Ogwa, having been born and married to the community, her maternal and other extended relations are also rooted in Ogwa. Close family relations also attest that her over 50 years sojourn in the United States has not removed one bit her Ogwaness.
The American based nutritionist and confectioner is the wife of HRH Eze (Dr) Emeka Obichukwu, Eze Udo, Eze Ndigbo, in Houston, USA. It would appearthat the year 2024 was designed for harvest of award for the golden and quintessential Ugoeze who also received other awards during the yuletide locally and earlier in the year at the United States.
Prior to the OUF award, the Uru community where she is married had honoured her as a ‘Virtuous Woman’ during their Uru Day celebration while the National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW), Ikeduru units in Imo State branch were not left out in conferring on her with the ‘Life Patroness’ award.
Earlier, she had received the 2024 Afrocentric Women Leadership Award in Houston Texas, USA. She also received an award from the Mayor of Houston Texas, Turner 2024. Ugoeze capped her award ceremonies by organizing a fun filled entertainment show for the friends and relations who gathered to witness the event at her country home.
