Happy Holidays fellow Umuojians

UMUOJI BOYS HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT

Fellow Umuojians,

On behalf of Umuoji Improvement Union – USA let me thank you all for all your assistance and support in the outgoing year. With your support we were able to pull through a very successful convention in Houston, Texas. We also witnessed lots of peace and reconciliation within our organization, the climax of which was the admission of our brothers and sisters from New York/New Jersey/Connecticut Chapter into UIU-USA.

As we cerebrate Christmas, let us stop for a moment to reflect on the suffering of our brothers, cousins and Nephews in Umuoji Boys High School, who will be graduating from their Junior Secondary School Class next fall. Upon graduation, these boys will have no place in Umuoji to further their education to the Senior Secondary School level – a result of the withdrawn accreditation of SS1-SS3. They will have to choose between daily commuting to Ogidi Boys High School or dropping out of school. Shall we wait until we loose accreditation of the Junior Hugh School also before we realize the need and urgency to run to their rescue?

As concerned Umuoji citizens in UIU-USA, we have identified the need to assist these kids, as a matter of priority, by working to restore the accreditation of the Senior Secondary School. We sent a fact finding mission to Umuoji Boys to determine the details of what we need to do to salvage the situation.

The report we got was very alarming to say but the least. Please take some time to reflect on the pictures below that shows the current situation of Umuoji Boys. These pictures speak a million words but one thing is clear, IT IS DEPLORABLE and disheartening. If we agree with the saying that “children are our future” how can the “good” people of Umuoji watch the pride and future of this town crumble? There is no better time to act than now.

The National executive committee of UIU has carefully looked into this and identified the following projects as critical to getting back the accreditation:

1. Fencing the Compound of the school so that the teaching, library and laboratory

equipments can be safe guarded.

2. Renovating the Laboratory and Class room Blocks

3. Renovating the Principal and Staff quarter


In view of the fore-going, a committee of very distinguished Umuojians made of Dr Sunny Agina, Engr. Cletus Okonkwo, Mr. Pius Okaneme and Mr. Peter Azogini has been setup by the National Executive committee to study these projects and come up with recommendations.

We realize this is a very monumental project to undertake. It will take the effort of all Umuojians to achieve the goal of bringing back Umuoji Boys to it’s “glory days”. In the coming year, we will be calling on Umuojians in USA to support this project. As always we are confident that you will answer this call.

Thanks and Happy holidays to all.

Fidelis Onyimba

National President UIU-USA

Osita Okoye
National Publicity Secretary UIU-USA

UMUOJI BOYS PROJECT - INTERVIEW WITH PRINCIPAL, STAFF & PTA

SUMMARY OF INTERVIEW WITH PRINCIPAL & STAFF

1. Principal - Mr Nwafor J.K (803-090-0751)

2. Vice principal admin - Mr Ezendiokwelu H. O

3. Bursar - Mr Ikeabunze Godwin

4. The PTA Chairman - Chief Mekaowuru

5. Vice principal academics

The main problem identified includes dwindling attendance that have led to very few students in the senior secondary(SS1-SS3) school and subsequent withdrawal of accreditation for SS1-SS3.

The reason for the poor attendance is decay infrastructure and low teacher/student ratio.

Umuoji boys is now UMUOJI COMMUNITY HIGH but no girl has taken any offer of admission in the school due to poor security.

The recommendations include:

1. To repair the teachers/principal accommodation. This will help the school ask for NYSC teachers (projected 15) to help address teacher/student ratio and confidence. If the principal and NYSC teachers are living in the compound, it will bring a sense of security to the school.

2. At least, a "dwarf" fence with gate at the entrance should be built to close the pathway that ran across the school while also addressing the security problem

3. Renovation of one unit of vandalized building for the SS1-SS3 (Lagos branch already completed renovation of one building).

PLEASE CLICK THE LINK ABOVE TO SEE THE DETAILS OF THE INTERVIEW UIU-USA CONDUCTED WITH THE PRINCIPAL, STAFF AND PTA CHAIRMAN.


This Interview was conducted by Osita Okoye - PRO UIU-USA on a fact finding mission to Umuoji Boys.

Principal's Office

Left: The Principal Mr J.K Nwafor and the PTA Chairman Chief Mekaowuru inside the Principal's office.

Right: The desk of the secretary to the Principal office.

This office has been broken into from the ceiling on several times.

Click of the video below for more details.

A Class room block that was once used by SSS class

Left : Front View of a Class room block. Right: The Inside of the class room.

This building that was once an elegant structure that produced lots of Umuoji sons is now abandoned and vandalized.

Entrance gate to Umuoji Boys High School

Left: Entrance gate to Umuoji Boys High School

Right: Umuoji Boys High School students outside their class room block - "crying for help"

Science Laboratory - Block A

Left: Outside view of One of the Science Laboratory, Right: Inside view

Science Laboratory Block B

Left: Side view of the Science Laboratory Block B.

Right: Inside the Science Lab

According to the principal, the science equipments have been moved to a location in Onitsha to safeguard them from robbers. How can these kids learn science if their Lab? is at Onitsha

The Principal's Residence

The Principal's Residence.

The Principal currently live near Awka and daily commute to Umuoji Boys. He is looking to relocate to Umuoji but there is no place in the school for him.

The abandoned school Dormitory. This use to be the place where our young brothers, cousins and nephews live within the school compound. This facilities built and supported by our fathers are no longer available to these kids. The "lucky ones" either commutes to or live in the facilities provided for by Ogidi - USA for Ogidi Boys High School.

The "not so lucky", DROP OUT OF SCHOOL after their Junior Secondary Class (JS3)

IMPROVING UMUOJI ONE COMMUNITY AT A TIME

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MAJOR NEW YORK FUND RAISING FOR PROPOSE ABIDI COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER


The proposed Abidi Community Health Center shall be a beneficiary of the upcoming
Fall 2007 Charity Event being held at the Huntington Hilton, Long Island New York
on Saturday November 17, 2007. See attached flyer. The Charity Event is being sponsored
by CKC Onitsha Alumni Association to help support Education and Basic Healthcare in Africa.

The Event also kicks off the year long School's 75th Anniversary Diamond Jubilee Celebrations.

One of the fundamental problems facing Africa is lack of basic healthcare. Experts have told us how a low cost basic healthcare facility can go a long way in improving the lives, health and wealth of rural and urban communities in Africa.

The proposed Health Center shall be located along the Nkpor-Umuoji Road, approximately 5 kilometers from Nkpor Junction. Ground breaking is expected by mid 2008. Anyone living within driveable distance is urged to attend. We have extended the Hotel discount rate for anyone intending to stay at the hotel. See flyer for additional information and contacts.

Okodu ekenem unu.
Eugene Agbimson

Death Announcement - Sir Walter Chukwura Mbonu

A Great Nigerian Passes On: Sir Walter Chukwura Mbonu, 1924-2007

Walter Chukwura Mbonu, a distinguished Nigerian, from Umuoji Anambra State, passed on in his sleep in the early hours of September 19, 2007.

Walter Mbonu, born in 1924 was a distinguished Scholar, Author, Historian, Government Administrator, and an Anglican Knight of St. Christopher. Walter Mbonu's life started humbly when he left home at about 12 years to live with an Uncle, Sam Agina, who was serving as a colonial police officer in a nearby city.

The young Walter displayed such an acute intellectual ability, that Sam Agina was compelled to commit some of his meager resources as a young police officer to train Walter through Primary School.

Walter Mbonu blazed through primary school and showed so much intellectual promise that the colonial administrators hired him immediately as a teacher after primary school. The colonial administration in continued appreciation of his brilliance, sent him to additional training and in a few years made him a Headmaster in his early 20's.

As a young teacher, Walter Mbonu was unsatisfied, knowing that his intellectual abilities had set him apart from his peers. However with no wealthy relatives to pay his tuition, Walter embarked on self-help. Without any formal Secondary Education, he started to study for higher education.

Walter Mbonu did not just study for the O-Level GCE as administered in those days by Cambridge University in the United Kingdom, rather he skipped the O-Level to study for the A-levels, which when successful, guarantees Direct Entry to a University of choice.

In the 1950's, there were only 2 Universities in all of West Africa, the Fourah Bay University in Sierra Leone, and the prestigious University of Ibadan, in Nigeria. No doubt the competition among West Africa's then approximately 70 million people, who were dispersed across 11 countries was fierce, but Walter Mbonu aimed high; he blazed through the A-Levels and was immediately admitted to the esteemed University of Ibadan, Nigeria.

At the University of Ibadan, the financial crunch set in, higher education was of course a luxury meant mostly for the children of the privileged. Although Walter Mbonu was on a partial academic scholarship, there was no money for anything else and he was in danger of leaving the University.

Then fate set in, when a British Professor at Ibadan decided that he would not let this bright mind waste. He provided funds for Walter Mbonu to stay on and complete his studies. He eventually graduated with honors, and was among the best in his graduating class.

After graduation he was offered several positions including an entry-level executive position at the then budding West African Examinations Council (WAEC), amid other fellowships at Ibadan. However Walter decided on a faculty position to groom the finest young minds in Eastern Nigeria's most elite college, the Government College Umuahia.

Shortly after, the Biafra/Nigerian war started. During the war, Walter Mbonu was selected as a representative of the World Council of Churches (WCC). He had the responsibility of distributing relief materials, including food and medicine to starving families in Biafra. No doubt his efforts, sacrifices, and magnanimity saved a lot of lives during the Biafra war.

As the war ended, the Nigerian government sought out her brilliant sons from the east to re-integrate into mainstream Nigerian administration. Walter Mbonu was hired as a top public servant (Divisional Education Officer-DEO). He worked tirelessly in many parts of Eastern Nigeria, helping to rehabilitate Eastern Nigeria's highly acclaimed, but war devastated educational sector.

In the early 1970's Nigeria was looking to broaden its foreign relations efforts and needed to retrain some of her intellectuals. In due time, the government tapped on Walter Mbonu among others, this time for graduate training on full scholarship at Ohio University Athens, Ohio, United States. He enrolled for advanced degrees in International Affairs and History.

At Ohio University Walter Mbonu excelled, graduating Suma Cum Laude at the top of his class. He was immediately offered a faculty position to teach International Affairs at Ohio University. Many of his associates in that university still recall his brilliance.

Walter Mbonu, being a man of dignity, turned down the faculty position at Ohio University United States, and returned to Nigeria. He continued with his educational career as an Educational Officer and Lecturer, and wrote the History handbook of the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB). He retired in 1990 and spent his final years in Umuoji Anambra State.

Sir Walter Mbonu leaves behind, his wife of 50 years Mrs. Adeline Mbonu, Children, Grand Children, Siblings, Inlaws, Nieces, and Nephews.

Children:

Chinyelu Nwokolo, Ph.D.

Chuma Mbonu, Ph.D.

Okey Mbonu, J.D.

Nneka Okereke

Emeka Mbonu

Ijeoma Okeke

Chuka Mbonu

Siblings:

Sir Eugene Mbonu

Mrs. Ego Agbogu

Inlaws:

Sir Azuka Nwokolo

Izu Okereke, MD

Ajeh Mbonu, Pharm.D.

Juliet Mbonu, PMP.

Burial arrangements will be announced in due course

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THE 6TH NATIONAL CONVENTION OF THE UMUOJI PEOPLE

All Umuoji people in USA were gathered in Houston - September 1, 2007 for their 6th National Convention. This Convention was a Landmark in the history of Umuoji Improvement Union(UIU) - USA. The Igwe of Umuoji; HRH (Dr) Cyril Enweze - Ebube Igwulube Okodu - Ochilozua, was the guest of honor.

The Igwe played a major role in making this convention one of the best in the history of UIU-USA.

Address by the Igwe of Umuoji - HRH Dr Cyril Enweze - Ebube Igwulube Okodu - Ochilozua

President Address - UIU-USA National President - Chief(Engr)Okey Okonkwo

Chief Godwin Oguchi(Ichie Ezedinobi) -UIU-Houston Chairman address

In-Coming UIU-USA President - Chief(Dr) Fidelis Onyimba