RAYMOND OZOJI reports
It was indeed glitz and glamour as the entire Anambra State graced the 50th birthday ceremony of the State Chief of Protocols and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Anambra State Government, Hon. Chief Chinedu Nkemakonam Nwoye popularly known as Glamour.
It was indeed a high-powered and high-profile occasion as Nigerians from all walks of life including the Deputy Governor of the state Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim, the House of Representatives member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency at the National Assembly Rt. Hon. Dr. Paschal Arinzechukwu Agbodike, the Chief of Staff to the governor Hon. Ernest Ezeajughi, the traditional ruler of Nawfia community His Royal Highness Igwe Dr. Dan Obelle, the Majority Leader of the Anambra State House of Assembly Hon. Chief Ikenna Ofodeme, members of the Anambra State Executive Council, the Acting Vice Chancellor Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Prof. Kate Azukà Omenugha, Chairmen of the 21 Local Government Areas of the state, captains of industries, the clergy and a host of other Nigerians congregated at Uruorji village Nawfia the country home of Chief Chinedu Nwoye Glamour in Njikoka Local Government Area of the state for the very colourful celebration with lots of side attractions.
It was an atmosphere of conviviality, merry-making, eating and drinking, music and dancing as Glamour and his lovely wife Lady Ifeoma Nwoye thanked God profoundly for the occasion and for His blessings upon their lives and the lives of those who came from far and near to rejoice with him on the special day of his 50th birthday celebration.
There were lots of gift presentations to Glamour from friends, associates, allies, colleagues and many different groups and everyone had swell time savouring the splendor and sensation of the supersonic birthday ceremony of the governor's aide whom all described as a jolly good fellow, bridge-builder, goal-getter, cheerful giver, an exceptional politician to mention a few of the adjectives used to describe his amiable personality as they relished the grand occasion with gusto and enthusiasm.
The birthday celebration which began with a thanksgiving church service at St.Paul's Anglican Church Uruorji Nawfia also featured the commissioning of a multi-purpose multi-million naira building built and donated to Uruorji village by Chinedu Nwoye and his wife as a way of giving back to the people.
Commissioning the multi-purpose hall shortly after the thanksgiving church service, the Deputy Governor Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim said posterity will be kind to Glamour and his wife Lady Ifeoma Nwoye for donating such a magnificent edifice to his community on his 50th birthday anniversary which he described as a very symbolic gesture.
Ibezim who emphasized that Glamour's act of charity was worthy of emulation, urged other well-meaning Ndi-Anambra to borrow a leaf from Glamour's benevolent act and compliment government's efforts through the Public Private Community Partnership model (PPCP) in providing basic amenities in their respective communities as evident in what Glamour has done for his home town, Uruorji Nawfia.
In his best wishes for Glamour on his Golden Jubilee birthday celebration, the House of Representatives member representing Ihiala Federal Constituency at the National Assembly Rt. Hon. Dr. Paschal Arinzechukwu Agbodike, described Glamour as a jolly good fellow and a man of the people, which according to him, was the remote reason people travelled from far and wide to come and celebrate with him on his special day.
Agbodike maintained that attaining the glorious age of 50 was worth celebrating. He said while the governor's Deputy Chief of Staff and Chief Protocol Officer is being celebrated for clocking the golden age of 50, he is equally being celebrated for extending a hand of fellowship to his people and giving back to the society. The federal legislator noted that Glamour built a massive edifice for his people which houses a hall, clinic, computer training centre amongst others.
The federal lawmaker who emphasized that Glamour's act of generosity was worthy of emulation, stressed that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is an imperative in the life of every individual as a way of giving back to the society; noting that what Glamour did for his community was a clear demonstration of corporate social responsibility even as he prayed for more blessings upon Glamour and his immediate family.
The Chief of Staff to the governor, Hon. Ernest Ezeajughi who wished Glamour God's guidance and protection as he turned 50 this year, said that the Deputy Chief of Staff has achieved a lot for himself. He said that the townhall built by Glamour for his people was the climax of his 50th birthday celebration.
He said that the multi-purpose townhall amongst other things comprised a computer training centre where youths would learn and acquire digital skills, spacious hall for meetings and other paraphernalia describing the project as very innovative.
Goodwill messages from Glamour's bosom friends came in torrents as Ozo Obi-Ochijie Modilim spoke very highly of him saying that he is a very kind-hearted fellow and always ready to give a helping hand at all times. Modilim noted that the calibre and crowd of persons that attended Glamour's 50th birthday ceremony showed that he is indeed cherished and loved by the people.
Modilim who is one of the principal officers of the foremost support group for Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo known as Soludo Support Group (SSG) where Glamour is the convener and national coordinator, called for prayers and supplications for Glamour and his family as he turned 50 years of age this year even as he wished him more fruitful years ahead.
Lady Gloria Etele of Umuriam village Nawfia in her goodwill message, acknowledged that Glamour built the multi-million naira multi-purpose edifice he donated to Nawfia single-handedly. Etele noted that it is not every person in his position that will build such an edifice for his people free of charge, adding that Glamour has done a lot of things for Nawfia and other towns even as she prayed for God's abundant blessings upon his life and his entire family.
Moreso, the State Marshal-General of the Anambra State Solution Marshals and former national president of the defunct Anambra State Association of Town Unions (ASATU) Chief Barr. Titus Nnabuike Akpudo said Glamour is an exceptional person, very jovial, a political juggernaut and friend to all.
Akpudo who prayed for more blessings and grace of God upon Glamour's life and that of his beautiful family, also commended him for building a monumental edifice for his people, emphasizing that it is only a man with a large heart and the spirit of giving that can undertake such gigantic project from start to finish without minding the financial implications.
Furthermore Uruorji Community Development Union Nawfia was not left out in the litany of eulogies and encomiums showered on Hon. Chinedu Nkemakonam Nwoye Glamour and his wife Lady Ifeoma Nwoye. In a brief address signed by the chairman Mr. Amaechi Aniefuna and the secretary Engr. Chibuzor Onwujekwe, Uruorji Community Development Union hailed the cordial relations between their son and his boss, Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, noting that Glamour has worked with his principal for some years without blemishes and without the governor finding him wanting for any reasons.
Uruorji Community Development Union which presented an award of community development service to Glamour, also commended him for building and donating the very capital intensive multi-purpose townhall to the community even as they described him as a very progressive, pragmatic and forward-looking individual, who would deny himself happiness just to make other people happy.
Meanwhile the Commissioner for Culture, Tourism and Entertainment Comrade Don Onyenji said Anambra people came to celebrate a fine gentleman who has combined politics and diplomacy to endear himself to the people. Comrade Onyenji who also lauded the gargantuan edifice he built in memory of his late parents, said that the edifice christened Uruorji Building was not for Uruorji community alone but for Ndi-Anambra who will go to the clinic in the building for medical checks and the computer training centre to develop their ICT skills for them to be better persons for themselves and for the society. The Entertainment commissioner therefore prayed for Glamour to continue to grow in leaps and bounds. That he is just 50 years of age, so he is comparatively and relatively a very young man doing well for himself.
Also the Special Adviser to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo on Youth Empowerment Programmes Dr. Nelson Obinna Omenugha described Glamour as somebody with immense and impeccable character. He further described Glamour as a selfless person who looks out for others, ensuring that people around him are always happy. Omenugha who stated that he is the secretary of All Soludo Support Groups (ASSG) where Chinedu Nwoye Glamour is the Chairman, said there is always a lot to learn from Glamour's leadership qualities.
He maintained that at 50, Glamour has impacted on so many lives positively, describing him as a great team player. Omenugha also disclosed that the Anambra State Executive Council has celebrated Glamour because he will always speak the truth despite whose ox is gored. He said he was not just celebrating Glamour as a person, he also celebrated his character, his passion for duty, his faithfulness to friendship and to family and most importantly, for the great virtues Glamour possessed.
On the multi-purpose building Glamour donated to his community, Omenugha stated that rather than buying himself luxuries, Glamour deployed such money to the provision of facilities that would impact positively on the society as he believes that Glamour is investing in the future of the younger generation through the execution of such laudable project.
The President-General of Nawfia Development Union Mr. Daniel Okoye, on his part, stated that Glamour is a young guy whom God has singled out for a purpose; not because he has been in the government of Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo. The PG stated that Glamour has been in the vanguard of being instrumental to success stories in his community. The PG noted that Glamour would have used the money he deployed in building the townhall for something else but God, according to him, gave him the wisdom to remember the poor and also remember that they needed clinic, ICT centre and other facilities.
The Nawfia town union President-General who urged the people to take ownership of the project, charged other public-spirited individuals in Nawfia community to emulate what Glamour has done and join in the provision of basic social amenities inorder to develop the rural areas and improve the living conditions of the people.
On the other hand, wife of Chinedu Nwoye Glamour, Lady Ifeoma Nwoye, who spoke to journalist about her husband, said she has been married to Glamour for 21 years and in those years, she has known her husband to be someone rooted in genuine philanthropy; giving to humanity without expecting rewards in return.
Lady Ify Nwoye said, " Glamour is somebody that is extraordinary. I call him a man with excess grace. Glamour is full of humility and he is always accessible. I know a lot of politicians that will attain his position now and honestly they won't be reachable. Glamour is somebody that is down-to-earth.
Since I knew Glamour, I saw that humility in him and he is a giver. Glamour can give everything he has and tell me, God will provide. And I have taken it because I know that is how God crafted him. So I will keep supporting him because he is a man of clean heart and clean mind. Glamour will never envy you in anything. He is somebody who appreciates God's blessings upon his life. I pray that God will continue to be with him and keep him safe for me.
Glamour, my husband derives joy in serving the public He is not all that rich but he is a man that is determined to get anything because anything he starts, he will surely accomplish it. So when he told me he wants to dedicate a townhall to his community on his 50th birthday, as a woman he has been married to for 21 years, I believed him. Though I don't know how it happened but God did it. He has laid a legacy and I pray God will continue to bless him. "
The chief celebrant Chief Chinedu Nkemakonam Nwoye (Glamour) who functions as the State Chief of Protocols and Deputy Chief of Staff, said he was humbled by the calibre and number of persons who came to identify with him as he celebrated his 50th birthday and also launched and handed over a multi-purpose hall to his community, built by himself and his wife, lady Ifeoma Nwoye.
Glamour maintained that it is in his nature to give and since he has been giving, he has never known lack. Although he pointed out that some people would say too much of giving will make you go bankrupt but since he has been giving, he has never known scarcity in his life. That there is no project he embarks upon that he will not complete.
Glamour who is also the convener and national coordinator of Soludo Support Group (SSG) coupled with being the chairman of All Soludo Support Groups (ASSG) said that the building he handed over to his community is powered by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and generator but his people requested that solar lightening system be installed in the building for interrupted power supply.
He therefore assured his people that before long he would install N6 Million worth of solar electricity in the multi-purpose townhall to enhance operational efficiency. Glamour who stressed that his philanthropic gestures has no political undertones, said he was not contesting elections or asking for votes but just living his normal life as a human person dedicated to the service of humanity, emphasizing that Nawfia people are known for generosity.
The climax of his 50th birthday ceremony were cutting of the cake, dance by Glamour and his wife, presentation of birthday gifts to Glamour, presentation of award of community development service by Uruorji Community Development Union to Glamour and a host of other activities coupled with comedy interludes, cultural dance display even as the DJ treated everyone to non-stop scintillating music thereby making Glamour's 50th birthday celebration a day to remember !
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