Celebrating Ndi-Igbo

Carol Jiani, born Uchenna Ikejiani is a Nigerian-Canadian singer based in England best known for her early 1980's hit "Hit N Run Lover". Uchenna Ikejiani was born in Nigeria and moved to Montreal, Canada in the mid-1970s to study at Concordia University. In autumn 1977 she auditioned to appear on Joe La Greca's album Montreal. In early 1978 Jiani recorded two tracks for the project, "If You Believe in Me" and "Higher and Higher." Glenn LaRusso of Salsoul Records convinced her to shorten her name from Uchenna Ikejiani to Carol Jiani to make it easier for North Americans to pronounce. In 1980 Jiani recorded two Sandy Wilbur-written pieces with La Greca, "Hit N Run Lover" and "All The People Of The World". The former would become Jiani's signature song, peaking at number 4 on the US Billboard Club Play Singles chart in 1981. In 1983 Jiani moved to England and soon signed with Record Shack to record "Vanity" wi...

Ugochuku "Ugo" Ehiogu (born 3 November 1972 in Homerton, London) is a football player who currently plays for English side Sheffield United. Ehiogu began his career at West Bromwich Albion as a trainee, turning professional in 1989. After just a few games for Albion in the Second Division, Ron Atkinson brought him to First Division Aston Villa for £40,000 in August 1991. By 1994, he had replaced Shaun Teale as the main central defensive partner to Paul McGrath. He remained at the club for nine years, making over 300 appearances in all competitions. He was part of the Villa team that won the 1996 League Cup as Villa beat Leeds 3–0. Ehiogu also won a runners-up medal when Villa lost 1–0 to Chelsea in the 2000 FA Cup Final. He joined Middlesbrough from Villa in November 2000 for, at the time, a club record fee of £8 million.

Ifeyinwa is a female bodybuilding Champion and the winner of the 2007 California Pro Figure F Class championship. She is an official team member of M.C.’s F.I.T. works fitness/figure competition team and will be competing in several figure competitions next year.

Chike Nwoffiah is the Co-founder and Executive Director of Oriki Theater , a Silicon Valley based performing arts company dedicated to the promotion of Africa’s culture and heritage through workshops and performances in dance, drama, folk stories, chants and the drum. Mr. Nwoffiah holds a Masters degree in Business and a post bachelor’s diploma in theater. He is also a graduate of the Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business INM program and the City of Mountain View’s 1999 Leadership Class. Mr. Nwoffiah is a past president of Mountain View Community Television and a former Trustee of the Arts Council Silicon Valley. He is currently on the Board of Directors of the Mountain View Chamber of Commerce and the Alliance for California Traditional Arts. Mr. Nwoffiah is a talented actor, stage director and choreographer who has written, directed and /or acted in over fifty major stage and screen productions. An award winning filmmaker and director, Mr. Nwoffiah won the 1998 Cinema in ...

Richard Chibuzor Orji, also known as Faze, was an original member of the Nigerian R&B group, Plantashun Boyz with 2Face Idibia and Blackface who have all started pursuing solo careers. Some of his hit songs include Miss u, Play Games, Na True, All of my days, Angel Gabriella, Kolomental, Alphabetic Love, Kpo kpo di kpo, Need Somebody, Tattoo girls, Do good and Letter to my brother. Arguably one of Africa’s finest vocalist and songwriters, Faze has locked down western African Hip-hop, R&B, Reggae and blues and with a unique blend which he tags “Universal Flavour”. Source: http://musicnigeria.wordpress.com/

Nwando Achebe is Associate Professor of African History at Michigan State University. She served as a Ford Foundation and Fulbright-Hays Scholar-in-Residence at the Hansberry African Studies Institute and history department of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1996 and 1998. Dr. Achebe’s research interests involve the use of oral history in the study of women, gender, and power in eastern Nigeria. She has published a number of articles on research methods, Igbo women and gender, as well as indigenous "slave" systems.

John Michael Nchekwube Obinna (commonly known as Mikel John Obi, John Obi Mikel or John Mikel Obi; born 22 April 1987 in Jos, Nigeria) is a Nigerian footballer. He is a centre midfielder who currently plays for Chelsea. He was born as John Michael Nchekwube Obinna, the son of a former civil servant. Obi was playing top-flight football for Plateau United aged 15, and by 2003, was gaining headlines for his country at the FIFA Under-17 World Championships held in Finland. After a brief spell in South Africa with Ajax Cape Town, Mikel gained global recognition in 2005 by starring at the FIFA World Youth Championship where Nigeria beat all opponents and made it to the final but lost to Argentina by 2–1. In the summer of 2005, Mikel played for Nigeria at the FIFA U-20 World Youth Championships held in the Netherlands. He had an excellent tournament until Nigeria reached the final, where they lost 2–1 to Argentina. Obi won the silver ball after being voted the tournament's second best pla...

Mrs Patience Uzokwor aka Mama G is a popular nollywood actress. Uzokwor comes from a humble family here in Enugu Ngwo. She attended Abimbola Gibson Memorial School, Lagos and gained admission into Methodist Girls, Yaba. She also attended Teachers Training College in Afikpo from where she proceeded to IMT Enugu to study Fine and Applied Arts, specialising in Graphics. It was Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya of New Masquarades) that invited her to take part in a commercial in which she played the wife of Pete Eneh. The commercial was a mass orientation promo by the Anambra State Government to encourage her citizens to acquire education before venturing into trading. Her acting career took off after that. A proud and caring mother of four, Uzokwor's first son is an engineer while the last is a footballer with Rangers International of Enugu.

Dr. Ernest Chijioke Madu believes that people in the developing world have a right to world-class health care. At his three Heart Institute of the Caribbean clinics --in Kingston and Mandeville, Jamaica, and in the Cayman Islands -- he delivers more than $1 million a year in free or reduced-care treatment, a significant contribution in an area where 56% of hospital deaths are caused by cardiovascular disease. Now Dr. Madu is hoping to transfer HIC’s mission and achievements into other low-resource nations. His next target is Nigeria, his home country, where the Heart Institute of West Africa is scheduled to open in 2009. Though AIDS and malaria are huge factors for Africa, Dr. Madu emphasizes the importance of treating cardiovascular disease, which is the second leading cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa, after HIV/AIDS, and the leading cause of death for people over 30. Dr. Madu's work on noninvasive evaluation of coronary artery disease in obese individuals has become a standar...

Arinze Onuaku (born July 13, 1987) is a 6-9, 275 lb. center from Lanham, Maryland on the Syracuse Orange basketball team. Onuaku is considered a potential second-round pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Onauku was Episcopal High School's William Caskie Watts MVP Award in his senior season. Onauku was ranked the 13th best center of his year by Scout.com. On October 19, 2007 Onuaku broke a backboard dunking at Manley Field House during Syracuse's Midnight Madness event. He would go on to start every game of Syracuse's 2007-08 season, finishing with averages of 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds per game while ending ninth in the nation in field-goal percentage (.628). Among his performances was a 14 point and a 16 rebound effort in a 73-60 win over Tulane. Arinze has three siblings: Ify, Chuk, and Michael. He is one to watch in the future. Source: Wiki

Mr Ndukwe is currently the Executive Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Nigeria’s Telecommunications Regulatory Agency. Mr Ndukwe, a professional engineer with over 29 years of international experience in the Telecommunications industry. Prior to his appointment in February 2000, he had held several senior management positions in leading telecommunications companies. He had also served in various Committees set up by the Nigerian government to formulate policies for a liberalized telecommunications industry in Nigeria. Mr Ndukwe is an Alumnus of the Lagos Business School, a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (FNSE) and a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Management (FNIM). Mr Ndukwe is a past Chairman of the Administrative Council of the African Telecommunications Union and is also past, Chairman of the West African Telecom Regulators Assembly (WATRA), an organization he helped pioneer. He is a recipient of several indu...

Rufina Ubah (born 4 April 1959) was a Nigerian sprinter who specialized in the 100 metres. She was one of the top Igbo stars at the time. Ubah finished seventh in 4 x 100 metres relay at the 1991 World Championships, together with teammates Beatrice Utondu, Christy Opara-Thompson and Mary Onyali-Omagbemi. On the individual level, Ubah won a bronze medal at the 1991 All-Africa Games.

Samson Emeka Omeruah (14 August 1943 in Zaria, Northern Nigeria – 4 December 2006) was a retired air commodore of the Nigerian Air Force, a former governor of Anambra State and a former three-time Minister for Information, Youth, Sport and Culture in Nigeria during the regimes of Buhari, Sani Abacha and Abdulsalam Abubakar. He was once the chairman of Nigeria Football Association - Nigeria's top football governing body and still regarded as its most successful Chair. He was also the minister for Sports when the Nigerian Golden Eaglets took home the FIFA under 17 world championship cup. He returned to the position in 1994, in time to see the Green Eagles make their first World Cup and win the 1996 Olympic gold medal. He was one of the proponents of privitizing the game in Nigeria and removing control from state governments. Apart from this, he championed the War Against Indiscipline (WAI) programme of the Buhari regime between January 1983 and August 1985. He was a committed Christi...

Uche is a talented and well spoken Nollywood actress. Uche got into acting after a chance meeting with Fidelis Duker. Uche attended Aba-Owerri Road Primary School Aba , and graduated from the University of Calabar (Mathematics/Statistics) and followed it up with a post graduate diploma from the Federal University of Technology, Minna. Uche is a Manchester United fan and has many movie titles to her name. Uche delivered her best performance ever in the movie ‘Games Men Play’ where she played a wife with a trifling husband. She is a native of Abiriba in Abia State. Uche Jumbo is her real name!

Ebube Nwagbo is one of the rising stars in Nollywood. The eldest in a family of six grew up in Warri, Delta State. She attended Federal Polytechnic, Oko and later Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka, both in Anambra State where she got a degree in Mass Communication. The first movie she acted was Arrested By Love played a prominent role. She has since being in more than 50 films including African Soldier, Cadet, Stronger Than Pain, Zenith of Evil and Red Card.

Oguchialu Chijioke "Oguchi" Onyewu or "Gooch" was born May 13, 1982 in Washington, D.C. He is an American soccer player who plays centre back for Belgian club Standard Liège and the United States men's national team. Onyewu's parents moved to the United States from Nigeria to attend Howard University in Washington, D.C. Onyewu has two brothers, Uche and Nonye, and two sisters, Chi-Chi and Ogechi. Growing up in Silver Spring and later Olney, Maryland, Onyewu attended St. Andrew Apostle School and Sherwood High School, where he played soccer for two years. He then enrolled in the U.S. residency program in Bradenton, Florida, before returning to Sherwood to graduate. On December 26, 2006, Onyewu was voted U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year. Onyewu played for Newcastle on loan during the 2006–07 Season. He wore the number 15 shirt, and made his debut for Newcastle against Fulham F.C. on February 3, 2007. Following the arrival of new manager Sam Allardyce, Onyewu f...

Ebitu was born in October 26, 1940. He attended Church of Scotland Mission, Abriba 1946-1952, Duke Town School, Calabar, 1953, Enuda High School, Abriba, 1954-1958. Adventist High School, Ihie 1960 and got enlisted into the Nigeria Military Training College, Kaduna, 1960-1961, Britannica Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, England, 1961-1964, HMS Dryard Naval Tactical School, 1975, United States Naval War College, 1980-1981 Ebitu Ukiwe was commissioned into the Nigeria Navy as Sub-Lieutenant 1963, promoted Lieutenant 1965, Commanding Officer NNS Calabar 1965-1966; Commanding Officer NNS Benin and Kaduna 1966-1967, Commanding Officer NNS Kaduna 1967; promoted Lieutenant Commander, 1971, Training Officer, NNS, Quorra 1972, Executive Officer, NNS Beecroft, 1972-1973; Commander Naval drafting, NN 1973-1975, Commanding Officer, NNS Otobo, 1975-1976, appointed member of the then Supreme Military Council, 1974-1975 and Armed Forces Ruling Council, 1984-1986 the highest decision making during the...

Uche Amazigo comes from humble origins, but this daughter of a chauffeur earned a doctorate in public health and is working with the World Health Organization on the challenge of controlling onchocerciasis, widely known as river blindness. A soft-spoken, elegant woman in her fifties, Dr Amazigo, who became director of APOC in 2005, developed an interest in onchocerciasis because of its most destructive symptom. Working as a lecturer on tropical diseases in the university town of Nsukka in the late 1970s, Dr Amazigo had a chance encounter with a pregnant woman who was plagued by the disease's characteristic itchy lesions and striking depigmentation, and whose husband had left her due to these disfiguring effects. Moved and deeply saddened by the woman's predicament, Dr Amazigo resolved to help pay for her treatment and to learn more about how the disease destroyed lives. She enrolled in a local rural women's group to hear firsthand about the consequences of onchocerciasis, a...

Ada Udechukwu was born in 1960 in Enugu, Nigeria. Self taught in the visual arts, she earned her B.A. in English and African literature from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1981 and has completed work on an MFA in writing and literature at Bennington College in the United States. She is the author of a collection of poems, Woman, Me and Herero, a non-fiction title for young adults. Udechukwu’s visual media, express many of the same personal qualities as her poetry and fiction writing, and include painting on textiles along with her painting and drawing on paper and creation of artist’s books. From 1984 to the present, she has participated in several joint and group exhibitions. Some of these include a 2003 joint exhibition, Lyrical Lines [with Obiora Udechukwu], at Guilford College, Greensboro, NC.; the 1997 group exhibition, The Poetics of Line: Seven Artists of the Nsukka Group held at the National Museum of African Art, Washington, D.C.; and Celebrating Africa, a 1993 group ex...

Chidi (L) Chidi Imoh (born August 27, 1963) is a former sprinter from Nigeria who won an Olympic silver medal in the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 1992 Summer Olympics. He also won a 60 metres silver medal at the 1991 World Indoor Championships, and he became African champion in 1984 and 1985. He won the 100 metres race in the 1987 All-Africa Games. Imoh is also a former runner for the University of Missouri in Columbia. He holds the records there in the 200m outdoor with a time of 19.9, the 100m outdoor with a time of 10.00, and in the 55m indoor with a time of 6.10. Souce: Wiki

Kemafo Nonyerem "Kema" Chikwe, Ph. D. is a former Nigerian Federal Minister of Aviation. She currently holds the position of Nigerian Ambassador to Ireland. She is also the mother of Nigerian Rapper, Naeto C.

Okey Nwosu graduated from the University of Benin in 1985 with a First Class Hons. Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Petroleum Engineering and proceeded to the University of Port Harcourt where he obtained a Masters Degree in Natural Gas Engineering. To consolidate his managerial skills, he obtained a Business Administration from the University of Lagos. Prior to joining First Atlantic Bank Plc in August 2002, he worked with Dowell Schlumberger Nigeria Limited as an Engineer. He also gathered extensive experience at Arthur Arderson, where he trained and qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He joined Diamond Bank in 1991 as the Pioneer Financial Controller and Head of Systems. While there, he spearheaded the setting up of the bank’s accounting and information systems. He rose to the position of a General Manager and Head of Regional Businesses, Up-Country of Diamond Bank Limited. He was appointed Deputy Managing Director of First Atlantic Bank Plc in 2002 and Managing Director/Chief Exe...

Area Scatter was a performer and cross dresser who achieved renown throughout Ala Igbo, and even drew some international notice. One of the more memorable sequences in the acclaimed television documentary series Beats of the Heart came during "Konkombe," the segment on Nigerian music. Area Scatter was a highly accomplished performer on his thumb piano which was decorated with distinctive skull and crossbones. Area was a regular at the NTV channel 6 Ukonu's Club. One of his famous catch phrases was: "If I'd lied to you, may I bath without clothing". Area died in a ghastly motor accident many years ago. Source: Comb & Razor, BiafraNigeriaWorld, Youtube

Madam Mary Okezie (1906-1999) was the first Ngwa woman to gain Western education, and was teaching at the Anglican Mission School in Umuocham Aba in 1929 when the women's revolt broke out. Although she did not participate in the revolt, Madam Okezie was very sympathetic to the women's cause. She was the only woman who submitted a memo of grievance to Aba Commission of Inquiry (sent in 1930). Today, the major primary source for studying the revolt is the Report of the Aba Commission of Inquiry. After the revolt, Madam Okezie emerged as a leader of Ngwa women, founding the Ngwa Women's Association, and working for her entire life to support women's rights in Nigeria. Source: Wiki, West African Review

Cyprian Michael Iwene Tansi (born in Aguleri, Anambra State, Nigeria in September 1903 – died in Leicester, England, January 24, 1964) was ordained a Roman Catholic priest of the Archdiocese of Onitsha, Nigeria on December 19, 1937. He worked in the parishes of Nnewi, Dunukofia, Akpu/Ajalli and Aguleri. He was later a Cistercian Monk at Mount Saint Bernard Monastery in England. He was beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 22, 1998, who said "Blessed Cyprian Michael Tansi is a prime example of the fruits of holiness which have grown and matured in the Church in Nigeria since the Gospel was first preached in this land. He received the gift of faith through the efforts of the missionaries, and taking the Christian way of life as his own he made it truly African and Nigerian.

Julia Chinyere Oparah is a professor of Ethnic Studies at Mills College, a women’s liberal arts college in Oakland, California, author (under her previous name, Julia Sudbury) of Other Kinds of Dreams: Black Women’s Organisations and the Politics of Transformation (Routledge 1998) and editor of Global Lockdown: Race, Gender and the Prison-Industrial Complex (Routledge 2005). Oparah is involved in the prison abolitionist, anti-violence and global justice movements and is a co-founder of Sankofa, a support group for transracial adoptees in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Kalvin C. Chinyere, M.D., fondly known as Dr. Kal, is the owner of One Step Closer Health & Fitness, a disease prevention and lifestyle change business based in Decatur, GA. He is also the creator of The Don't Go Broke Weight Loss Program. Dr. Kal has lost and kept off over 140 pounds naturally. He is on a mission to eradicate self-imposed diseases and illnesses. While the goal may seem lofty, those who know Dr. Kal believe it’s entirely possible. His pursuit is not driven by self serving egotistical goals but from a passionate commitment to helping others transform their lives for the better. Kal is a graduate of the University of Miami and the University of Miami School of Medicine. Dr. Kal, was recently featured on CNN’s Fit Nation with Dr. Sanjay Gupta. He is also the creator of the Don’t Go Broke Weight Loss Plan and maintains his own health blog at Dr. Kal’s Blog .

Leo 'The Lion' Ihenacho is solo artist and a singer with The Streets . In 2006, he was a contestant on the second series of Love Island. As well as The Streets, Leo Ihenacho's projects include writing and recording with The Darkness, Mitchell Brothers, and Kano. Leo has been touring for about 4 years performing all over the UK, Europe, USA, Japan and Australia accompanying Mike on vocals. He did countless TV Performances with The Streets, such as Top Of The Pops, CDUK, Jonathan Ross and Jools Holland. They also headlined many festivals including V Festival and Reading Festival. He is currently writing and producing his own debut solo album.

No Picture Uzoamaka goes down in history as the first female Controller General of Immigration in Nigeria. Nwizu started her career in immigration as a visa officer in 1974 and worked in various capacities in investigation and border areas. Nwizu was born September 21, 1949 in Ogbunike Local Government, Imo State. She began her education at the Christian Missionary School, CMS Primary School in Umudiako. From there she went to the Anglican Girls' Grammar School, Enugu. She attended the University of Hawaii, 1971-72, University of Vermont, 1972-74, where she earned a first class honours degree in geography. She received the outstanding student honour award of the department of geography. She also attended the University of Ibadan, 1992-94, where she obtained an MBA degree. Nwizu died of leukaemia, cancer of the blood in 2004. She was 54.

Michael Iheonukara Okpara, GCON (December 1920-December 17, 1984) was a political leader and Premier of Eastern Nigeria during the First Republic, from 1959–1966. He hailed from Ohuhu, near Umuahia-Ibeku in the then Eastern and at 46 was the country's youngest Premier. The son of a laborer, he was born in December, 1920. After attending mission schools, he went to the Uzuakoli Methodist College, near his village, and won a scholarship to the then Yaba Higher College, Lagos, to study medicine. Completing his medical studies at the Nigerian School of Medicine, Dr. Okpara worked briefly as a government medical officer before setting up private practice in Umuahia. Dr. Okpara was elected to the Eastern House of Assembly in 1952 on an NCNC ticket. Between then and 1959, when he took over from Dr. Azikiwe as Premier of the East, he held various Cabinet posts from Minister of Health to Agriculture and Production. Dr Okpara died in 1984.

Anyone who follows the XML or semantic web world knows of Uche Ogbuji's work. Uche Ogbuji is a Partner at Zepheira, LLC, a solutions firm specializing in the next generation of Web technologies. Mr. Ogbuji is the lead developer of 4Suite, an open source platform for XML, RDF, and knowledge-management applications, and the lead developer of the Versa RDF query language. He is a computer engineer and writer born in Nigeria, living and working in Boulder, Colorado. Uche studied Electronic Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka for three years before moving on to graduate in Computer Engineering at Milwaukee School of Engineering in February, 1994. He is the co-author of Professional XML Web Services (Programmer to programmer) and Linux Database Bible.

Comfort Obi is the publisher of Source Magazine, and a member of the Police Service Commission. Beforehand she worked for the Imo State Statesman newspaper and as a defence correspondent for Chris Anyanwu ’s defunct TSM Magazine. She was the first winner of the Nigeria Media Merit Award for Reporter of the Year in 1991.

Justice Chukwudifu Oputa is one of Africa's best legal brains. He was born in Oguta, Imo State of Nigeria. He attented primary school here and was in Christ the King College and Yaba College of Technology, Oputa also attended Achimota College, Ghana, London University, and Gray's Inn London. He was called to the Bar in 1953 and set up practice in Port Harcourt a year later. Oputa was made a Judge in 1966. In 1984, he went to the Supreme Court where I stayed till 1989, and retired. He now lives at home in Oguta. One of his post-retirement services to Nigeria was chairing the Human right violations investigation commission otherwise known as the Oputa Panel.

Ikechukwu "Ike" Ndukwe (born July 17, 1982 in Powell, Ohio) is an American football guard for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent in 2005. He played college football at Northwestern. Ndukwe has also played for the Washington Redskins and Baltimore Ravens. He is the older brother of Cincinnati Bengals safety Chinedum Ndukwe (Below).

Chinedum "Nedu" Ndukwe (born March 4, 1985 in Powell, Ohio) is an American football safety for the Cincinnati Bengals professional football team. He was drafted by the Bengals in the seventh round, 253rd overall, in the 2007 NFL Draft. He is the younger brother of Miami Dolphins Offensive Linemen Ike Ndukwe (above).

A baby-voiced vocalist with a toothy grin, Onyioha represented the new wave of Nigerian female pop singers emerging with the arrival of the 1980s. Oby Onyioha's biggest hits included "I Want To Feel Your Love" and "Enjoy Your Life" - both a good mix of afro boogie / disco / electro soul. The former was so big in Europe that on an auction on Ebay it went for $700. Brought up in Aba, Oby is the daughter of His Holiness Ogbaja (Prophet) Kama Onu Kama Onyioha, Head of the Godian Religion. Other amazing tracks from Oby included 'Nigeria's gonna make it', 'Party party', and 'Break it' produced by Sunny Ade. Music Enjoy Your Life Source: Comb & Razor, Various Funk Blogs.

Tchidi is a consummate moviemaker and one of the leading producers in Nollywood, Tchidi is a graduate of the University of Calabar with over 50 flicks to his credit. Tchidi who hails from Mbaise, is also a musician. He has had duets with Marvellous Benji, OJB Jezreel and Pat Attah.

Bianca Onoh is a businesswoman and socialite, perhaps best remembered as the wife of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu the Ikemba of Nnewi and former Biafran Leader. The daughter of former Anambra state governor Christian Onoh and a Law graduate of the University of Nigeria, Bianca won the 1988 edition of the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria pageant, representing Abuja. Although she was crowned in 1988, Onoh reigned for most of 1989 as the pageant had taken place late the previous year. During this time, she represented her country in Miss Universe, but achieved greater success by winning the Nigerian version of Miss Intercontinental. Bianca is now married to Ojukwu, and the couple have children together. She divides her time between her home and cosmetics business Bianca Blend, in Enugu. She is also in charge of the non-government organisation Hope House Trust, centred towards rehabilitating juvenile offenders in Enugu. Souce: Wiki

Ulunma Nnenna "Nnenna" Agba, born 1985 in Houston, Texas, is a fashion model. Nnenna is best known as placing sixth on America's Next Top Model Cycle 6. Nnenna is also a chemist. She graduated from Texas A&M University with a B.A. in Chemistry in 2003. Nnenna was consistently a front-runner in the competition. She won a total of four challenges, the most of the season. Agba has been one of the most successful contestants after the show ended. She has modeled in Paris, London, New York, Berlin, South Africa, and Malaysia. Nnenna has walked in 2006, 2007 and 2008 fashion weeks. She has also modelled in Heatherette's Chocolate Show. Nnenna was also on the cover of Clam Magazine. She was also at the Clam Magazine exhibit sponsored by L'oreal Mizani in Paris. Nnenna has also been featured in Jewel Magazine. Nnenna has walked in the Victim Show. She recently appeared in one of Russia's leading pop singer Sergey Lazarev's recent music video. Source: Wiki

Christian Emeka Okoye (born August 16, 1961 in Enugu, Nigeria) is a former American Football running back for the Kansas City Chiefs from 1987 to 1992. Nicknamed "The Nigerian Nightmare," Okoye's six seasons in the NFL saw a league rushing title in 1989, two Pro Bowl appearances (1989, 1991), and three playoff appearances. He voluntarily ended his NFL career due to multiple injuries Born in Enugu, Nigeria, Okoye did not play American football until 1984, when he joined the squad at California's Azusa Pacific University. He excelled in track & field, winning seven college titles in the shotput, discus, and hammer throw. The first time he attended an American football game he thought the game was boring. After the Nigerian government failed to select Okoye for the Olympics, he sought something else to do besides track & field and went out for American football. Okoye is currently an investor in the Golden Baseball League and owns Okoye Health and Fitness, a comp...

A veteran of three World Cups, Ann Chiejine was one of the most experienced players in international female football. Chiejine made the Super Falcons' goalkeeping position her sole preserve befoe retiring from international football in 2005. After a successful coaching course at the National Institute for Sports, Lagos, in 2005, Chiejine was drafted into the technical crew of the Super Falcons. But now, the 35-year-old veteran of three FIFA Women's World Cup tournaments trains aspiring footballers at her football (Ann Chiejine) academy situated in Ajah, a suburb of Lagos. The Lagos-born Chiejine is on the verge of temporarily making history as the first African to manage a national team in Europe after she was offered the coaching position of the Romanian women's national side. Source: BBC, Next234

Clarion Chukwurah is a top Nollywood actress renowned for her role in the now rested 1980s Nigerian soap – Mirror in the Sun. Clarion was born in 1964 at the University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Lagos. She attended Moluka and Lady Lark nursery schools in Yaba, Lagos and All Saints primary school, Montgomery road, Yaba, Lagos. She then attended Queen of our Rosary College (Q.R.C.), Onitsha, Anambra State. She also studied acting and speech at the Department of Dramatic Arts, University of Ife, Ile-Ife. Clarion Chukwurah Initiative, is a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), designed to support the less privileged in the society.

Frank Nneji is the Managing Director, Associated Bus Company Plc (operator of ABC Transport) which is listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and Chairman Rapido Audio-visual products Limited (the leading producers and marketers of audio-visual products in West Africa. He is a Zoology graduate of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and hails from Ezuhu Nguru, in Mbaise, Imo State. He passed through the Lagos Business School (LBS) and Whaton Business School, Philadelphia, USA. He was the President, Owerri Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (OCCIMA) from 2000 to 2003, and represented the transport sector in the maiden board of the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA). Nneji has been honoured with several awards for his innovations in the transport industry which includes: Award of Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) by the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2005) Auto Personality of the Year 2004 by Auto World, Award of Excellence in Business (2005) for efficient trans...

Engineer Ezekiel Izuogu is a scientist, a former lecturer and inventor of Nigeria’s first indigenous car, Z 600. The Izuogu Z-600 prototype was the first indigenous Nigerian car. It is also the first automobile of indigenous all-African technology. Launched in 1997, it cause a stir in the hearts of the many Nigerians who hope for a personal car and stimulated the Nigerian media. The prototype was equipped with a self made 1.8L four cylinder engine that got 18mpg and allowed the car to achieve a top speed of 140 km/h (86 mph).

Damian is a U.S-based Nigerian scientist best know for building Nigeria’s fisrt private radio station – Radio Mbaise – in 1979. Few years later, 1983 Anyanwu was invited by former Nigerian President, Alhaji Shehu Shergari who decorated Chief Anyanwu with a National award, for his outstanding contributions to Mankind. His Radio transmitters were made from herbal granules stuffed in empty tins, wires and improvised local material. Former US president, George W. Bush invited Chief Anyanwu to Washington D.C for a presidential dinner where he was honoured by the President and his cabinet. Over the course of his career Chief Anyanwu always creates phenomenal inventions and innovations to mankind. His breakthrough includes converting the existing short waves Radio transmitters to medium waves band. His research centre has built television transmitters which measures a match box to conventional products. Damian hails from Amaku, Aboh Mbaise and is now based in the USA.

Ifeoma Onyefulu is a Nigerian children's author, novelist and photographer. Award-winning author Ifeoma Onyefulu is Igbo and grew up in the city of Onitsha in Eastern Nigeria. She moved to London to study and worked for a number of black newspapers as a photographer before becoming an author of children's books. Her older son inspired her first book. Disturbed by the stereotypical images of Africa projected in Western media and literature, she was worried that he might grow up with distorted views of his ancestral home. "I began writing for children because I wanted to show him the Africa I grew up in, and its culture." Onyefulu's internationally-acclaimed photography has been described by Books for Keeps as 'stepping from a darkened room straight into noon sunshine.' She lives and writes in North London where she lives with her two sons.

Dr. Eni Njoku is the Supervisor of the Water and Carbon Cycles Group. His current research interests are focused primarily on surface-atmosphere processes of the global water cycle and climate using spaceborne passive and active microwave techniques. He is a member of the EOS Aqua Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer (AMSR-E) science team, and was project scientist for the recent Hydros ESSP mission, investigating surface soil moisture and its role in hydrologic and ecological modeling, weather and climate prediction, and monitoring of natural hazards. Dr. Njoku's other research activities have included: applications of microwave sensing and geophysical retrievals from spaceborne data in the land, ocean, atmosphere, and cryosphere disciplines; technology studies utilizing large deployable antennas for spaceborne microwave sensing; and field campaigns for land surface studies using airborne microwave radiometers and radar systems. Dr. Njoku is a Fellow of the Institute of Electric...

Chinwe Uwatse is a painter. Chinwe studied Fine Arts at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in painting. It was in Nsukka that she came in contact with such masters as Obiora Udechukwu, Chike Aniakor, Late Chike Amaefuna and El Anatsui, who were her lectures and have greatly influenced her. Upon graduating from Nsukka, Uwatse worked from 1982 to 1994 with the National Council of Arts and Culture as a visual arts officer, before going into self employment. She works mainly in oil on canvas, acrylic on board and water colour.