Celebrating Ndi-Igbo

Nyemike Onwuka is one of Nigeria's top emerging art talents. He studied general arts and majored in painting at Auchi Polytechnic. He also went for post graduate studies at Witswatersrand University, Johannesburg, South Africa where he studied animation and visual effects. Onwuka's work display mastery of the palette knife. From landscape to portrait, from surreal to abstract, he shows his versatility and an adept touch. Onwuka's work also draws its inspiration from the binary relationship/duality of beauty and decomposition. Women feature prominently in Onwuka’s body of work and within his paintings they are used to create a disjunction between the attractive subject(s) and artistic techniques that are not conventionally associated with beauty. Throughout his works Onwuka incorporates issues of storytelling and communication. The perceived interaction of masses brought together in light, shade and use of rustic colour endow his paintings with a strong narrative element. So...

Oo Nwoye is a co-founder of OnePage, an exciting digital platform for creating, sharing and storing business/contact cards. OnePage is fundamentally an online business card that is more interactive and dynamic. In 30 seconds, you can create a OnePage card that has all your contact details (email, Facebook, Twitter, Blog, Website, etc), which you can share easily. So rather than having a paragraph contact details as your email signature, you have myonepage.com/username. OnePage is continuously evolving and will soon be an indispensible networking tool. Oo who also leads innovation and product design at OnePage has degrees in Electrical/Electronic Engineering (UNIBEN) and Electronic Business Management (Warwick University). He is an ex-student of Kings College, Lagos. Oo who hails from Anambra State hopes to inspire a new cadre of Nigerian entrepreneurs through education and mentoring. Oo is surely one to watch.

Onyi Uhiara is an actress, best known for playing Adele in the BBC sitcom The Crouches , which was broadcast from 2003 until 2005. She was born in the UK of Igbo descent and grew up in East London. In 2002, Ony graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama . Ony has also featured in The Bill , Doctors , Holby City , Proof and Waking the Dead. Uhiara has also worked extensively on stage and has appeared in four Royal Shakespeare Company productions, Fall Out by Roy Williams at the Royal Court Theatre and in 2008 she played the lead role in Tarell Alvin McCraney’s In the Red and Brown Water at the Young Vic. She was also nominated for an Ian Charleson award [for her role in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Pericles]. She recently returned to the Young Vic as part of ATC Theatre Company’s international tour of Eurydice , directed by the Olivier winning director Bijan Sheibani who is most famous for also directing the critically acclaimed The Brothers Size. Ony plays...

Bright Chimezie (born 10 January 1960), also known as Okoro Junior, is an Nigerian Igbo highlife musician originally from Ekeoba, Ohuhu, Umuahia, Abia State of Nigeria. His type of music, popularly known as zigima, became widely available in Nigeria from the early 80s. Chimezie started playing music as a member of his church choir, an interest that grew tremendously while he was a student at Eke Oba Community secondary school, Umuahia. After secondary school, Bright established the Modernised Odumodu Cultural Dance Group which became so popular in the whole of Eastern Nigeria. The group specialised in story telling through music. In 1979, Bright disbanded the group and left home for Lagos where he played at several night clubs such as Phoenician Night Club, Gondola Club as well as Tee Mac Connection at Mama Koko Hotel, Ebute-Metta. While working for the Nigerian Customs Authority (1980-1983), Bright was also busy shaping up his brand of music by producing demos. In 1984, he was informe...

Macebuh was born on December 28, 1942, and was raised in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. He attended Ngwa High School and later King's College, Lagos, before proceeding to the University of Ibadan, where he earned a Second Class Honours (Upper Division) in English. He taught briefly at his alma mater, King's College, before heading to the University of Sussex, England, where he earned a Doctorate degree in 1969. At various times, he taught at the University of California at Berkeley and the City University, New York. Stanley left his indelible prints in his pioneering efforts in the establishment of the Nigerian Guardian newspaper. He was The Guardian's first Executive Editor and Editor-in-Chief; the first Chairman of its Editorial Board, and its first Managing Director. Between February 1983, when the paper took off first as a weekly, and February 1989, when Macebuh left the organisation, he championed the recruitment and led a team of enthusiastic, confident and intellectual...

Adora Oleh is a broadcast journalist and TV Presenter. She is also the host of The Adora Oleh Show which airs every Sunday at 3.00pm on Sound-city. Oleh who studied Law, was also last year’s co-host of MTN’s project Fame West Africa . She is the owner, Chiad TV Productions, a business broadly involved with The Nigerian Music Awards in London, Miss Nigeria UK, The Ghana Professional Awards, and The Nigerian Institute of Accountants Award. She has also worked with the Princes Trust (Prince Charles’s official charity) and the MOBO Music Awards. Last year, Adora hosted the London leg of the This Day Music and Fashion Festival, hosting alongside Trevor Nelson MBE at the Royal Albert Hall. She also hosted alongside Olisa Adibua at the Ovation Red Carol at the Ocean View, Victoria Island. Most recently, Adora hosted the red carpet for the Governor’s Ball and grand finale for Mnet’s Face of Africa . Adora who once worked for Paramount and Universal Film Studios has had the pleasure of intervi...

One to watch Uzoma Nwachukwu, a do-it-all receiver with excellent speed and great route running ability, is on pace to be the most prolific receiver in Texas A&M history. As a junior, Uzoma caught 22 passes for 335 yards and six touchdowns. Two years ago, Uzoma burst onto the scene as a sophomore, hauling in 37 passes for 617 yards and a pair of scores. Nwachukwu was a four-star receiver on a state championship team. 20 year old Uzoma who chose A&M over Oklahoma and Notre is predicted to be a potential NFL-caliber leading receiver.

Stella Okeahialam (nee Abani) was awarded an MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for Services to Business in the United Kingdom by her Majesty the Queen in the 2010 New Year Honours List. Her Investiture was held in Windsor Castle in April 2010. Stella is an alumnus of University of Nigeria , Enugu Campus. She grew up in Owerri, Imo State and is an old student of FGGC Owerri . She moved to UK in 1994 and has been at fore front of Urban Regeneration and Economic Development in London. Her award is in recognition of her achievements as Programme Director for a Business and Enterprise Development Agency in South London. Stella is married with one daughter and is currently leading the Skills Development portfolio at the London Development Agency.

Chinyelu Onwurah (Labour), 15,692 votes (45.9%), elected MP for Newcastle Upon Tyne Central. Chuka Umunna (Labour), 20,037 votes (42.8%), elected MP for Streatham, London.

Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu, 28, was not listed in Time Magazine's May 2010 Edition '100 most influential people in the world as reported, but he is one of Nigeria's celebrated heroes who uses his skills and talents to alleviate the suffering of many rural farmers in South Eastern, Nigeria. Growing up in Nigeria, Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu spent his after-school hours raising poultry and cattle. After high school, as he participated in youth and citizens’ associations helping farmers, Ikegwuonu quickly became aware that the rural community had little access to information about farming practices and environmental issues. Today, Nnaemeka is multi-award-winning activist/entrepreneur: he developed a sustainable community owned and managed radio through which farmers can share knowledge with each other. He does this by providing valuable information and agricultural marketing techniques to the farmers to boost their sales through his radio station. Nnaemeka Ikegwuonu runs radio station which co...

Efangwu Goziem "Efan" Ekoku (born 8 June 1967, in Cheetham Hill, Manchester), was an English born Nigerian former footballer. During his club football career, he played for Sutton United, Bournemouth, Norwich City, Wimbledon, Grasshopper, Sheffield Wednesday and Dublin City. He scored Norwich's first ever goal in European competition, against Vitesse in the UEFA Cup on 15 September 1993. Just 10 days later he scored four goals as Norwich beat Everton 5-1 at Goodison Park, becoming the first player to score more than three goals in a Premier League game. He was sold to Wimbledon the following year and spent five years with the club, helping preserve their Premier League status and reach the semi-finals of both domestic cups in the 1996-97 season. Efan was capped 20 times by Nigeria and scored 6 goals. His brother, Abi Ekoku, is a former British discus champion and also played professional rugby league for the club then known as London Crusaders. Efan currently works as a f...