The Man with Midas Touch 2
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Special MARCH 2021 ISSUE 3 UnveiledUnveiled PPopularopular churchurchesches foundedfounded byby IdomaIdoma pastorspastors 20232023 InterInterestingesting politicalpolitical babatttlestles toto wawatchtch inin BenueBenue SouthSouth MeddyMeddy OlotuOlotu 2face,2face, IdomaIdoma leleadersaders havehave failedfailed usus PPopularopular footballersfootballers frfromom IdomaIdoma landland Akpakwu The Man with midas touch 2 Focus 3 NAIS HONOURS AGBESE: Full story inside HR MANAGER Treasure Orokpo INSIDE THIS EDITION DEPUTY EDITOR Sunday Itodo Akpakwu Benue South REPORT/SM MANAGER Interesting The man with EGWU EMMANUEL Midas Touch political battles Abba Moro to watch in 2023 Why 2023 gov’sp Agric ticket should How to make be zoned to millions from Benue South mushroom Meddy Olotu business Idoma leaders in Nigeria have failed the youths Sport Unvieled Popular footballers Emerging political from Idomaland gladiators in Idoma land Jacobs Ejeh Edwin Ochai Published by Idoma Voice Tears, tributes and Television Limited Tribute to a pour in for late diamond gem young lawyer 4 Sport Laurel From the time it originated in Ogenyi Onazi China around third century BC, Ogenyi Eddy Onazi who plays as a central Pthe roundleatheropular game, known at footballersmidfielder for the Nigeria national team was a the time as 'cuju'―now known member of the 2013 AFCON winners and the 2014 u n i v e r s a l l y a s s o c c e r o r World Cup team in Brazil. The midfield maestro football―has spread to every from Ado LGA, had played for top club in Europe frcorner of omthe earth, becoming Idomathe communityincluding Serie A side Lazio and Turkish Super Lig number one source of joy for side, Trabzonspor. billions of people worldwide, a global unifier and integrator, and Moses Simon direct (or indirect) employer of Moses Simon Ejegwa is a Super Eagles winger millions. who had played for the Belgian side Gent and Levante in the Spanish La Liga and is currently a Among the Idoma people of Benue forward for Ligue 1 club, FC Nantes. Simon, who State in North Central Nigeria, hails from Obagaji in Agatu LGA, was part of the football occupies a special place. As 2019 Bronze winning AFCON squad. far back as the 1970s, Otukpo, the heart of Idomaland was a cauldron of Nazim and Kalim Amokachi healthy grassroots football rivalry as Nazim and Kalim Amokachi, like their father, are residents of the town were provided both attacking players who can play as wingers or highlevel soccer entertainment by central forwards. Obe Babes and NEPA Football Club The teenagers have had trials in Europe at the EPL of Otukpo. side Everton, Turkish giant Besiktas and Finnish It is not surprising, therefore, to find club JS Hercules. The duo are presently at Kwara Idoma sons among those with United in the Nigerian Professional Football honourable mentioning in the League. Nigerian Soccer Hall of Fame. Remember Daniel Amokachi alias Jerome Ochigbo "The Bull"? The Idoma native―the Fastrising left fullback, Jerome Ochigbo is first Nigerian player to score a goal in currently signed by Segundo side Rayo Vallecano the UEFA Champions' League, a de Madrid FC . member of the USA 94 World Cup He is from Ichama in Okpokwu LGA . team and the Atlanta 1996 Olympic G o l d w i n n i n g D r e a m Te a m Samson Ogbu Abah Eagles―had etched his name and by Striker Samson Ogbu recently joined Vaxjo United extension, the Idoma imprint, on the in the Swedish third division on a six months deal. map of Nigeria´s footballing heroes. Abah impressed in trials at the club scoring four goals in six games and was rewarded with a Others have been tracing his contract until the end of the season. footsteps. In this publication, IDOMA VOICE profiles some Idoma sons A fringe member of the 2017 Golden Eaglet team who are presently making their kith that failed to qualify for the CAF African U17 and kin proud with their feats in tournament in Gabon after they lost to Niger on soccer. goals aggregate, the striker joined Vaxjo United from Achievas Football Academy in Lagos. Tony Ujah Popularly known as Drogba, Super Ogebe Alice Oya Eagles player, Anthony Ujah has been Ogebe Alice Oya is a Super Falcons player and likened to his kinsman, Daniel 'The former captain of the defunct Apa Queens Football Bull' Amokachi because of his fast club of Otukpo. pace and energy. The Orokam, Ogadigbo LGAborn, a younger In 2018, she was signed by Zfk Crvena zvezda brother of the popular Londonbased otherwise called the Red Stars, a Serbian women’s sociopolitical activist, Dr. West football club in Serbia, Southeast Europe.Before Adoyi Ujah, currently plies his trade penning her signature with the Serbian side, she in the German Bundesliga as a played for Delta Queens and later Rivers Angles of forward with Union FC. Port Harcourt where she happened to be one of the best players on both teams. 5 Cover UNMASKING PROJECT OTALAKA 6 Cover Emmanuel Akpakwu n the words of Debi Mazer, "a hero is The mansomebody who is selfless, withwho is generous in spirit, who just tries to give back as much as possible and help people.” MidasBy these yard stictouchks, we would find Consul IEmmanuel Akpakwu a readymade candidate. Known to many as the Chairman of Alliance in Motion Global Nigeria and CEO, Dakinda Group of Companies, Akpakwu, who is also the Honorary Consul of the Republic of Philippines at the Lagos, Nigeria consulate of the Southeast Asia country, is in all ramifications an epitome of a hero. His tapestry of success cloaked a backstory of a humble beginning, of an Okpokwuborn dream chaser who had his fair share of the hard knock life, but by dint of hard work, resilience and resourcefulness was able to beat the odds of life as he went through a seamless metamorphosis, from a sports administrator to an entrepreneur and investor, whose interests include entertainment, transport, tech startups, health and wealth creation. What's more, he has a testament that is hard to debunk: his various businesses are flourishing. Amb. Akpakwu, a computer/software engineer and ICT consultant by profession, had his early education in Ogoja, Cross River State, at Army Day Primary School (197882) and Army Day Secon dary School (198490) respectively. His tertiary education was at Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, (199194) before he travelled to Dubai, UAE, for further studies at Centre for Computer Engineering (200001) and Site Power Institute of Technology (200102). Besides his scholarly disposition, he has global business connections, and this he has brought to bear on the development of his community, and Idomaland in general, in a rare display of benevolence and patriotism. 7 Channeling Cover his altruism through numerous business concerns. Dakinda Foundation and Ojilima Women Foundation, he has, for Since 2000, he has been a facilitator of years now, been providing foreign admissions and scholarships for scholarships to students to study at Nigerian students, particularly in home and abroad. His free medical Malaysia. c a r e p r o g r a m m e i n r u r a l His ownership of a football club in communities has recorded over Europe―the first African with the 1,374 surgical operations in feat―is also a further testament of his various ailments, in addition to free selfless service, as his club in Nigeria drugs and other treatments. And in feeds the European club with talents, December 2020, Ojilima Hospital, offering lifleines to teeming Nigerian built by Consul Akpakwu was youths seeking a more rewarding commissioned by the Senior Pastor soccer career in the football capitals of of Dunamis International Gospel Europe. Center, Dr. Paul Enenche. In March 2020, Emmanuel Akpakwu The ultra modern health facility made history as the first Nigerian to be was located in Ai'chochodo appointed as Honorary Consul by the c o m m u n i t y i n U g b o k o l o Republic of Philippines to its Nigerian Edumoga, Okpokwu LGA, Benue consulate in Lagos. State. That was not all that the Consul did; he also provided He is also a recipient of the Global boreholes and electricity for two Peace Ambassador award. other communities. He has hundreds of local and international awards under his belt, all In the critical area of youth in recognition of his philanthropic empowerment, Hon. Akpakwu had works, global business exploits, provided directly or facilitated community services and development employments for thousands of strides. youths across the country through his Ediegro Investment Limited (a It was in recognition of his unrivalled real estate firm based in Makurdi, contributions to the development of Benue State Capital), Dakinda Idomaland that Mr. Akpakwu was in Cabs (a taxi company in Abuja), January 2021, named IDOMA VOICE Pow erporte, and his other Man Of The Year. 8 Cover Some of the projects sponsored by Amb.Akpakwu in Benue Ojilima Hospital Aichechodo, Okpokwu Dr. Paul and Dr. Mrs. Becky Enenche anointing the entrance of Ojilima Hospital Dr. Paul and Dr. Mrs. Becky Enenche in one of the wards (Dr. Paul Enenche Ward) at Ojilima Hospital Distribution of food items to some women Dr. Paul Enenche cutting the tape while Amb. Akpakwu, Dr. Mrs. Becky , Debby Enenche, others look on One of the beneficiaries Amb. Akpakwu and Dr. & Dr. Mrs. Paul Enenche and others at the commissioning of Ojilima Hospital 9 Farm Diary money can follow the stepbystep How to make millionsprocess afrnd be omrest assure o f a good harvest considering the fact that Nigeria mushroom farming inhas some Nigeriaswampy and cool temperate areas too, and artificial weather condition can be created through indoor farming.