HON. AMBASSADOR UJU JOVITA ONWUDIWE

Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu has a lot of sparkling accolades attached to her name due to her sterling administrative acumen from previous positions of work before she found her way into the legislative chamber of the state government. Her name is a house hold name and very much environmental friendly. No Imolite will forget in a hurry the hub of governor OwelleRochasokorocha's free educationprogramme (SUBEB) and the tier of commissionership for Education under the government of Okorocha's first term, where her name roared for the joy of the poor and the downtrodden citizens of Imo state who then could not afford school fees for their children. This woman was a member of that impeccable squad that laid the foundation for the first ever free education scheme since Imo State was created in 1976.

Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu was a roaming talent that was discovered by that government. Her name now rolls in tandem with such respectable tags as; Honorable, Ambassador, Doctor and Chief among others which she acquired through serious study, strenuous hardwork, dedication to duty as well as strict compliance to the rules of engagement among others.To her,one cardinal attribute of a clear mind is the courage to speak the truth. She is a highly disciplined mother and grandmother who cannot commiserate with those displaying any crass act of disloyalty. While she does not believe in announcing her visits, sheis not aslave to protocol either.She identifies with the youth, the elderly and the poor.

There are lots of honors, awards and titles in her bulging briefcase before her recent voyage into the legislative chamber of the Imo State House of Assembly.

Hon.Dr.(Mrs) UcheEjiogu is indeed a woman of many distinguished feathers rolled into one. It all depends on which-ever one wishes to attach to her name while calling, but she prefers to be known and addressed as Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu,

FAMILY BACKGROUND

Hon.Dr.(Mrs) UcheEjiogu was born in 1966 to the family of Mr, Boniface Mbachu of the blessed memory and Mrs. Cecilia Mbachu of Ndiowere in Orlu Local Government of Imo State. She is the fifth in the family of eight children. Her father gave her the name, Uchennaya, (not minding the femininity) because of her natural sturdy, resilience as well as her high degree of commitment to any work, like him.She does all her things quite different from her other siblings.

However, with time Uchennayadecided to shorten her name to Uche, but perhaps unknown to her, the simple, flamboyant, amiable and beautiful Uche was still trailed by the same fearless and unbiased stuff of her father. Uche manifested a clear sign of distinction from her childhood. Her present commitment to duty and achievements despite her poor family background can indeed attest to this fact.

In 1984, she married to Chief (sir) Raja Cletus IwuchukwuEjiogu, a former registrar of the famous Imo state university, Owerri. Chief (sir) Raja C. I. Ejiogu hailed from UmuezealaAbueke in Ihitte/uboma local Government of Imo state. The family is blessed with children. Unfortunately  however, Hon. Dr. UcheEjiogu is now a widow having lost her darling husband who sponsored her  to the height of Ph.Ddegree in the University and gave her all other supports and encouragements that aided to her present enviable position. He died in March 2015 due to protracted illness. May his soul rest in perfect peace, Amen!

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu attended Practicing school 1 and Girl SecondarySchool,all in Orlu Local Government where she obtained her First SchoolLeaving Certificate (FSLC) and West African School Certificate (WASC)respectively. She later proceeded to St Joseph Teachers' Training College,Aba in Abia State where she also obtain her TC 11 in 1983, and in 1991,she bagged her NCE with   distinction   from   AlvanIkoku   College   ofEducation, Owerri.

In 1994 Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu obtained her first degree (B.A.Hons)in education with second class upper division from Abia State University,and

masters' (MSC) degree in the year 2000 from the same university. At this point she was still not done with studies until 2008 when she -bagged her doctorate degree (Ph.D) in education Administration from the prestigious Imo State University, Owerri.

Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu has attended various and varied courses, seminars and workshops. She has also published several articles both in national and international journals and authored several books all of which are too numerous to mention here.

CAREER & EXPERIENCE

Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu started life as a professional teacher. She taught both in primary and secondary schools before she became an Education Administrator at the State Primary Education Board (SPED), Owerri.She later became a university lecturer, and by delving into ICEP (Institute of Continuous EducationProgramme), Sandwichand Pre-degree programs in the course of her lecturing, she really touched more lives in education sector. Tertiary institutions that benefited from her services included Imo State UniversityOwerri, AlvanIkoku College of Education, Owerri, National Open University of Nigeria, Owerri Study center, as well as Ondo College of Education,IkereEkiti (Owerri Campus) among others.

Meanwhile as a seasoned administrator Hon Dr (Mrs) UcheEjiogu did not hide her wealth of experience from her community. She also contributed immensely

by piloting the affairs of Abueke Women Development Union, Owerri branch for over a decade. She was also the Treasurer, Ladies of St. Lumumba, Madonna Sub-council Ihitte/Ubomaas well as the vice president of St. Jude's Society Assumpta Cathedral Parish, Owerri. Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu is an ardent member of the Catholic Women Organization of the Owerri Arch dioceses.She also belongs to several other professional bodies such as the Reading Association of Nigeria and the International Reading Association based in New York (USA) amongst others.In 2011 Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu was appointed the Executive Chairman of Imo State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBED) by his Excellencythe Governor of Imo State, OwelleRochasAnayoOkorochas, after workingat different departments of IMSBEB for eighteen (18) years. Again in 2013, she was offered the position of a Commissioner for Education in charge of Primary, Secondary, Adult and Non-Formal Education, which she gladly accepted.

Towards thethird quarter of 2014, the Honorable commissioner for education heeded to numerous calls particularly that from her mentor and darling husband, to venture into party politics. For this glaring call however she decided to submit herresignation letter to the executive Governor fromthe commissionership. Thereafter she enrolled into All Progressive Congress (APC)and contested under that platform to represent her local government (Ihitte/uboma) at Imo state House of Assembly, and won both primary and the final elections which took place in April 2015. Here she is now with another badge of exalted honorable position at a prime age of her golden jubilee.

IN PARLIAMENT, BILLS PASSED/SPONSORED

When the Imo State House of Assemblyconstituted its committees soon after oaths of office in June 2015, Hon. Dr. (mrs) UcheEjiogu was appointed as house committee chairmanon education. Within the first quarter of 2016 she became the committee chairman on Women affairs andlater youths and sports respectively. She has at present been returned back as the House Committee Chairman on Educationand Vice chairmanon Imo Foundation, NGOS and Humanitarian servicesCommittee.She is also a committee member on environmental sanitation as well as communication/SDG respectively.

For a legislative house that started business not up to twelve calendar months (June 2015-April 2016), Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu is at presenta Co-sponsorofNine (9)Bills which are now at various stages . Some have gone to respective committees while others have just passed through the first reading. Among these bills are

1. A Bill for a law to amend the Imo state Primary and Secondary school computer literacy law No 8 of 2008

2. A bill for a law seeking to regulate the rights and obligationsunder tenancy agreement and the relationship between landlord and tenant and the procedure to recover premises and others thereto.

3. There is also a bill for a law seeking to establish agency for protection, rights and privileges of people with Disabilities and others thereof.

Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjioguis also sponsoring for a law seeking to establish Imo state Schools Based management Committee (IMSBMC). If at the end these bills are successfully passed into law, the lives of the Imolites, particularly the poor and the downtrodden who are the main targets, will be positively affected.

HONORS AWARD AND TITLES

As you may have read earlier in the course of this citation, Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu has received over three hundred (300) honors, awards and titles in the course of her official duties. One of the best unforgettable awards shepocketed as SUBEB chairman   came from   the then   President andcommand in chief of the armed forces of The federal republic ofNigeria, Dr. GoodluckEbele Jonathan GCFR. That was the "2012 Most Innovative SUBEB Chairman In Nigeria" in Abuja (July 2012). She was also adorned with award of Excellence in Research anddevelopment by Nigerian Association of Educational Researchers and Evaluators in 2012. The institute of corporate administration also recognized her sterling qualities of leadership and bestowed on Hon. Dr. (Mrs) UcheEjiogu an award of fellow of the institute for herprofessional best practices in administration.

Hon. Dr (Mrs) UcheEjiogu was also a recipient of the coveted International Ambassadorial Millennium Award at the National Merit Award House Abuja in December 2012.The Nigerian institute of publicRelations, Imo state chapter also accorded AmbassadorUcheEjiogu a befitting award of excellence in recognition of her unflinching support tothe Imo State chapter. At the Africa hall of international conference centerAbuja, Ambassador UcheEjiogu was the only female recipient of thePrestigious Verbatim 2012 person of the year awardsin the presence of former Governors ofAbia  and  Gombe states as well as directorsGeneral of JAMB, NDC, commandant, civil Defense Corps and other six-directors generalof federal establishments. In addition, the Nigerian medialinks in collaboration with Imo Newspaper (statesman)gave a golden award-to HON. DR. UCHE EJIOGU as a Creative Administrator in SouthEast Nigeria in September 2012.

The president general, Association of Royal Traditional Rulers of Nigeria,His Majesty Eze Dr. Thomas A. ObiwuruObiefule conferred on Amb. Dr. UcheEjiogu with the chieftaincy title of "Ada Nmuta'ofUmudiokaAncient Kingdom in recognition of her remarkable contributions to education in Imostate.

Imo league of professionals also presented an award for Excellence In Education Management (public education) dated May, 2013 to HON. DR. UCHE EJIOGU.

From Frankfurt Ammain-Germany, Hon. Dr. UcheEjiogu received an award of "disciple of democracy" as The Most Distinguished Nigerian Public Servant in Education Development from in Nigeria in 2013. Also from Ghana, in recognition of her excellent performance and holistic administrative transformation by EGPDF. Hon. Dr. UcheEjiogu was given the awardasthe Black Legend Mother of Gold in Africa in 2013. The rotary club of Owerri central rotary international district 9140 conferred on Hon. Dr. UcheEjiogu with a "vocational service award" on 17th of August, 2013.From the Catholic Church in her Matrimonial home, the Umuezeala village in Abueke town of Ihitte /uboma she received the worthy mother of the Catholic Church award.On April 2014, the national association of Ihitte/uboma students gave award of excellence to Hon. Dr. UcheEjiogu in honors of her contributions towards education in Ihitte/uboma LG.A.

What more, Hon. Dr.(Mrs.) UcheEjiogu is also a crown National president of Umuada di Igbo mmain diastral (USA). We can go on and on,but for want of time and space herethese are the few recognitions we can absorb fromnumerous groups and people over her sterling qualities of leadership out of numerous others still in her bulging briefcase as earlier stated in this citation. Hon. Dr.(mrs.) UcheEjiogu is also a philanthropist and national co-coordinator of several NGOS. She loves reading, writing and listening to good music and cooking.