A new social club has been established in Ebonyi State and it’s called Ebonyi Prestigious Club. Just as the name implies, it’s a social umbrella that covers young Ebonyi men who are prospected for prestige and great exploits in different fields of endeavour in the nearest tomorrow. According to the founder, Sir Chika Nwoba, it took him three years to plan and carry and then launch its eventual establishment. According to him, he wanted to join a social club in Ebonyi that could have a place for intellectuals and young people of great prospects, but couldn’t find one meeting the standards he yearned for. So, he decided to establish one and grow it to an enviable position in the comity of social clubs in Nigeria, and Ebonyi in particular. He started by drawing names of people he felt have the charisma and qualities to help him shoulder or hatch the dreams and aspiration for a social forum for intellectuals, a paradigm shift from the tradition of gathering men and women of superficial value as club members that’s commonplace in our society. According to him, the first person he reached out to was Architect Christopher Utulor, a building contractor and hotel owner. The second person was Onyebuchi Eze, current national youths leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Third was Arc. Clinton Izekwe, a building contractor and a few others.
The club was designed to be a social platform that could foster unity of Ebonyi good brains, connect them to one another for greater exploits and give the entire population of Ebonyi a direction to follow for self development, community service, selfless service, presentation of modern image for the state and the sense of industry with a touch of morality. The club is poised to being an identity for Ebonyi, its future leadership and overall concerns. It’s a club that’ll touch lives and society and contribute to sensitization of Ebonyi people.
The inaugural meeting of the proposed social club as it then was took place at the Cirenes hotel and suites in Abakaliki in the late 2023. The convergence was a successful one as over thirty persons turned out physically, while about forty took permission to be absent, but in tune with the outcome of the meeting. It was an interesting gathering. At this stage, there were seventy seven designated members. During and after substantive membership registration exercise that took place on a designated WhatsApp platform, an action that could engineer the actual kickoff of the club, some persons didn’t measure up with the registration timeframe, there by not being able to be substantive members. At the end of the registration, the club raked in a total number of sixty five members who have stuck to the club till date. To set the ground running, a caretaker committee was inaugurated with the founder, Sir Chika Nwoba being the president. The committee has among its membership two of the early birds, Architects Christopher Utulor and Clinton Izekwe. Others include Dr Lazarus Nwagwu, Ebonyi State University lecturer; Dr Moses Ugbo, a lawyer and educationist based in Awka, Anambra State; Dr Uche Ogbe, a university lecturer; Dr Hillary Nweli, a university lecturer; Samson Ekigbo & Chibuzor Onuoha, legal practitioners. They were given some months to structure the club pending election of substantive executive members.
On the 28th of October, 2024, the now boisterous club elected its substantive executive committee members in a keenly contested poll conducted by Arc. Clinton Izekwe as election committee chairman; Dr Ebuka Iloke, Nnamdi Azikiwe University lecturer as secretary; Dr Johnson Nweke, a medical practitioner, Dr Lazarus Nwagwu, lecturer and Chidioke Alefia, a police inspector as members respecticely. At the end of the poll, Barr Dr Moses Ugbo emerged president. Dr Hillary Nweli, a university lecturer emerged secretary general. Dr Onyechi Nwankwo, a medical doctor and businessman emerged treasurer. Comrade Onyebuchi Eze emerged vice president. Comrade Ikechukwu Agbo, a foremost students leader in Ebonyi State emerged provost. Barr Offorbuike Otubo, the prince of the Ndiagu Amagu, Ikwo and businessman as legal adviser. Former leader of the Onicha legislative council, Rt Hon. Joseph Ugochukwu was elected organizing secretary. A medical professional, Dr Nwekpa was elected financial secretary. Mr Christian Nwite was elected Director of Welfare, among others. Their inauguration is slated for January, 2025.
The club in a swift move to kick start created a bank account with one of the traditional banks in Abakaliki, registered it with the Corporate Affairs Commission and drafted its constitution which has been adopted as a working document. The induction of the 65 founding members shall take place in January, 2025 after which the doors for admission of new members are banged open. The club admits only men from Ebonyi State with their wives as automatic members. Admission of women was embargoed pending lifting of same. This was to sort clearly how to accommodate them without undue interference from their respective husbands.
Ebonyi Prestigious Club is the first of such large and intellectual men’s social club in Ebonyi State. It’s coming at a time of great disunity and disharmony, and for this reason is a child of necessity. Membership of this club as stated earlier cuts across the thirteen local government areas of Ebonyi State. Qualification for membership is that a prospective member must have a verifiable means of livelihood, must be up to eighteen years of age, must not be serving a court conviction term, must know how to read and write, must be cerebrally sound, must truly be a citizen of Ebonyi, must not be a known criminal, must have a spirit of giving and progressivism among others. Referred to as foundation members are the first sixty five members that partook in the very first membership induction. These members are as follows:
Chika Nwoba, Knight of Saint Christopher,
Arc. Clinton Izekwe, a building contractor,
Arc.Christopher Utulor, building contractor,
Dr Hillary Nweli, a university lecturer,
Dr Johnson Nweke, staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, Nnewi,
Dr Lazarus Nwagwu, Ebonyi State University lecturer,
Dr Ebuka Iloke, university lecturer at UNIZIK, Awka,
Dr Isaac Igwe, university lecturer at UNIZIK, Awka,
Dr Uche Ogbe, university lecturer at EBSU, Abakaliki,
Dr Nelson Nwedu, medical professional,
Dr Onyechi Nwankwo, medical practitioner and community leader,
Dr Peter Okey, United Kingdom – based physician,
Dr Obinna Obinna Nkama, UK based physician,
Dr Kenneth Nwambam, London based physician,
Dr Uchechukwu Ukwa, medical practitioner,
Dr Chinedu Nwekpa, medical practitioner,
Dr Samuel Njoku, UK based medical professional,
Dr Moses Ugbo, a legal practitioner and school proprietor,
Dr Samson Nweke, civil society personality,
Barr Samson Ekigbo, legal practitioner in Abakaliki,
Barr Lawrence Imo,
Barr Chibuzor Onuoha,
Barr Offorbuike Otubo,
Barr Caleb Onwe,
Barr Donatus Ibe,
Barr Lawrence Imo Egwu
Barr Solomon Okah,
Barr Ogbaga Ogba,
Barr Jerome Elom
Chief Alex Ozo Nwuruku, music executive,
Ifeanyi Okonkwo
Izunna Igbo
Chief Ibere Nwani
Engr Frank Imo
Comrade Destiny Ekoyo
Comrade Ikechukwu Agbo
Inspector Chidioke Alefia
Rt Hon. Joseph Ugochukwu
Chinedu Mbeke Nwankwo
Igwe Ukwuoji
ASI Cyril Ede
Thomas Ogah
Engr Uche Ogah Nwankwo
Utulor Chukwudi
Onyedikachi Christian
Chief Uche Omede
Chukwu Arinzechukwu
Arc. Shedrack Okeh
Chief John Onwe
Edward Nnachi
Bldr Agunnia Azuobu
Emmanuel Nwode
Michael Chibuzor
Comrade Onyebuchi Eze and others.
Members of the Ebonyi Prestigious Club are ambassadors of good governance, community development, law and order, industry, self development, quality living, literacy and indeed all of the things that make society and humanity worthwhile. Members are exposed to contacts and opportunities as the club has rich membership spanning across significant fields of human endeavours. 