Chukwumerije Boosts Taekwondoists

*Senator Chukwumerije

Senator Uche Chukwumerije has promised to reward Team Nigeria taekwondo medallists at the end of the ongoing Maputo 2011 All Africa Games.

The Abia North representative at the National Assembly has two sons – Chika and Uche in the All Africa Games squad.

The former Information Secretary during the Abacha administration, who visited the team at the Maputo 2011 Games Village on Monday, promised to give every gold medallist N500, 000 while silver and bronze medallists would receive N250,000 and N150,000 respectively.

President of the Taekwondo Federation of Nigeria, Jonathan Nnaji praised Chukwumerije for boosting the athletes.

He said the taekwondoists were ready for the challenge, adding that Nigeria would win medals in the event.

All eyes will be on Chika Chukwumerije when Team Nigeria hit the mat for the taekwondo event which begins on Wednesday.

Chika won gold at the 2007 edition of the games in Algiers, and followed up his African title with bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Temi Jegede, who arrived in Maputo from London on Monday, is also expected to win gold in his category.

Culled from Punch Newspapers

Chukwumerije Determined To Defend Gold

All African Games gold medalist, Chika Chukwumerije has confirmed the importance of a successful defence of the gold he won in the Taekwondo event at Algeria four years ago. This he revealed to a cross section of Journalists in Lagos at the weekend.

He admitted how disappointing it would be if he were to miss the All African Games, especially after bowing out because of an injury in London 2012 qualifier in Buka, Azerbaijan. The All African games will give him the much needed platform to e part of next year’s Olympic Games.

‘There are no short cuts to it so to speak, my plans have been laid from the unset and I am going to follow them. I feel no pressure at all, but it will be disappointing if I do not attend the All African Games in Mozambique. It is not about competing, but it is the country that gets the glory,’ he said.

Though still recuperating from injury at the moment, Chukwumerije is optimistic he will be fit for the competition which commences in September. Currently number 61 in the world rankings, he expressed pleasure at the effort of the Sports Ministry to ensure that athletes are well attended to at the national camp in Abuja.

‘I think all the same it is about educating the athletes on what to eat and how to get themselves ready for the task ahead. For an athletes, 70% carbonhydrate, 20% protein, and 10% fat and oil is required and that is what they are getting at the national camp. I am really happy about this,’ he stated.

Culled from www.himagazine.tv

Hurray!Isuochi On Facebook

Are you from Isuochi? The good news is that some young and enterprising men and women from Isuochi have opened a Facebook page where issues affecting Isuochi and indeed Umunneochi LGA are discussed in no-holds-barred fashion. The social media platform is what is actually in vogue now and people and communities all over the world are ceaselessly exploring the opportunities provided by this platform to advance intellectual and social developments.

Known as ISUOCHI ON FACEBOOK, the platform has garnered readers from within and the Diaspora. I enjoin you to join and make it a much more mature platform to discuss issues affecting our town.

Isuochi, here we come!

Surgery not required for injured Chukwumerije

Shinning light of Umunneochi in the sporting world, Chika Chukwumerije looks set to making a quick return to competitive taekwondo after being informed that he won't require surgery owing to the injury he copped at the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)-organised 2012 London Olympic Games Qualifiers held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Chukwumerije, a Beijing 2008 Olympics bronze medallist, picked up a knee injury during his second round bout against Austria's Christoph Decker which was to eventually rule him out of his quarter final clash against his conqueror at the Beijing Games, Greece's Alexandros Nikolaidis.
As a result of his inability to make it to the semi final round in Baku, the Nigerian failed to secure one of the available London 2012 Olympic Games qualification spots that were up for grabs in the Azerbaijani capital.
Chukwumerije will however get another chance to qualify for the Olympics when the African qualifiers come up next January in Egypt and he is thrilled about the prospects of returning to the combat mats sooner than expected.
"I have passed on the MRI report to our excellent physio team in the national camp, and they will be reviewing it shortly," said Chukwumerije from his base in England.
"But in summary, my general practitioner in Manchester informed me I won't be needing a surgery, rather extensive physiotherapy. He also explained that it is my physio that will determine how long the treatment will last."
The 2007 All Africa Games gold medallist added: "I am very happy that I do not need a surgery as I had feared, and I remain confident that given the fantastic physiotherapists available in the national camp, I will be back to fighting fitness much sooner than I had initially anticipated."
During the qualifying tournament in Baku, Chukwumerije, who has been described by taekwondo experts, as one of the best fighters in the world, was at his best in the first round when he overcame India's seven times national champion, Kundu Sandeep 8-2, before easily overcoming Decker 7-2 to progress to the quarter finals.
However during the second round encounter against the Austrian, Chukwumerije dislocated his knee, and after examination by medical experts, was advised to withdraw, especially as he could not stand on the knee.
As a result, Chukwumerije missed an opportunity to avenge his semi final loss to Nikolaidis back at the Beijing Games which meant that the Greek progressed to the last four in Baku, and with it, a berth at next year's Olympics in the English capital.
Chika Chukwumerije looks set to making a quick return to competitive taekwondo after being informed that he won't require surgery owing to the injury he copped at the World Taekwondo Federation (WTF)-organised 2012 London Olympic Games Qualifiers held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Chukwumerije, a Beijing 2008 Olympics bronze medallist, picked up a knee injury during his second round bout against Austria's Christoph Decker which was to eventually rule him out of his quarter final clash against his conqueror at the Beijing Games, Greece's Alexandros Nikolaidis.
As a result of his inability to make it to the semi final round in Baku, the Nigerian failed to secure one of the available London 2012 Olympic Games qualification spots that were up for grabs in the Azerbaijani capital.
Chukwumerije will however get another chance to qualify for the Olympics when the African qualifiers come up next January in Egypt and he is thrilled about the prospects of returning to the combat mats sooner than expected.
"I have passed on the MRI report to our excellent physio team in the national camp, and they will be reviewing it shortly," said Chukwumerije from his base in England.
"But in summary, my general practitioner in Manchester informed me I won't be needing a surgery, rather extensive physiotherapy. He also explained that it is my physio that will determine how long the treatment will last."
The 2007 All Africa Games gold medallist added: "I am very happy that I do not need a surgery as I had feared, and I remain confident that given the fantastic physiotherapists available in the national camp, I will be back to fighting fitness much sooner than I had initially anticipated."
During the qualifying tournament in Baku, Chukwumerije, who has been described by taekwondo experts, as one of the best fighters in the world, was at his best in the first round when he overcame India's seven times national champion, Kundu Sandeep 8-2, before easily overcoming Decker 7-2 to progress to the quarter finals.
However during the second round encounter against the Austrian, Chukwumerije dislocated his knee, and after examination by medical experts, was advised to withdraw, especially as he could not stand on the knee.
As a result, Chukwumerije missed an opportunity to avenge his semi final loss to Nikolaidis back at the Beijing Games which meant that the Greek progressed to the last four in Baku, and with it, a berth at next year's Olympics in the English capital.
Culled from 234next.com

Umunneochi LGA: Blessing or Curse?

By Romanus Nkeonye Imah

At the creation of Umunneochi Local Government Area following a proclamation by the late maximum ruler, General Sani Abacha on the 1^st of October, 1996, the over 163,000 people that inhabit the geographical area were thrown into a spontaneous mood of jubilation and excitement. The long desired wish of the people to have government get closer to them was now a reality. And so there was need to be merry and joyous.

Umunneochi no doubt, is a unique Local Government Area as it evidently sits at the centre of Igbo ethnic nationality. Priding itself as one local government area bordered by all the other four South Eastern States of Enugu in the North, Imo in the South, Ebonyi in the North East and Anambra in the North West, one had expected that this unique geographical location will engender meaningful development in the area. This is most expected because Umunneochi has become the gateway for travellers to Enugu, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, Owerri and other big cities in the South East and South-South.

And so, it was expected that those entrusted with the leadership of the local government right from creation, would build legacies that will print their names on the sands of time. Indeed, the local government administration serves as a platform for potential community leaders to showcase their prowess and leadership ingenuity. It invariably too, serves as a platform for those who want to kill their memory eternally to do so.

Celebrated erstwhile charismatic president of the United States of America, John Fitzgerald Kennedy once took his American compatriots to task when he charged them to “think of what you can do for your country, and not what your country can do for you”. Kennedy may have died decades of years ago yet, those immortal words of his have continued to form the roadmap on which those who love to leave legacies behind as leaders, have decided to tread.

The truth is that those who care less about leaving legacies behind are those who detest their roots. They are those who probably do not have names to protect. They are those who are ashamed of where they are coming from. Their unpopular choice of not wanting to leave legacies behind could probably mean that they don’t want to be remembered for anything good.

On the other hand, a good leader is one who strives to leave indelible marks on the sands of time. He is somebody who is in love with posterity. He is somebody who has found wisdom in the immortal words of Emperor Haile Sellassie that “if we succeed in the tasks which lie before us, our names will be remembered and our deeds recalled by those who follow us. If we fail, history will puzzle at our failure and mourn what was lost”.

It is rather sad that those who have had the privilege of leading us at the local government level, had rather towed the path of failure and are not bothered that today, history is not only puzzled by their disappointment but is mourning the opportunity they wasted while in office; the opportunity they had to write their names in gold; the opportunity provided them to engrave their names on history books for posterity to envy.

I may be wrong but can somebody in all sincerity, point to me what meaningful thing we have enjoyed from any of our local government chairmen since the creation of Umunneochi Local Government? Apart from Chief Uzor Egbo (while in Isuikwuato LGA), which other Umunneochi Local Government Area chairman has touched the lives of Umunneochi citizens? Yes, Chief Chidiebere Udeh may have given employment to some of our teeming young men and women, should that serve as the only achievement of a local government chairman in two years?

Former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu’s 8 years at the helm of affairs in Abia State was undoubtedly, Abia State and indeed Umunneochi’s darkest period. Over 80% of the total allocations meant for the local government area was said to have been diverted to God knows where. In fact, between June 2004 and September 2005, a total of N903, 470, 941.30 (N.9billion) entered into the coffers of the local government yet, no single road was done by then Council chairman.

What would one say about what Umunneochi, just like every other local governments in Abia State has been suffering since the return of democracy to the country in 1999? Former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu and his successor have relentlessly been siphoning council funds through the appointment of Transition Committees for local governments. Yet, touts and political thugs have continued to preside over affairs at the council.

The truth is that our people are yet to feel the impact of government being closer to them. When the council authorities cannot ensure constant electricity supply in our local government; when little culverts cannot be constructed; when even the culvert called the Mmam bridge cannot be reconstructed by the council, why then should we be proud of being gifted a local government?

For me, Umunneochi Local Government Area has been more of curses for the people than blessings as long as those who call the shots in Umuahia dictate what happens at the council level. It is disheartening that the local government has nothing to show for over N3billion that has entered its coffers since its creation in 1996. It pains!

NB: Your reaction to this article will be most welcome. You can as well raise any issue here for discussion. Just write to umunneochi@gmail.com .