The Okaa Omee Youth Club of Nigeria is to honour Maureen Chigbo, publisher of Realnews Magazine Online, along with Ike Oligbo, a lawyer and politician, and others with its Merit Award on January 8.

Among those to also receive the merit award at the ceremony, which will take place at the Okaa Omee Youth Center in Umuoji in Anambra State, include Nonye Osakwe, Adeze Moghalu, Victor Ide-Okoye, Okey Osefo, and V. O. Anyaegbuna.

Chigbo, who is also the president of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers, GOCOP, was notified of the merit award in a letter dated September 24, 2021, and signed by Tony Obiaku and Linus Ikwuka, president general and secretary general of Okaa Omee Youth Club of Nigeria, respectively.

“We are deeply pleased to inform you of the club’s decision, after its National Executive Council’s screening meeting held on the 5th of September, to honour you with its most prestigious award “Okaa Omee Youth Club of Nigeria Merit Award”. This is in recognition of your distinguished service to our community and to humanity in general.

“You are by this letter notified that the entire Okaa Omme members will gather to bestow on you, this well-deserved award, on 8th of January, 2022, at the Okaa Omee Center, Umuoji. We congratulate you in advance in achieving yet another great feat,” the letter stated.

Realnews reports that Okaa Omee, the first social club in Umuoji, has continued to promote social activities and fostering of spirit of co-operation amongst her members.

The club is also critical in protecting the image, culture and social welfare of Umuoji.

The conferment of award of excellence on well deserving Umuoji citizens for their contributions to the development of the town and service to humanity is in keeping with Okaa Omee Youth Club’s role of promoting the image, culture and social welfare of Umuoji.

The club will also induct some of her members as patrons while Juderingo Okeke will be inducted as a member of the Board of Trustee of the club.

Realnews gathered that Tony Obiaku, president general of the club, and his executives along with the planning committee led by H Chikelue Osegbo are working round the clock to ensure a hitch free event.

Realnews reports that the Okaa Omee Youths Club of Nigeria, which began on April 14, 1964, at the pub of late Mathias Okoye’s in Ire village, Umuoji, has blossomed over the years and now has branches all over the country with members largely from Umuoji in Anambra State. Early members of the club at the pub were attended to by Nwankwo Onyeagolu also known as Nwankwo shop.

Pioneer members of the Club are Christopher Ubadike (Ichie Otutu); Raphael Muokwue (Ezeulukpu); Peter Okafor (Okaa Africa); Francis Muokwue (Ogene General- Ichie Egbejaku 1); Mathias Okoye; Mike Nwachukwu (ichie Nze,Okaa jewellery); Felix Mbonu and Samuel Agbaga.

In December 1964, Gab Okongwu was elected as the president general with Christopher Ubadike as secretary general of Okaa Omee.

The club presently has its headquarters at Okaa Omee Youths Center, Eke market road, Umuoji. The foundation of the club house was led on the April 29, 1972, and inaugurated on May 30, 1974, to commemorate its 10th year anniversary.

The club celebrated her golden jubilee on the December 30, 2014.

Update news