NWACHUKWU, Ike Omar Sanda

Date of Birth: Sunday (Orie) 1st September, 1940 State of Origin: Abia Village/Town: Umudinga/Ovim Contact Address: 71, Atbaka Street, W'uzeIIAbuja Email: [email protected] Senator Major General (Rtd) Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu (a retired Major General) . in Port Harcourt. Rivers State to Chief Moses Maduka Nwachukwu of Umudinja-Ovim in Abia State and Hadjiya Bina Fatsima Mohammed Dikko of Katsina in Katsina State. He is married to Gwendolyn Tonyesia Yoyinsola Ejiwunmi of Ofada-Abeokuta. Ogun State, whose mother comes from the Bob-Manuel ruling home of Abonnema in Rivers State. Education • Ladi-Lak Institute. Yaba • Lagos City College. Yaba. • Nigerian Military Training College. Kaduna • The Royal Canadian School of Infantry • Royal Canadian Military Academy • Royal Canadian Physical Education School • The Royal School of Infantry, Alder shot, Warminster, United Kingdom. • Institute of Humanitarian Law, San Remo, Italy • Army Command Staff College, • United Nations Peace Academy. • National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPPS), Kuru, Military Services His training in military and defence studies prepared him for the enviable professional performance and administrative competence, which he exhibited in the service of Nigeria. He retired as Major General in Nigerian Army having served meritoriously as General Officer Commanding (GOC) One Mechanized Division, Provost Marshall and Adjutant-General at various times. His academic exposure ensured his performance as an outstanding military governor of Old Imo State, a capable Federal Minister of Employment, Labour and Productivity, and a sagacious Three-time Minister of Foreign Affairs. He founded the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) designed to curb unemployment and introduced the concept of Economic Diplomacy to enhance Nigeria's economic development in the world economic order. Services to the Nation and the InternationalOrganizations Senator Ike Nwachukwu is the elected representative of Abia North Senatorial District in the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was the Chairman of Senate Committee on Governmental Affairs. He had sponsored four remarkable legislative bills to establish the Nigerian Education Development Foundation; the National Assembly Budget and impoundment Control Process; an Act to regulate Confirmation by the Senate of Nomination or Appointments to Administrative Positions of Authority in the Public Service of the Federation and an Act to give independence and free the National Assembly from the strangle hold of the Executive. He was the Presidential Candidate under the banner of the National Democratic Party NDP in the 2003 election. Senator Nwachukwu has held notable and strategic international positions, which make him conversant with international politics and diplomacy. He has been a two-term Chairman of the Organization ofAfrican Unity (OAU) Liberation Committee, three-term Chairman ofthe Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Council of Ministers; Chairman, Plenary Sessions of the Non-Aligned Movement and Chairman/Leader of OAU Ministerial Delegation to the Conference for Democratization of South Africa (CODESA 2). He has also been the Chairman, Governing Council of the African Regional Labour Administration Centre. He headed and led several Nigerian delegations to various international summits and negotiations. He has addressed the United Nations General Assembly and chaired the United Nations Special Session on various subjects. The import of these international achievements is that Senator Ike Nwachukwu has been tested as a key player in international politics and diplomacy. He can, therefore, guarantee international recognition for the holistic national development of the country. Awards and Honours Senator Ike Omar Sanda Nwachukwu has been honoured internationally for outstanding performance and achievements for instance, Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of England honoured him with award of the Knight Grand Cross of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (GCMG); His Majesty, King Juan Carlos I of Spain bestowed the (Grand Cruzde la order die Merito Divil de Espana (GCMC); The German President with the Great Merit Cross with Staff of the Merit Order of the Federal Republic of Germany (CMCS); The Korean President with the Diplomatic Media (DMM); The Brazilian President with the Grand Master of the National Order for the Southern Cross (GMSC); while his contributions to development in the ECOWAS and peace initiatives in the West African Sub-region earned him the Commander of the Order of Mono (COM) from President Gnasinbe Eyadema of Togo. Ike Nwachukwu has also received honours for outstanding contributions to business development and diplomacy in Africa. For instance, he earned the Prestigious Elul Israel Instituteof Public Opinion Survey African Award for 1997. The Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce honoured him for the pursuit of economic diplomacy and enhanced trade between the U.S and Nigeria. The Imo State University, now Abia State University honoured him with the Doctor of Law (LL.D) (Honoris Causa). Senator Nwachukwu's national decorations and service medals include the Nigerian Independence Medal, Forces Service Star, Defence Service Staff, Nigeria Republic Medal, National Service Medal and Commander Federal Republic of Nigeria. As a former Military Governor of old Imo State, he introduced the Imo Formula, which enhanced social economic development in Imo State. He cleared the backlog of salaries of workers and paid salaries and pension as at when due; built the Imo State University now Abia State University and began the first and only community-financed airport the Imo Airport, Owerri Senator Ike Nwachukwu is transparently honest and a man of great integrity. He has brought his wealth of experience and international connections to bear in his role as a distinguished senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria since 1999. As a Senator so many developmental projects and social infrastructures are traceable to his unrelenting efforts in this direction. His immediate community has also immensely benefited from his philanthropic gestures of which education, scholarships and public health are the principal ventures he prosecuted very willingly. The erudite and detribalized Nigerian speaks Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba fluently as Nigerian Languages. His professional antecedents and service to the country in very significant positions, his family and social background make him the BRIDGE we need for stability, national cohesion, international recognition and economic prosperity for Ndigbo in particular and Nigeria in general. He is indeed a super Icon and illustrious Igbo son worthy of emulation.