UWANDU, Samuel Chigozie

State of Origin: Imo Local Government Area: Isiala Mbano Village/Town: Eziukwu Ezihe Contact Address: 6103 BaltimoreAv, Riverdale MD 20737 USA The expectation ofany family orcommunity is for the young to achieve higher success in their chosen career and profession than the elder ever achieved. The young are also expected to take hard work and personal responsibilitv to the next level. Chief Samuel Chigozie Uwandu falls accurately within this line ofgreater and younger generation imbued with success. He was born into a strong Christian family of late Mr Joseph and Grace Uwandu where discipline and honesty were taught and practised asa way of life. He is one oftheseven children ofthe family. Education Christ Church Central School Ezihe First School Leaving Certificate ( FSLC) distinction • Abba Secondary Technical School Abba WASC Grade 1 1981 I Howard University Washington DC B. Sc Accountancy 1982 1985 • University of Maryland. College Park Maryland M.Sc , CPA. PICA. ACCA. • Acquired other professional diplomas and Certificates in Accounting including Budget Planning. Leadership and Financial Management. Leading ultimately to acquiring the Pinnacle of Accounting Professional Honour- Certified Public Accountant. ( CPA) 1990 Job Experience • United Bank for Africa Lagos Main Branch 1982 • Principal Partner and Consultant Sam Uwandu and Associates Washington DC - A firm of Chartered Accountants. Established since 1994 • For the past fifteen years, he been running his own Accounting Firm and has over seventeen years ofexperience in Managementand Financial Services employing numerous people of all nationalities including Nigerians and Igbo people in particular. • He has a client and retainer list of more than two thousand multi-million Corporate and Individual entities including some ofthe top Profit and Non-Profit Corporations in America. • Chief Sam C. Uwandu is extremely skilled in formulating, forecasting, defending and implementing multi-million dollar operations and capital budget. • Familiar with International Financial System . and the World Monetary Policies as they relate to our communities and the Third World Nations , particularly Nigerian Financial System. • He is thus well-connected to a Network of multinational companies. Membership of Professional Bodies and Associations • Board Member. Red Cross of America. Price George's County Maryland Chapter 1993- 1997 • Fellow. Institute of Chartered Accountants Fellow. International Instituteof Financial Managers • Fellow. Instituteof Management. Member. Association of Practising Accountants. • Active Member. National Association fortheAdvancement of Coloured People ( NAACP) \wards and Honours • Numerous prizes at the Primary School for Best Pupil in Mathematics and English Prize for the Best Students overall in discipline, punctuality and obedience • Prize for the best Prefect in the school : Awardfor Excellence by the Students Union • Award for Active Membership and Participation in Student Union Programmes Howard University • Member ofthe Financial Review Committee for the Democratic Party led Government of District ofColumbia . Washington D.C 1995 • Recognized and Awarded to serve as Member of Business Advisory Council by the National Republican Congressional Committee led by its Chairman Tin Delay of Texas 2003 • National Leadership Award Congressional Award published by the Wall Street Journal ofMarch 17"' 2004 for his work on ending Government Waste. Debt Reduction. Inefficiency inGovernment. Tax Reduction and simplification. • Presented the Prestigious Businessman of the Year Award by the Congressional Business Advisory Council of the National Republican Congressional Committee 6"' Annual Award published by Wall Street Journal of 31 March 20()4for his work on Tax Cuts and decreased Government Regulations. • Listed in WHO'S WHO in Business Executives and Business 2000 Edition • Honoured by the Traditional Royal Fathers with Chieftaincy Title ofOHA ZURU MEE for his enormous contributions to development, unity, progress and empowerment in his Local Community and Constituency in Imo Slate. Many other chieftaincy lilies have been received by him from other Communities within and outside Imo State. Community Efforts and Contributions Loved in the USA and athome for his zeal, commitment and involvement in Community developments. As ayoung boy in Primary School, he used to organize his peers Young Boys and Girls to do monthly sweeping ofthe Local Market, Road Leading to the Village, Church Compound, Local Spring Water Okwaraugo.. So community Development is inborn inChief Sam Uwandu. • InUSA, heis Financial Secretary Mbano Peoples Association Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area 1988 1992 • General Secretary Mbano Peoples Association Washington D.C. Metropolitan Area 1992 1998 • AtPresent, President of Imo Forum USA Inc 2003 date. This is a grassroots Political Roundtable for Imo State Indigenes in the USA, In Diaspora, and in Nigeria where the political significance ofImo State Viability is discussed, progress plans discussed, and development agenda set. The political, economic, business leadership ofImo State in Nigeria (the Governors, Legislators, and Community and Business Leaders) are actively involved and consult with Imo Forum Leaders for positive and progressive Imo State. Chief Sam Uwandu's efforts here have proved his love andcommitment to the people of his homeland. • Member and one ofthe Leaders of Ezihe Development Union USA In Nigeria Memberofthe Ezihe Development Union and one ofthe heaviestfinanciers of its projects. Patron of Okoroezeala Family Meeting Patron of Eziukwu Youth Club- was one ofthe founding members and they set up a Corporative Farm Patron of Local Choir and Christian Youth Fellowship Memberof Board ofGovernors of some ofthe Nursery and Primary/secondary Schools Imo State as well as Abia States Through Uwandu Foundations, hastrained many young people inskilled andartisan trades andhassetthem uptoearntheirliving andbecome reasonable citizens. Supported a lot of young Motor-Cycle Commercial Operators (OKADA RIDERS) to owntheirownvehicles. Rebuilt Ezihe-AnaraRoad- now a regular maintenancework on it is carried out. He maintains the 4-mile rural community road since 1994 on yearly basis. Supports the Christian Churches no matter the denomination- in his area. For instance, he renovated the Headquarters ofthe Anglican Church Diocese at Ezihe Mbano. Still sponsors a number ofyoung people in secondary schools and universities through Sam Uwandu Foundation. Many NGOS, Non-ProfitMaking Organisationsand Individuals on his regular financial and professional support. Supports the Local TownUnion to carry out local development projects like the repair of local market, rural electricity projects, and now sinking of boreholes in some sections ofthe community. Completed the electrification of Ezihe-Anara Road The people of Ofenkoro havegot extension of Electricity through SamUwandu's generosity. Heisa prudent investor onpeople, a motivator and mobilizer for self-help and community development. Has established an Interest Free Micro-Credit scheme for rural women in his community. Has set up a Widow's Scheme for Self-Help and the project is running. Widows can now feed their children, pay their fees, and cultivate the land or do some petty trading with the initial capital made available to them. This has checked immorality, flirting and untold hardship on the part of many families. Has a mini-Health Care Retainer -ship with a few doctors who come tothe village tocheck the health ofthe rural dwellers. Organises regular Open Health Campaign in the rural area to empower the local community and inform them on the Dangers of HIV/AIDS Scourge. Runs Enlightenment Programme for the Local people on Health Care and regular check oftheir Blood Pressure, information on Malaria Control, Immunisation against polio, tuberculosis, measles, etc. These are done by him free for the people. He lives for the good of common man and believes that we all have to give back to our communities, because the growth of community is the growth of family and vice-versa. He says he still plans to continue his good services and do more by God's grace. Chief Sam Chigozie Uwandu is ahappily married man and afather. His wife Lolo Joy Uwandu is the powerful engine behind Sam and supports him effective. She is the mother oftheir Three Children - Leadership qualities in Chief Sam Uwandu were manifested early in his childhood, when he was school prefect, the local organiser ofthe boys in the village, in the School Football Team, in the Local Church Choir, in the Local Students' Union when they organised Bob-a-Job to raise money for Charity work, when they put up Students Rally to encourage parents to send their children to school.He is a Leaderpar excellence. His role model isthe Leaders ofthe people who have served their People. His advice to the young people is, "please work hard, aim higher in allgoodthings, respect the Law ofthe Land, obey the leaders because to beagood leader infuture, you must be agoodfollower now ". To Igbo leaders, Sam says, "please aim at serving ourpeople, lead by example, do not exploit but servethepeople. LetServicebeyour watchword".