By Jerome-Mario Utomi
Anioma, loosely translated as good land, is situated in Delta State and precisely forms the Delta North Senatorial District in the present-day Delta State, South-South geo-political zone of Nigeria.
The people of Anioma are predominantly Igbo-speaking. In terms of population and landscape, Anioma nation as it is usually referred to could be likened to a dot in the map of Nigeria. But the people, in material terms, have through hard work, planning and improvising, established themselves in all critical sectors-finance, science/technology, sports, education and most importantly public leadership.
Also worthy of underlining is the fact that Anioma people daily manifest signs of a people that have left behind third-world challenges of illiteracy and poverty, to become a successful centre for the dissemination and distribution of the best human capital resources across the nation and beyond.
While this author celebrates these identified as well as yet-to-be-identified excellent human capitals of Anioma origin scattered all over the globe, assisting organizations and development agencies make far-reaching decisions, this piece on its part, specifically acknowledges the silent, salient and outstanding public leadership exploits at the global stage of a yet to be celebrated Ekuku Agbor born, Grand Knight Emeritus, President of the Organization of African Unity South Carolina, a Member of the Board of Trustee of the Knights of Columbus, a Notary Public, a Team Leader, Community leader, cultural enthusiastic and, Quality Assurance Bureau of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
His resounding clamour for good governance and creative approach to people-focused public leadership recently came to mind after reading a news report on how the city of Columbia, headquarters of South Carolina, United States of America (USA), came alive as Tonna Okei led Pan African Inter-Nation, an umbrella socio-cultural organization of all Africans resident in South Carolina, held its second edition of Jollof Rice Competition In South Carolina.
Aside from being an annual event by Okei’s African residents in South Carolina, USA, to among other objectives celebrate the African continent’s rich cultural heritage, particularly in the area of food, very newsy about this year’s gathering is that it had the Ghana Ambassador to the US, Her Excellency, Madam Ambassador Hajia Alima Mahama, who was on a state visit to South Carolina, in attendance among other dignitaries, and fundamentally provided an avenue for bilateral talks between the members of the South Carolina Organization of Africa Unity (OAU), Pan African Inter-Nation and the Ghana Embassy in the United States of America.
Beyond this latest event, there are of course more significant and critical leadership attributes daily displayed by Okei that amply qualify him as a nationalist and good governance advocate whose efforts must not be allowed to go with political winds uncelebrated but harnessed for the overall interest of the nation.
Adding context to the discourse, Knight Sir Tonna Celestine Okei was born on January 16, 1975, in Surulere, Lagos state, a few days after the Udoji commission pay increase started and his mother collected her first payment and thus named him Tonna (Praise God). Tonna was born in the family of Lady Felicia Okei and Barrister Sir George Okei, a former Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affair in the now-rested Bendel state.
He attended Ika Grammar School, Agbor, Delta State, Government College Eric Moore, Command Day Secondary school, Army Cantonment Ojo Barracks Lagos and Government College Ughelli, the University of Benin, Georgia State University and the University of South Carolina graduating with an Associate in Social Works, Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work. He holds an Oracle DBA 10i certificate in Database management and is a UNIX-certified Manager, he holds an associate in public management. Tonna is a Behavioural Analyst and Quality Assurance guru who has lived in the United States for about 17 years (2007).
Despite this long sojourn in a foreign land (United States of America), he is daily consumed with how to make Agbor kingdom, Delta state and the Nation Nigeria, a geographical entity, where peace, justice and holistic and sustainable development reign supreme. His promotion and adoration for African culture is not only exemplary but legendary.
As part of his persistent resolve to foster collaboration, attract development and international respect to Delta state and Nigeria as a whole, Tonna has, at different times and places met and discussed with the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, addressed South Carolina Bishop conference, hosted the Major of Accra, Ghana, endorsed then senatorial candidate but now senator Tameika Dorsett of the United States of America, received in audience the Sheriff of the Richland County, Leon Lott, Visited the President of the University of South Carolina, addressed South Carolina Bishops Conference, addressed the Mayor and Council, Eastover Council, hosted/honoured by the SC Legislative Black Caucus, received the Mayoral Community leadership award, advocated for stricter gun laws in the United States, visited the Irish Deputy Senate President in the company of the former First Lady of Edo State, Mrs Eki Igbinedion among others.
Again, in keeping with his development-oriented culture, Tonna, a detribalized Nigeria, who is married to Mrs Oluwatoyin Okei (Yeye Asoju Oba), from the South Western Nigeria and blessed with six children and a granddaughter, recently brokered/ facilitated a meeting between key political figures in Delta state and management of South Carolina University, aimed at seeing the Delta state-owned Universities in Asaba and Agbor, establish affiliate relationship with the Faculty of Education, South Carolina, USA, where anyone graduating from Department of Education in Asaba or Agbor would already have passed their state exams in South Carolina and qualify for teaching job in South Carolina.
Asked by newsmen to give insight as to what inspired such a move, Tonna responded that; there is an acute shortage of teachers in South Carolina. So, the aim here is to accommodate the State Teacher Certificate into the curriculum in Asaba and Agbor. So, what does that mean? If you are graduating from the Department of Education in Asaba or Agbor, you have already passed all the certifications in South Carolina. So, when you graduate from the Department of Education in Asaba or Agbor, you are employed in South Carolina. Do you know what that means for Asaba and Agbor? He queried.
He further argued that with such a mutual relationship with South Carolina in place, the students in West Africa will want to go to Asaba and Agbor because they know that when they graduate from the Education Department, they already have a job in South Carolina waiting for them. So, that is one of the major factors that will make Asaba and Agbor the centre of education in West Africa.
Okei observed that it is going to make the University sustainable. That would make those two universities sustainable. They would not need to depend on the governor as any parent in West Africa, when they hear of this information, they can be sending their kids to Asaba and Agbor because when they graduate, they already have a job waiting for them.
According to him, every year, South Carolina goes to Romania, South Africa, and non-English speaking nations to employ teachers and yet, we have teeming youths in Asaba, in Agbor, in Delta state. You know what that means for Anioma. If your brother or nephew can go to education department in Asaba and Agbor and they graduate, there’s a job already waiting for them in South Carolina. That is going to be a landmark project, he concluded.
As someone laced with unwavering commitment to, and respect for the traditional stool of Dein, the revered paramount ruler of Agbor kingdom and African culture, Okei was visibly present when His Majesty (HRM) Dein, Doctor Kiarekugbei was honoured in faraway United States of America by South Carolina legislative for his good works, for Agbor and the world at large.
In the area of security, it was in the news that when Rt Hon. Festus Okoh, Member of the Delta state House of Assembly (DTHA), visited the United States for the Agbor Convention 2023, Sir Tonna Okei went with him to the Sheriff of Richland County where they discussed how the sheriff can assist Delta state increase capacity in Security Network, diplomacy and respect for rule of law. The sheriff reportedly expressed to the delegation, his willingness to work with and render such service to Delta State as soon as the necessary invitation is received from the state government and other relevant agencies.
Also, in the area of legislative matters, Tonna reportedly engineered a meeting with the South Carolina Legislative arm where the Hon. Chuky Dandy met with the Chairman of the State Legislative Office. They reportedly discussed areas of mutual benefits where Delta State House of Assembly members can come down to South Carolina for a retreat or to observe them doing plenary; and discuss how they can add value to Delta state legislature in terms of what it means to be a legislator and how they can use the legislative arm in South Carolina to assist Delta in terms of education, science and technology.
For example, for most of the science equipment, they no longer need or have in surplus, they can adopt Delta State as a twin city where they offer Delta state equipment for free using OAU as a platform. They agreed that they would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) when the state legislature visits South Carolina.
In recognition of their contribution to the black race in the United States, a special guest of honour and representative of the Haiti community in South Carolina at a recent function in the United States declared that Tonna be known and addressed as the Kwame Nkrumah the second, a motion which was wholeheartedly adopted.
Now, here at home, looking at the above efforts and selfless contributions and celebration of this citizen by the people of other nations, this piece holds the opinion that it will be highly rewarding if he is consulted or better still, drafted by the state or the nation into mainstream responsibility to assist the people of Delta state and Nigeria at large find sustainable solution to the present hydra-headed leadership predicament afflicting the nation. This, in my view, should be done not for political reasons but for the survival of our democracy and the people.
Jerome-Mario, a media specialist, writes from Lagos Nigeria. He can be reached via [email protected]/08032725374