By Romanus Udekwe Okue-Agbomma
When the Omambala Union convened few days to recognise exemplary sons and daughters whose lives have embodied the highest ideals of community service and philanthropic commitment, Chief Raphael Nwabunwanne Okeke stood amongst the honourees as a figure whose influence extends far beyond the ceremonial citations now being bestowed upon him.
The award, presented in acknowledgement of his transformative humanitarian work and decades of selfless dedication to communal advancement, celebrates a life that has consistently prioritised collective welfare over personal acclaim—a distinction earned through contributions that span entrepreneurial mentorship, conflict resolution, and direct assistance to society’s most vulnerable.
The Union’s decision to honour Chief Okeke, bestowed with the traditional title Onyechukwumelueze—he whom God has elevated—reflects a recognition that extends beyond individual achievement to encompass the cascading impact one person can have when principle meets sustained action. Born in 1964 into the venerable lineage of Ogbuevi Okeke Okafor of Oroma Etiti Anam in Anambra West Local Government Area, the honouree’s trajectory from his early education at Hope Rising Primary School through St. Patrick’s College, Asaba, and Community Secondary School, Umueze Anam, laid foundations in diligence, integrity, and perseverance that would define not merely personal success, but a commitment to lifting entire communities.
Central to today’s recognition is Chief Okeke’s remarkable work as what colleagues term a “leader of leaders” within Lagos’s commercial landscape. Through his business enterprise, he transformed entrepreneurial success into an incubator for emerging talent, particularly amongst young men and women from Anam and the broader Omambala region. Many who now run thriving businesses in Oshodi and beyond trace their commercial foundations directly to his mentorship—a legacy of capacity-building that exemplifies precisely the kind of sustainable community impact the Omambala Union seeks to celebrate. This philosophy of wealth as a tool for collective empowerment rather than individual accumulation distinguishes his approach and justifies the formal acknowledgement being conferred.
The award also honours Chief Okeke’s transformative leadership during critical periods of communal discord. His tenure as Chairman of Oroma Etiti Community in Lagos came at a moment when divisions threatened to permanently fracture the Anam community’s Lagos presence, yet his diplomatic approach prioritised reconciliation over rhetoric, restoring trust and fostering unprecedented unity. This capacity for bridge-building proved equally vital in his current role as Chairman of the Mmevo Ruling Council of Oroma Etiti Anam, where he assumed office to find a community plagued by internal factionalism and competing power centres. Through patient dialogue and inclusive governance, he shepherded Oroma from fragmentation toward cohesion—work that represents the essence of the service-oriented leadership the Union celebrates today.
Perhaps most significantly for the award’s humanitarian focus, Chief Okeke’s philanthropy extends into the quieter realm of direct assistance that often escapes public notice. Indigent students navigating the financial precariousness of Nigerian education, widows contending with economic vulnerability, and families confronting material hardship have found in him not merely a benefactor, but a consistent advocate whose generosity flows from conviction rather than calculation.
This approach to charitable work—prioritising lasting impact over momentary visibility—has earned him recognition as an exemplar of Christian service beyond the pulpit, embodying faith through action in ways that the Omambala Union’s citation specifically acknowledges.
The recognition conferred today also implicitly honours the domestic foundation that has enabled such expansive public service. Married to Lolo Unoma Okeke, known affectionately as Odiukonamba, Chief Okeke has built a household that reflects the same values of unity and purpose that characterise his community work. Together they have raised five children whilst maintaining the balance between family obligations and public service that remains elusive for many in similar positions—a holistic integration of principle that underpins all aspects of the life being celebrated.
As Chief Raphael Nwabunwanne Okeke who was represented by his wife, accepts the Omambala Union’s award alongside fellow honourees, the ceremony represents more than acknowledgement of past contributions. It offers validation of a particular model of leadership increasingly rare in contemporary Nigeria—one rooted in service rather than self-aggrandisement, in reconciliation rather than division, in the patient work of building human capacity rather than the quick harvest of personal gain.
The Union’s recognition makes formally visible what the communities he has served have long understood: that enduring impact emerges most powerfully from the confluence of character, consistency, and genuine concern for collective welfare. In honouring Chief Okeke today, the Omambala Union celebrates not simply a distinguished individual, but a living testament to the transformative power of sustained philanthropic commitment and the ripple effects that flow when one life is dedicated to enriching countless others.
