Okei Celebrated Again As Group Bestows Award On Him

Again, Group Honours Okei With Award

President of Organization of African Unity – Southern Carolina (OAU – SC), Grand Knight Emeritus, Sir Tonna Okei, has bagged a meritorious award from the Integrative Youth Development (IYD) Web of Support Programme in Nigeria, in recognition of his unflinching advocacy for human capital and community development, relentless calls for good governance and cultural promotion.

This is coming a few days after the Association of Nigerian Physicians, America Carolina’s Chapter (ANPA), United States of America (USA), in a similar vein bestowed on him, a meritorious award for his selfless service to humanity.

Announcing the latest award recently via a statement signed by the Group’s Country Lead Program Facilitator, Ambassador Paul Iwok , and made available to the press, the organization described Tonna Okei, popularly called Ikuku Oma, as a dogged fighter for fair, just, equitable and peaceful world, that has in like manner, at various times and places been recognized by various associations, organizations, movements and corporate entities for his undying push for a development driven world.

Iwok, an Alumnus of Agora College, U.S.A, observed with pride that when it comes to assisting humanity and taking people from where they are to where they should be, Grand Knight Tonna who emerged the best Council as a Grand Knight, has no rival as neither sickness nor insufficiency of funds could deter him from achieving such objectives.

The statement stressed that the Agbor, Delta state born Grand Knight Emeritus, Sir Tonna Okei, stands as a shining light when it comes to advocacy for human capital and community development, relentless calls for good governance and cultural promotion among other areas of human endeavours.

‘’What we are doing today is not different from previous experiences. The award is not in Anyways different. We are only replicating what other groups have done in the past for a man who has become famous for wiping tears and pasting smiles in his efforts for human and community developmental strides. Okei in our view has become a leading light that any youth in Nigeria and abroad desirous of making progress in life must emulate’’.

We are acknowledging the silent, salient and outstanding public leadership exploits at the global stage of a yet to be celebrated Agbor born, Grand Knight Emeritus, president of the Organisation of African Unity South Carolina, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Knights of Columbus, a notary public, a member of the South Carolina cultural and linguistic committee, a team leader, community leader, cultural enthusiast and Team Lead, Quality Assurance Bureau of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services who has through hard work, planning and self improvement, established self as a global citizen’’.

‘’As a charismatic leader, Okei, earlier this year published a masterpiece titled ‘’I Am Still Standing’’. A book which was the first from Knight Sir Tonna’s stable and amply qualifies as an Ika blockbuster celebrated by the world with forewords from world notable personalities, and perhaps the most famous platform ever seen to celebrate Agbor/Ika/Anioma language and customs. The book gave a graphic description of how the cultural Ambassador was medically diagnosed of ulcerative colitis and primary schologantis and through God’s divine intervention, survived ’’.

‘’In keeping with his development oriented culture, Tonna, a detribalised Nigerian, is married to Dr Oluwatoyin Okei (Yeye Asoju Oba), from the South Western Nigeria and blessed with six children and a grand-daughter, recently 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 a teaching job in South Carolina’’.

Iwok, who doubles as the author of the book, “The Journey of A Houseboy to Significance’’, further revealed that as a consummate cultural promoter of Agbor kingdom, Okei sees, and recognizes The Dein of Agbor as a very wise king, eloquent, intelligent, well-read leader with ability to converse with the good and bad, faithful and unfaithful, ugly and beautiful. As part of such efforts in showcasing the culture of his people, Okei some years ago was able to partner with International corporations and the Dein of Agbor to address the United Nations during the side meetings. While he believes at all times that Agbor must be lucky to have such a king who is well known, well-travelled, lettered and exposed. Okei is of the view that from the King’s dexterity, it is obvious that he is not only morally upright, he is social and intellectually up there.

In recognition of 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 Okei be recognized and addressed as Kwame Nkruma the second, a motion which was wholeheartedly adopted’’.

Giving details, the release pointed out that on Saturday, September 14th, 2024, Grand Knight Tonna whose father was a Commissioner in the now rested Bendel state, led the United States-based Nigerian Physicians Advocacy Group (NPAG) and the Association of Nigerian Physicians in the Americas, ANPA Carolina chapter, to a meeting with key U.S. leaders in Columbia, SC, with discussions focused on opening pathways for strategic collaborations and strengthening critical relationships between government entities and the Nigerian community’’.

‘’His clamour for good governance, and creative approach to people focused public leadership recently came alive in the city of Columbia, headquarters of South Carolina, United States of America (USA), as Tonna Okei-led Pan African Inter-Nation, an umbrella socio-cultural organisation of all Africans resident in South Carolina, held its second edition of Jollof Rice Competition in South Carolina, with the sole objective of celebrating the African continent’s rich cultural heritage, particularly in the area of Dishes. The gathering had the Ghana Ambassador to the U.S., 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 Organisation of African Unity, Pan African Inter-Nation and the Ghana Embassy in the United States.

Okei was born on January 16, 1975, in Surulere, Lagos State, 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 George Okei, himself a Former Grand Knight and a former commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in the now rested Bendel State. The statement concluded.