Steering Committee Members
Christian Ihenacho
Executive Director
MUP, Rancho Cucamonga
Christian Ihenacho
An Environmental Planner/Specialist, served in various capacities at regional air quality agencies in the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area of California; consulted with the Federal Ministry of Environment of Nigeria. He is a community organizer, leader, and political analyst/activist. As the President of the League of Patriotic Nigerians, he led the organization during the Nigerian Pro-Democracy Movement of the 1990s to restore democracy in Nigeria; in 2003 and 2007 he ran for the Nigeria’s Federal House of Representatives; actively participated in establishing the Action Congress party in Imo State; served as party official in conducting various APC primary elections; and presented a proposal which led to the amendment of the APC Constitution to provide for a Diaspora Coordinator office.
Christian is the Founder of the Nigerian Americans United Political Action Committee, he strongly believes in bringing Nigerians in the United States together for a collective action on political affairs in the interest of the Nigerian Community, the future generation of Nigerians in the United States; and building stronger ties with the Greater African American Community. He is unapologetically, a devout Catholic, married, father of five adult children, and a grandfather.
Anastasia Igwe-Kalu
Treasurer, BSc. Gov’t. & Public Admin.
Dipl. Theology, Concord, CA
Anastasia Igwe-Kalu
In her early years, was a renowned Journalist, having worked in various capacities for the Daily Star, Statesman, and Third Eye Magazine. Ann, as she is known to everyone, engaged in political activities, as she actively works for the NDP and PDP, respectively. She left journalism and politics to pursue her main passion, which is to serve the God, as a result, she went back to school to earn a Diploma Degree in Theology, and became an ordained Pastor. Her coming to the United States opened up for her other duties. She is the Treasurer of the Nigerian Americans United Political Action Committee; an active member of the Umuada Ndigbo in the Diaspora USA, Bay Area Chapter, where she serves both as Mother of the Chapter, and a Member of the organization’s National Prayer Team.
Ann is a well-respected woman leader, mentor and adviser, who works tirelessly to build family and community relationships. She is married, a mother of five adult children, and grandmother to many grand-kids. She is a devout Christian, Pastor, Nee Onwauchimba, and mostly proudly, “Adannaya,” given how she shepherds her younger sisters and the young women around her.
Bernadine Asuquo Ahonkhai
Ed.D
Bernadine Asuquo Ahonkhai
Mother of four professional adult children and grandmother, Educator, Community Advocate, and Activist. She is very active in the community and has served in several Community, County and Statewide Commissions and Boards including: the Pennsylvania Governor’s Commission on Families; Montgomery County Commission for Women and Families; the Montgomery County Human Relations Commission; The Montgomery County Board for People with Disabilities; the Pennsylvania Education Research Council, and as the Vice-Chair of the Efik National Association, Inc., USA. She is Member of the Philadelphia Mayor’s Commission on African and Caribbean Affairs.
Bernadine is Professor of Multicultural and Early Childhood Education at Eastern University, St. Davids, Pennsylvania; Member of the Board of Trustees, Keystone College, La Plume, Pennsylvania, and the Early Head Start of the Health Federation of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She is actively engaged in the Pennsylvania political arena, and co-sponsored gubernatorial fundraising event and helped elect the current Governor of the Pennsylvania. Bernadine is Co-Founder of Organization of African Communities in Greater Delaware Valley (AFRICOM); and Founder of the Coalition for Racial Equity and Social Justice (http://www.coalition4justice.com).
Ayo Akingbemi
PhD., Rialto, CA
Ayo Akingbemi
A retired principal management and administrative analyst with more than 35 years of combined public and private sector experience. Has a doctorate degree in Government from Claremont Graduate University. An expert in process improvement and management issues of large and small organizations. Served 15 years as a Utilities Commissioner for the City of Rialto; an adjunct faculty at local colleges and university; and Founder and President of Operation Look Back Inc., a non-profit charitable organization dedicated to providing educational assistance and youth leadership development for orphans and fatherless children from indigent families.
Ayo is a strong man of faith, married with four adult sons and a grandson.
Mr. Augustus Ajawara
P.E., BSc., MPA
Mr. Augustus Ajawara
He is the Group Managing Director of OJI Califco Consortium, Inc.; an experienced multi-disciplinary infrastructure development consultant with over 30 years of experience in transportation and energy consulting services for both public and private sector clients in the United States and Africa. Mr. Ajawara served as Project Director for development of Multi-fuel, Natural Gas and Diesel Fired Power Plants in Nigeria during the Good Luck Jonathan led PDP Administration in Nigeria; Planning Director for the Riverside County Transit Agency; Transportation Engineer for the State of California; and provided engineering and consulting services in various capacities to counties, cities and private sector engineering companies in the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area.
Augustus is a veteran political analyst and strategist that worked in California for the Jesse Jackson for President Campaign 1987, and the Barrack Obama Presidential Campaign 2007. He took his expertise to Nigeria and aspired to the Federal House of Representatives under the United Nigerian Congress Party in 1998, and again, under the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2015 dispensation.
Florence I. Egbuchulam, Brooklyn
NY; M.S. TV/Radio
Florence I. Egbuchulam
Has also, M.S. and Advance Certificates in Educational Administration and Supervision; and Leadership Development Training. She is a seasoned educator with an extensive experience, currently works for the New York City Department of Education (NYCDOE); served as Education Administrator and Regional Coordinator of School Leadership Teams, NYCDOE; Lecturer: Theatre Arts, City College New York; Actress; Broadcaster, Program/Production-African Section: United Nations Radio, New York; Radio Host: “African Show,” WKCR-Columbia University, New York; and Owner: Egbuchulam Travels International, New York.
Florence is affiliated with several philanthropic, community services and activities including: Member of African Diaspora for Good Governance; Chair, Board of Directors, Umunoha-USA Association Inc.; Member of O’Ihekuna Family Union; actively participated in Fundraising Committee for the African American Institute, New York; RAC-DEM (Democratic Action Committee) Brooklyn, New York. She is multi-lingual, fluent in English, Igbo, Effik and Yoruba; and with a working knowledge of French and Spanish. Her interests include: multi-cultural activities for adults and children; traveling; reading; biking; culinary arts (African cuisine especially Nigerian); keeping fit and healthy; meditation and unapologetically, a Christian.
Grace Apiafi
Riverside, CA
Grace Apiafi
A Professor of kinesiology Health and Athletics at the prestigious Pasadena City College in Southern California. She is the CEO of Almity Home Health Care; the General Overseer of the Household of Faith and Prayer Ministries; and a former Olympian with specialties in designing and developing programs to enhance community awareness and collaboration, especially, in this COVID-19 era. She aims to reach out to as many people as possible especially the children, youth and adults, to bring them to be aware of the importance of exercising, staying in shape and maintaining good health amid the pandemic. The essence of these programs is to bring people together virtually to break down social justice barriers and work together to reduce racial, healthcare, education and socio- economic disparities in the community.
As a Pastor, Grace is highly spiritual, and a strong believer in the power of positive thinking. She believes that if you interact with the young people in a positive manner you will be able to shape their future in a positive manner. All these she believes can be achieved through fitness, mindfulness, healthy nutrition, believe in oneself, and spiritual development.
Princess Jameelah Omolola MKO Abiola
BA. (Fashion/Marketing) Los Angeles, CA
Princess Jameelah Omolola MKO Abiola
A Distinguished Political and Media Personality; TV Producer/Host: “View Point With Princess MKO;” an entrepreneur; and the Executive Director of “My Widow’s Mite.” Princess honed her leadership skills as Executive Director for the Los Angeles Nigerian film festival, and Producer for Master Planner Productions in Los Angeles. Her expertise include: TV productions, fund raising, travel and tourism, and child development and protective services. Princess returned to Nigerian twice, first in 2011, and again 2015, to contest for the Lagos State House of Assembly.
Princess developed her passion for politics early on in life, starting in the late seventies, when as a high school student, she often ease-drop while studying, to listen to her Step-father, Alhaji Tajudeen Kotun, holding talks in their home with special guests: Chief M.K.O Abiola, Chief (Dr.) Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim, Chief Adeniran Ogunsanya, Sir. Jim Nwobodo, and Alhaji Abubakar Rimi. From then on, I was motivated to play active role in politics, community development and public engagements.
Chief/Lady Ada Ozo Nonye Agude
Riverside, CA
Chief/Lady Ada Ozo Nonye Agude
RN, BSN, MPH: An expert health care practitioner, and consummate entrepreneurs and ambassadors of the Igbo people, known for her tireless efforts as a community builder and leader. Over the years, Mrs. Grace has brought together Igbo women across the United States, under various organizations she is actively heading or engaged in. She has provided opportunities for young adults to be retrained to acquire new skill/trade of their choice. She has funded many less privileged people and widows to start small businesses of their choice. Her humanitarian work has earned her many church, academic, leadership, and entrepreneurial awards. Years ago, she carried out medical mission to Nigeria that provided medical services to many sick people, and cared for the less privileged. Their family business is built around medical services here in the United States, which cares for the sick and less privileged people.
Grace’s accomplishments include: as a community leader, Founder and National Coordinator, Umuada Igbo Nigeria in Diaspora, Inc. in the North Americas (since 2009); Founder and Director-General, Ada Wawa of Southern California; Umuada Igbo Coordinator for the World Igbo Congress (WIC), Inc. (2009- 2010); and Member, Igbo Cultural Association in Southern California. As an entrepreneur, she is Co-owner, Young Tiger’s Inc., Riverside, California; Director, Patient Care Services, Total Care Home Health Agency Inc., Riverside, California; CEO: Grace Mission for African Development (NGO) Nigeria; Member: Black American Professional Women Association. Grace prides her greatest achievements as a wife and mother of five, well accomplished, adult children. She is an unapologetically, Catholic, and has been a member of the Knights of Columbus, San Bernardino/Riverside Diocese since 2008.
Oraiu Amoni
BA Economics, Los Angeles, CA
Oraiu Amoni
A coalition builder, general advocacy, and government affairs representative with expert in strategic planning, electoral campaigns, communications, California regulatory processes, public relations and legislative affairs. He served in various capacities for corporations such as: PepsiCo, T-Mobile, PBF Energy and others. His public service started with working for the California State Majority Leader; and an Oakland City Council President. Over the last 15 years, Oraiu has been active in managing various electoral and legislative matters including: implementing local policies on behalf of educators and home care workers across the state with emphasis on the greater Los Angeles area; served at Service Employees International Union (SEIU) ULTCW (now SEIU 2015), where he helped increase the pay of home-care workers; and helped pass Props 30 (raises $8 billion annually for education), and 32.
Oraiu served as the political director for United Teachers Los Angeles (the 2nd largest teacher local in the US); moved legislation to audit the largest charter school chain in the Los Angeles Unified School District; removed a democratic incumbent school board member; prevented the using public funds to open a charter school in downtown Los Angeles; and managed the most expensive school board race in human history. Oraiu organized clergy in California to get more involved in regulatory and legislative affairs.
He is very energetic, resourceful, people oriented, and fluent in Spanish.
Pastor Kingsley Okundaye,
MA Psychology, Fontana, CA
Pastor Kingsley Okundaye
An accomplished business management and community building expert with over 30 years of both private and public sectors experience. Pastor Okundaye is the CEO of Sequire Group, a company he established in 2014 after his retirement from the public sector. The company is involved in farming in Nigeria, and also serves as a conduit for assessing funds for Nigerian entrepreneurs interested in farming and power generation. Prior to that, Pastor Okundaye served as a District Manager for Winchells Corporation; Area Field Marketing Supervisor for Arco Oil (Prestige Stations); and County Probation Supervisor for Riverside County. His experience working with Law Enforcement Agencies, District Attorneys, Public Defenders, and Judges in reviewing charges in the County of Riverside, led Pastor Okundaye to propose and recommend the restructuring of the probation functions in Nigeria as a tool to decongest the judicial system.
Pastor Okundaye is a man of faith, and serves as Pastor and founder of the Church of Christ’s Mission Incorporated, a local church involved in community outreach programs in the Inland Empire. In the 90s, he served as President of the Nigerian Association of Southern California for two consecutive terms where he actively worked in community advocacy.
Pastor Kingsley Okundaye,
MA Psychology, Fontana, CA
Tunde Obazee
Tunde Obazee is a Systems Professional, and a Community Organizer; currently, the Information Technology Manager of the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California in Los Angeles. For his civic activities, he was presented with “The Human Rights Award” by a coalition of over 1600 International, Civic, Educational, and Religious Organizations; a recognized Community Organizer, who advocates for social justice, fairness in labor practices, and human rights. Mr. Obazee is responsible for the revision of over 31 municipal ordinances that favored the ordinary worker. He is a member of Organize for America, Obama for America, American Civil Liberty Union, Teach Tolerance, to mention but a few. In addition, Mr. Obazee has been a powerful force in the election of local and national officials, including City council members, Mayors, District Attorneys, State, and National Representatives, Governors, and Presidents.
The voice of Tunde Obazee echoed in the radio airwaves throughout the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and around the world for over 25 years. He was The National Programming Director for KNON 89.3fm in Dallas, Texas, for many years; he is responsible for such radio productions as African Hour, Empowerment Radio, Point Blank, and Strictly Reggae. His programs aired on: KNON 89.3 – Dallas, TX, KMNY 1360 AM – Dallas, TX, KABF 88.3 FM – Little Rock, AR, KCDV 100.9 – Cordova, AK, in addition to PRX and Pacific Audio port.