By Victor Nwegede, Abakaliki.
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has nominated Chief Nwafor Uchenna Michael, popularly known as Uche Oku, for its prestigious Diamond Jubilee National Award, in recognition of his exceptional contributions to sports development, youth empowerment, and rural transformation in Nigeria.
According to the nomination letter signed by the SWAN Secretary-General, Comrade Ikenna Okenkwo, the award celebrates Chief Nwafor’s commitment to national pride and grassroots development through sports and community service.
The conferment ceremony is slated for October 31, 2025, at the M.K.O. Abiola Stadium, Abuja, by 1 p.m.
Chief Nwafor, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Macbliss Allied Metals Company Limited, hails from Nkomoro Autonomous Community in Ezza North Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.
Widely regarded as a doyen of human capital and rural development, he has implemented numerous life-changing projects across health, education, infrastructure, and faith-based initiatives.
In partnership with the BERWO Foundation of the Wife of the Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Nwafor constructed the Mary-Maudline Uzoamaka Nwifuru Hospital at Umundiagu Nkomoro, providing vital healthcare access to rural dwellers.
He also secured land for an ultra-modern hospital at Igweledoha Umundiagu Nkomoro to serve surrounding communities, including Agba in Ishielu LGA.
Chief Nwafor’s Uche Oku Foundation has provided countless opportunities for young people.
In January 2025, he established a Skill Acquisition Centre at Nkomoro, training youths in trades and entrepreneurship.
Earlier, he purchased WAEC and JAMB forms for 200 indigent students and sponsored their university education within and beyond Ebonyi State.
Through the Uche Oku Foundation Football Tournament (2024/2025), which brought together five autonomous communities including Nkomoro, Ogboji, Ekka, Oriuzor, and Inyere, he promoted unity and talent development. The foundation also organized free medical checkups for the elderly during Easter 2025.
Determined to lift his community from years of neglect, Chief Nwafor spearheaded a rural electrification project in Umundiagu Nkomoro, installing over 50 electric poles and restoring power to villages including Igweledoha, Amenyi, Omege, and Ohaike Nkomoro.
He also introduced solar-powered streetlights to enhance safety at night.
In his push for local economic revival, he began constructing the Nworie Uburu Nkomoro Daily Market at Igweledoha Umundiagu Nkomoro. The new market aims to provide easier access to trade and stimulate productivity for villagers who previously relied on the distant Afor Nkomoro Market.
A committed Christian and community benefactor, Chief Nwafor built and furnished a modern church edifice for the Assemblies of God Mission at Okpokueze Nkomoro, which is set to become the District Headquarters of Imoha Section in Ezza North. He further renovated the pastor’s house, installed solar lighting, and constructed modern sanitary facilities with a motorized water system.
In a show of interdenominational generosity, he also pledged to roof the new Saint Mary’s Catholic Parish building free of charge, despite not being a Catholic himself.
Beyond Ebonyi State, Chief Nwafor has drilled boreholes in several communities, including Okpokueze Nkomoro, Igweledoha Nkomoro, Nteje (Anambra State), and Omoji Nkomoro, ensuring access to clean water. Between 2021 and 2024, he sponsored hundreds of indigent students, empowered over 1,000 youths with skills and start-up funds, and donated motorcycles and vehicles to many beneficiaries.
His foundation has also sponsored several young Nigerians to travel abroad for education and employment opportunities, reflecting his belief that “a tree cannot make a forest.”
Despite the absence of any government appointment from his community since the creation of Ebonyi State, Chief Uchenna Nwafor remains a pillar of hope and transformation. His life’s work demonstrates that leadership and impact transcend political titles.
As the nation awaits the SWAN Diamond Jubilee National Award, Chief Uche Oku stands tall as a symbol of compassion, enterprise, and community-driven progress, a man whose charity continues to define greatness in Nigeria’s evolving story.
