CUMEF AT A GLANCE…Together, We Can Create Lasting Change

Introduction

 

The Chijioke Ugwueze Memorial Foundation (CUMEF) at No 15, Cornelia Drive, New Haven Extension, Enugu, Nigeria, was established in 2021 in memory of and to advance the legacies of Hon. Chijioke Ugwueze, a visionary leader, public servant, and community advocate who dedicated his life to the service of humanity, particularly the poor, the widowed and the marginalized. 

Until his death in 2020, Hon. Ugwueze was known for his unwavering commitment to justice, education, healthcare and empowerment of vulnerable persons. He believed deeply in using public office and personal resources to create lasting change, improving access to education for disadvantaged children, supporting widows and youths to become self-reliant, and promoting peace and social harmony across communities.

 

Thus, the Foundation was born out of the desire to sustain his humanitarian ideals and community development legacy, transforming his vision into a sustainable platform for public good. Guided by the principles of compassion, inclusion, and accountability, CUMEF continues to champion initiatives that honour his memory, helping people live with dignity, purpose and hope. The programs and activities of the Foundation are based on the needs of the people of Isi Uzo LGA with plans for expansion to other LGAs in Enugu State in the nearest future. Our flagship interventions with multiplier impacts are the scholarship program and entrepreneurial skills development. All our efforts are geared towards supporting Enugu State Government in the realisation of state and SDGs relating to SDGs;

 

1.     No poverty

2.     Zero Hunger

3.     Good Health

4.     Quality Education

5.     Gender and

6.     SDG No 10 Reduced Inequalities 

 

The Founder and President is Dr (Mrs) Amaka Ugwueze, the amiable wife of the Late Honourable. 

Vision and mission

CUMEF vision is a society of the disadvantaged achieving their full potentials while its mission is empowering and enabling the vulnerable to thrive, unlock their hidden potentials, overcome barriers, and transform their lives and communities. Its operations and services are guided by a set of core values, namely; sacrifice, compassion, inspiration, empowering and dignity all of which Late Hon Chijioke Ugwueze, held so dear and demonstrated in his lifetime. 

  Intervention areas

 

·   Education – financial support for WAEC, NECO and JAMB examinations and secondary and University levels scholarship

 

·      Entrepreneurial Skills Development & Economic Empowerment – vocational skills and start up financial and material support and grant to support micro and small-scale businesses. The beneficiaries are youth (male and female), women, widows and persons with disabilities   

 

·      Health – financial support for medical care, sexuality education for young people, life skills and mental health education

 

·    Community Development – peace promotion through annual football competition, provision of palliatives (food) and cash support to vulnerable families and mobilising community members for self-help initiatives

 

Our modest achievements

 

Education

·      33 male and female secondary school students in Isi-Uzo LGA provided financial support for their terminal and admission examinations (WASCE, NECO and JAMB) in 2021 out of which 11 were selected for scholarship at the University level 

 

·      Graduated first set (11) of university scholarship awardees (2021) at the University level (Enugu State University of Science and Technology) in various courses (Engineering, Mass communication, Education/Biology, Applied Micro Biology, Biology Chemistry and Industrial chemistry) in 2026 

 

Entrepreneurial Skills Development & Economic Empowerment

·      Entrepreneurial skills development training for 11 youths over a 12-month period with each receiving start up grant of N300,000 (cash and equipment) totaling, N3,300,000 

 

·      Supported 11 widows to set up small businesses with each receiving N100,000 in 2021

 

·      Trained in shoe-making and provided start up grant and a wheel chair to facilitate mobility to a young person with disability 

 

Community development and suport

·      Cash support of N5,000 each to 260 widows and other disadvantaged persons 

 

·      Distribution of palliatives (rice) and relief materials to 260 widows and other disadvantaged women  

 

·      Hosted a football tournament (Aguiyi Lives on Unity Cup) to promote peace and forge unity among communities in Isi Uzo LGA

 

Health (medical care)

·      Paid medical bills of some community members during random visits to hospitals in the community

 

Others

·      Discovered and facilitated the recruitment of a young talent by a professional football club

 

Funding

Funding for all CUMEF activities have been solely from family resources, expending the sum of N50m. The graph below shows the amount spent on each intervention area

Free Medical Outreach

Clarion call

 

Providing quality education to students from poor background, reducing unemployment and lifting youth, women including widows and persons with disabilities out of poverty, reducing inequalities in our society, reducing substance abuse and crime among our youth and rescuing our girls from unwanted pregnancy is a collective responsibility. We belief that effective collaboration and partnership with the Government can go a long way in increasing access to social services and improving quality of life of youth, women, girls and persons with disabilities and the family at large in our communities. We therefore invite you to support CUMEF in the following areas

 

·      Development partners to provide grant to CUMEF through direct grant making or sub-granting

 

·      Individuals, philanthropists and corporate bodies/companies and business owners to donate financially – we need a total of N500m annually to implement our programs 

 

·      Individuals, philanthropists and corporate organisations to adopt and sponsor at least 5 secondary school students with disability through CUMEF @ Nxxx,xxx per session

 

·      Individuals, philanthropists and corporate organisations to adopt and sponsor at least 5 students to enrol and write WAEC, NECO and UTME though CUMEF @ Nxxx,xxx per session

 

·      Link CUMEF to funding sources – international development partners, private sector and local foundations 

 

·      Support CUMEF to mobilise resources from Ndi Enugu in the Diaspora

 

·      Government agencies to recognise and partner with CUMEF in providing quality social services

 

CUMEF… Aguiyi lives on

 Chijioke Ugwueze Memorial Foundation (CUMEF) 

No 15, Cornelia Drive, New Haven Extension, Enugu, Nigeria          

Hon Chijioke Leonard Ugwueze

Dr. Mrs Catherine Amaka Ugwueze in a Kick-Off

Food Distribution

Food Distribution

Food Distribution

14 Graduates Scholarship

Donation To People With Disability

Aguiyi Lives On Unity Cup

Supporting The Sporting Community

People With Disability also Benefited

Youth Empowerment Skill Acquisition

Skill Acquisition For Young Entrepernuers

 

Dr. Mrs Catherine Amaka Ugwueze In A Group Photo

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

IYC President Raises Concern Over Disqualification of Aspirants Ahead of INC Presidential Election

By Perekeme Odon

 

The President of the Ijaw Youth Council, Sir Jonathan Lokpobiri Sr, has expressed grave concern over the disqualification of prominent aspirants from the forthcoming presidential election of the Ijaw National Congress, scheduled for 7 March 2027, warning that the development may undermine confidence in the electoral process.

Among those disqualified are Elder Timi Kaiser Ogoriba and Barrister Macdonald Igbadiwei, both regarded as longstanding contributors to the Ijaw cause. Their exclusion has prompted apprehension among stakeholders who fear possible bias and procedural irregularities in the lead up to the poll.

 

In a statement issued by his chief press secretary, Deacon Tari Agai, Lokpobiri described the disqualification of respected figures who have dedicated themselves to the Ijaw struggle as deeply troubling. He questioned how individuals who have made significant sacrifices for the collective interest of the Ijaw people could have their eligibility constrained by registration technicalities.

 

He maintained that the rules governing Ijaw struggle platforms must reflect the moral values and shared history of the Ijaw people. According to him, any constitutional provision that casts doubt on the membership or standing of recognised icons of the struggle would be unacceptable to the wider community.

 

Lokpobiri further expressed concern that even the pioneer president of the INC and certain former members of its national executive are reportedly not recognised as members under the current constitutional provisions. He suggested that such anomalies point to deeper structural concerns that require urgent attention.

 

The IYC President has therefore called upon the leadership of the INC and its National Electoral Committee to urgently review the screening process to ensure that Elder Ogoriba and other affected aspirants are afforded the opportunity to contest.

 

Beyond the issue of disqualification, additional concerns have emerged across the Ijaw nation regarding the integrity of the delegate selection process. Some stakeholders allege that the nomination of delegates may have been disproportionately influenced, with claims that a single individual nominated as many as one hundred delegates. Questions have also been raised about the consultant overseeing the electronic voting process and the propriety of the outgoing president presiding over an interactive session with aspirants.

 

Six aspirants are currently in the race for the presidency of the apex Ijaw sociocultural body. They include Professor Erepamo Franklin Osaisai; Rear Admiral Geoffrey Yanga, retired; Nengi James; Ebi Wodu; Kaiser Timi Ogoriba; and Macdonald Igbadiwei.

 

In response to the growing concerns, the Chairman of the INC National Electoral Committee, retired Supreme Court Justice His Royal Highness Justice F F Tabai, has assured members of the Ijaw community that the election will be conducted in a credible and transparent manner.

 

As the 7 March election approaches, calls for clarity, fairness and institutional integrity continue to shape discourse within the Ijaw nation, underscoring the significance of the forthcoming leadership transition.

Ogoriba Courts Lagos Ijaw Leaders Ahead of INC Polls

By Perekeme Odon

The Ijaw National Congress presidential hopeful Elder Timi Kaiser-Wilhelm Ogoriba (popularly addressed as T.K. Ogoriba), met leaders of the group’s Lagos chapter as part of a nationwide consultation ahead of its forthcoming election, pledging to reposition the body as a more inclusive and effective voice for Ijaw interests.

Elder Timi Kaiser-Wilhelm Ogoriba

The meeting, held on 26 February 2026 at the Bayelsa State Liaison Office in Lagos, brought together the executive council and members of the Lagos State chapter for what participants described as a wide-ranging and interactive session.

 

Ogoriba, a veteran figure in Ijaw advocacy with decades of involvement in the struggle for political and economic recognition, told members that the congress must evolve into a more responsive umbrella organisation capable of reflecting the aspirations of Ijaw communities across all zones.

 

He called for stronger internal cohesion and a transparent and credible leadership recruitment process, arguing that the integrity of the organisation’s electoral system would be central to restoring confidence among members. He also urged deeper engagement with young people, community institutions and professional groups, saying that broad participation was essential to strengthening the Ijaw voice within the Nigerian federation.

Comrade Tonye Harry Leonard & Elder T.K Ogoriba

Accompanying him was the Distinguished Hon. Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli, a security expert, author and media practitioner, who is seeking the office of national publicity secretary. Ikuli, a prominent advocate of what he terms a renewed Ijaw consciousness, traced the historical trajectory of the Ijaw struggle and outlined the campaign’s vision for a more assertive and strategically organised congress. He has long argued that the Ijaw people must assume what he describes as their rightful place within Nigeria’s ethnic landscape, citing their contributions and sacrifices in the Niger Delta.

 

In their response, leaders of the Lagos chapter welcomed Ogoriba but reiterated the chapter’s neutrality. They said the body remained open to all aspirants committed to advancing the collective interests of the Ijaw nation.

 

The Lagos State chairperson, Comrade Tonye Harry Leonard, affirmed the chapter’s support for a transparent, peaceful and issue-based contest, adding that competence, integrity and vision would be critical benchmarks in assessing candidates.

(l-r) Comrade Preye Ketebu, Comrade Harry & Pst Posibi

Comrade Harry said the chapter would particularly value aspirants who demonstrate a firm grasp of the contemporary challenges confronting Ijaw communities and who are prepared to work with a broad coalition of stakeholders to promote peace, sustainable development and sociopolitical stability in the Niger Delta.

 

According to the INC Lagos State Chapter, Elder Ogoriba is the only candidate whose campaign visit, together with the aspiring national publicity secretary, has so meaningfully engaged them through a detailed exposition of the historic events and significant milestones that have shaped the Izon Ebe struggle for socio-economic emancipation within the Izon Nation.

INC Lagos in Solidarity With Elder T.K Ogoriba

They expressed that his presentation not only brought clarity to the historical journey of the Izon-Ebe people but also deepened their understanding of the sacrifices and achievements that have defined their collective aspirations. For this and many other reasons, they conveyed their sincere appreciation, noting that they felt both honoured by his presence and intellectually enriched by the depth of insight he shared.

The meeting ended on what participants described as a cordial note, with both sides emphasising unity, strategic foresight and sustained commitment to the Ijaw cause as the congress approaches a pivotal leadership transition.

Chairman Tonye Harry Addressing Members of The Congress

Elder Ogoriba Being Welcomed By The Wrestling Band

INC Lagos Women's Wing

Comrade Ogoriba With Comrade Preye Ketebu

A Cross Section of Members in a Group Photos

Elder T.K Ogoriba Pledges to Work with Everyone

(l-r) Prince Aganaba, Comrade Akpos & Comrade Henry Elijah