News
Ndiowu Diaspora Honours Igwe Ezediohanma, Queen Ugwudiya in Arkansas, USA
By Olisemeka Obeche
In a historic celebration of Igbo royal heritage, exemplary leadership and community service, the Ndiowu North America Association (NNA) has honoured His Royal Majesty, Igwe (Sir) Chibuzo Ben Okekeifi, the Ezediohanma of Ndiowu, and his wife, Her Majesty, Queen Ugwudiya Menu Okekeifi, at a grand reception in Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States of America.
The colourful ceremony held on October 31, 2026, attracted hundreds of guests, including Ndiowu indigenes, families, friends and well-wishers from across the United States and beyond, who gathered to celebrate the royal couple and recognise their enduring contributions to the Ndiowu community.
Highlight of the occasion was the presentation of the Ndiowu North America – NNA Distinguished Leadership and Service Award to Igwe Okekeifi.
The award, officially presented by Fort Smith Mayor, George McGill, on behalf of the association, recognised the monarch’s decades of dedication to community development, institutional growth, cultural preservation and the promotion of unity among Ndiowu people at home and in the diaspora.
The citation accompanying the award praised his remarkable contributions, declaring: “Your dedication to the unity, development, and advancement of our community, both at home and in the Diaspora, remains a source of inspiration and pride.”
The recognition was particularly significant given the monarch’s longstanding relationship with the association.
Igwe Chibuzo Okekeifi has been a member of the association for more than three decades and served as its pioneer president for over ten years.
His leadership during the formative years helped establish NNA as a formidable platform for cultural identity, collective responsibility, unity and community development among Ndiowu people in North America.
Speaking at the reception, NNA President General, Chief Fred Aforka, said the gathering was organised to celebrate the royal couple while recognising the monarch’s invaluable contributions to the association over the years.
He emphasised the importance of honouring individuals whose commitment and sacrifices have helped build lasting institutions and strengthen community relationships.
The royal couple brought additional colour and elegance to the occasion, appearing in magnificent traditional attire befitting their royal status. The award presentation, particularly the moment members gathered around the monarch and Mayor McGill, emerged as one of the most memorable highlights of the celebration.
Beyond the glamour and ceremonial splendour, the reception represented a deeper reaffirmation of the relationship between the traditional institution and the Ndiowu diaspora—a relationship nurtured through decades of fellowship, shared heritage, mutual support and service.
For the Ndiowu North America Association, the celebration was more than a royal reception. It was a statement of gratitude to a founding leader whose vision and commitment helped shape the organisation, while reaffirming the importance of preserving Ndiowu’s cultural heritage across generations and geographical boundaries.
As the celebrations unfolded in Fort Smith, one message stood out: leadership is not defined by titles alone, but by the lives touched, institutions strengthened and enduring legacies created through service.
For Igwe Ezediohanma and Queen Ugwudiya, the honour was not merely a recognition of the past; it was a celebration of a legacy that continues to inspire the Ndiowu community worldwide.
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