1931 East Centerville RD Garland TX 75041
SOUTHEASTERN OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY 2
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1. Prince Brown Odife 2. Captain Andrew Cummings 3. Chief Celestine Muoneke 4. Mr. Chris Nwamah 5. Dr. Ejike Ene 6. Mr. Linus Eneh 7. Mr. Emeka Ikpa 8. Chief Paul Onyeabor (Akajiugo) 9. Chief Eric Umeh (Omereoa) 10. Mr. Martin Njoku 11. Mr. Felix Ike (Ike Miami) 12. Mr. Matthew Muoneke 13. Prof. Austin Emeagwai 14. Atty. Kenneth Onyenah 15. Chief Sir Osy Ekpe (Alupoaku 1 Enugwu Ukwu Na Umunri) 16. Mr. Johnny Anyaegbuna 17. Mr. Sylvester Ikenyei 18. Mr. Ozurumba Onyeforo 19. Mr. Boney Odoemelam 20. Mr. Ambrose Onwuka 21. Mr. Jonathan Nchekwube (Honorary member) 22. Sir Joe Madu 23. Chief Clive Anyanna (Agujiegbe) 24. Mr. Ndukwe Onyeforo 25. Chief Charlie Igbonoba 26. Mr. Ikem (Kemo) Anyaegbuna 27. Mr. Maxwell oparaodu 28. Mr. Richard Osuji 29. Mr. Francis Emetuche 30. Mr. Felix Ekpe 31. Mr. Victor Emodi 32. Mr. Preye Okosi 33. Chief Samuel Adeola 34. Mr. Donald Eneje 35. Mr. Ben Obi (Professor) 36. Mr. Jude Nwachukwu 37. Mr. Mike Uche 38. Mr. Sunny Nwankwo 39. Mr. Victor Emodi 40. Mr. Tony Akamnonu SOSU ALUMNI OF NIGERIAN ORIGINS 5
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WELCOME ADDRESS BY CELE MUONEKE 7
I will like to use this space to express my sincere gratitude to this convention planning committee, and everyone that contributed to its actualization. You’re simply the best, and you know who you are.
With the convention coming to an end after gala night on Saturday, it is then, our collective prayers that the good Lord in his infinite mercy will guide us back to our various destinations in safety and in good health, Amen. One love and friendship forever.
Celestine Muoneke, AAS, BSc, MAS, CHA Dallas, TX
Fellow SOSU Alumni of Nigerian origin, Good day, and welcome to this one of a kind school reunion. If you came from out of state, welcome to Dallas and its suburbs. If you’re local or came from anywhere in the state of Texas, you’re obviously living in the biggest state of the union, the one and only, “lone star state” of Texas. It is indeed an honor to be in your midst this Labor day weekend, celebrating our friendships and respect for each other. Our gathering this weekend is not one of a spontaneous overnight decisions to “meet and greet” on a weekend like this, but rather, has been in the making for the last 30 plus years. How? Well, the answers go as far back as the year 1980. This was the year when there was less than half a dozen African international students at SOSU, and few of those Africans, are specifically of Nigerian origins. The SOSU environment quickly became home away from home for us, Nigerians. But with separation from our respective families and the loneliness that came with it, quickly came about the need for adaptation within our environment. The must survive and to belong attitudes of our cultures in each and everyone of us took over, and sooner than expected, we found each other to lean on in good, difficult and bad times. We supported each other from every imaginable ways to achieve our respective goals. With achieving our respective educational goals, came the gradual departure from SOSU environment to various parts of the United States of America, either looking for employments, or to further our education. Majority of us are concentrated within the Dallas-Fort/Worth (DFW) area. With this build up in DFW and the everlasting memories of our Durant era, came the hunger to once again meet, greet and to remind each other how wonderful it was to work together lifting each other up. And that’s why we have gathered this weekend to celebrate. It is my prayers and hope that, by the end of this convention, the friendship and respect we sincerely hold for each other will never diminish and not forgotten as we continue to grow older.
With the same spirit of friendship, respect and one love, let us not forget to always remember our fellow Alumni of Nigerian origins, who have departed this earth. We will forever miss them. May their souls rest with the Lord, and peace to their respective families, Amen.
With all the fun and joy and distractions America offered to us, *we still took our academics seriously*. How could we not, when our peers were carrying maximum credit hours, maintaining full-time jobs, and making the Dean’s List on a regular basis? For the likes of Chris Nweze, Sir Joe Madu, the late Professor Bedford Umez, and a few others, these accomplishments seemed effortless, but if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t have received the Outstanding Scholarship Award in Economics from Conoco Oil Company. We were truly a unified front and as strong as our weakest link.
*The camaraderie* within the African community in Durant was off the charts. With the late Engr. Chikeziri (Chyke) Onyekwere leading the African Students Union, it wasn’t uncommon to see Amos Mwangi from Kenya breaking bread (Bisquick) with us wherever and whenever we gathered to eat. Who can forget the young man from New York by way of Granada, who I thought was from Mbaise? Capt. Andrew Cummings defied all reasons as he quickly blended and assimilated into Naijahood. His broken English was even better than mine.
*Garden Villa Apartments*, oh my goodness! Oboy, no talk say you live for Durant, if you no stay in Garden Villa, at least for one semester. The unity and brotherhood we enjoyed there was unbelievable. Nobody missed class because he didn’t have transportation. Nobody went hungry because there was no food in his refrigerator. There was one apartment that didn’t have keys to it, and there was always food there. Dr. Ejike Eneh and Oga Tony Akamnonu, thanks for your generosity. Then, there was the guy that ran a telephone exchange out of his apartment. He was the only Naija that had a telephone in the entire apartment complex. Whenever his phone rang, he would dash out of his apartment to go get whomever the call was for; no matter what time of day. If you needed to call Naija, Celestine Muoneke kept a ledger that recorded your call information so you can pay for your calls when the bill came. The one that took the cake was when Oga Celestine knocked on my door at 4:00am to let me know that my wife and son had arrived at the greyhound bus station. I’m eternally grateful.
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To All those who started this journey with us, but are no longer here with us, may the Almighty God accept their souls and give them a peaceful rest. In Jesus Name. Amen�� Emeka Donnie Ikpa Durant Oklahoma (August 1981 - June 1983)
*Our Durant Oklahoma story* will not be complete without mentioning some of the faculty and staff members that made our stint at SOSU memorable. Before going into my sojourn at Southeastern Oklahoma State University, let me give thanks to God for allowing us the opportunity to revisit our stay in Durant more than 40 years ago. God is truly faithful, merciful, and full of grace. I was fortunate enough to have four of my secondary school classmates already awaiting my arrival in August 1981. Johnny Anyaegbuna, Dandy Owoh, Victor Emodi, and Ifeanyi Maduagwu made my transition to the new country and culture very seamless. With help from Victor Emodi and Ifeanyi Maduagwu, I became part of the Dishwashing crew at Crow’s Nest in Denison, Texas. With Dandy Owoh, we discovered the girls of Grayson County College in Denison, where I met my wife. Of course, that didn’t stop us from frequenting several nightclubs in the area - the American Legion in Denison and the famous Club Mmechalu in Sherman come to mind. Big J drove me and my pregnant wife to Dallas for our Green Card Interview.
*The Welcoming Committee.* During my time in Durant, it seemed like we had a committee that welcomed newcomers. If they didn’t end up with Johnny “Big J” Anyaegbuna or Joe Madu, then they probably just transferred from another city in the United States. Somehow, Big J and Sir Joe managed to be the ones providing orientation to new arrivals from Naija. Also, if the Anyaegbuna brothers - Kemo or Big J didn’t help you find your first car, you probably bought a lemon.
Aside from my secondary school classmates already in Durant before me, there were several people who made my stint in Durant memorable. I can’t name all of them in this limited space, but Osy Ekpe, National Lord, was instrumental to my early marriage. I’m glad I listened to his wise counsel. He stood by my side on August 13, 1982 in Sherman, Texas as I said “I do” to my chick from Arkansas who was attending Grayson County College at that time. There’s no anniversary we celebrate without remembering Osy Ekpe.
*The 1981 Nigeria’s Independence Day parade* was humongous. Director of Admissions, Dr Frank Wade, President of the school, Dr. Leon Hibb, my Department Chair Sydney Jenkins, Academic Counselor Dr George Collier II, Roy Hooten, Dr. Blanche Jamieson (English Language), etc where all proud of us and supportive.
I would like to begin by thanking fellow planning committee members for making this event possible. For too long, the talk about alumni reunion was only a gentle whisper mostly at gatherings. However, about a year ago that whisper grew louder as more alumni expressed burning desire for a reunion. The sentiment was near unanimous and predictable. Anybody who attended Southeastern Oklahoma State University (SOSU) in the early to mid-eighties and reminisces about the good times we had in Durant understands that our sense of utilitarianism would always make consensus among us quite easy. The great camaraderie we had in Durant has continued till this day. It was that strong desire for a reunion that led to the formation of the planning committee. And the committee - led by our indomitable consensus leader Celestine Muoneke – worked indefatigably to ensure the event is planned and executed to near perfection.
The enthusiasm and consensus that has greeted this initiative from the start has been impressive. Who would have predicted that SOSU alumni reunion could be possible after 40 years? This is an amazing feat that all of us should be proud of. Seeing old friends again after so many years makes this a historic event. It underscores the virtues of friendship, unity, and love. Rather than the scabbard of enmity to the battlefront, this reunion offers an incredible opportunity for us to rekindle the same spirit of brotherhood we developed in Durant. So tonight, while we relish in our inaugural reunion, we are also reaffirming the time hallowed aphorism which is “we are better together than we are alone”. Who can forget the blissful Nigerian Independence parties in Durant? I can still remember how some of the old school songs by notable artists like - Osita Osadebe, Oliver de Coque, Oriental Brothers, Kool and the gang, Gap band, and New Edition - used to get everyone to the dance floor. We danced, laughed, and some of us got sloshed after heavy drinking. That was the good old times. And the parties seemed to get better each year. By mid-eighties, Nigerian parties had become so popular that even Black Americans from neighboring communities (Sherman, Dennison, Atoka, and Hugo) used to inquire about the location and time of the next Nigerian party. We may not be as young and energetic as we used to be, but we are thankfully not decrepit old men either, so tonight we will try to recapture that feeling of youth and immortality. This event also offers a golden chance to have an intergenerational interaction as we demonstrate to our children the importance of unity, peace, and love. A legacy of a peaceful community we must commit to them.
I want to thank everyone who contributed to this noble cause. Your generous donations made this reunion possible. I would also like to recognize the extraordinariness of two of our brothers whose contributions played vital roles to the success of this event. Jude Nwachukwu – owner of Garland Convention Center – provided the banquet hall at half the fair market rental value, and Charlie Igbonoba donated one thousand dollar ($1,000) extra towards tonight’s event. I doff my hat to both men for their worthy contributions. Finally, I would like to use this opportunity to remember our comrades who are no longer here with us. They were brave and accomplished men who had every gift but length of years. I don’t know why they were taken away from us so soon, but I know they are greatly missed. Their loving memories will forever live in our hearts. If our expression of grief could build a stairway and memories a lane, we would walk right up to heaven and bring them back. Their absence from this reunion is profoundly regrettable. May their souls rest in perfect peace. Thanks everyone for coming and identifying with a noble cause. Please do have fun. May God bless us all. By Chris Nwamah 9
Southeastern Oklahoma State (SOSU) Alumni Reunion Message
Mr. Donnie Emeka
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THE PLANNING COMMITTEE wishes to congratulate SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin to Dallas Texas on our inaugural convention.
CelestineIkpa Muoneke Dr. Ejike Ene Chris Nwamah Mr Chuka Eneh
THE FAMILY OF LINUS ENEH OnSosuCongratulatesAlumniofNigeriaOriginTheirReunion 11
We thank God for His faithfulness, grace and mercy through the years. May His name be glorified forever and ever, in Jesus Name. Amen! DONNIE EMEKA IKPA AND FAMILY 12
EDWIN NNAMDI BROWN ODIFE Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on their reunion 13
Congratulations to SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin to our long-awaited celebration of friendships formed in the days of schooling and hustling for survivals. I wish all of us many good memories that can last a lifetime. MAXWELL OPARAODU SOSU African Christian Fellowship 14
THE FAMILY OF CHIEF, SIR CELESTINE MUONEKE Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on their reunion 15
MATTHEW SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin. My family and I look forward to seeing everyone in Dallas. Remain blessed.
MUONEKE AND FAMILY Congratulates
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ANYAEGBUNAJOHNNY Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on their reunion 17
RICHARD OSUJI Congratulates SOSU old boys and girls of Nigeria origin 18
FELIX IKE Congratulations SOSU old boys and girls of Nigeria origin 19
FRANCIS EMETUCHE Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on their reunion 20
CHRIS NWAMAH & FAMILY heartily congratulate fellow SOSU Alumni on this historic reunion. We are Chris Nwamah & family heartily congratulate fellow SOSU Alumni on this historic reunion. We are better together than we are alone. .
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MR. MARTIN NJOKU Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on their reunion 22
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MR. & MRS. JONATHAN NCHEKWUBE & FAMILY Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on their reunion 24
DAEREGO GEORGE Nice to meet old friends 25
Loving Memory of the Late Steve Ikenyei Engr.
In Chikeziri
“Chyke” Onyekwere Former President of African Students Union Southeastern Oklahoma State University Durant, Oklahoma Eugene Okeke (Uncle) 26
Rest in Peace Ifeanyi Agulefo May the soul of Prof Bedford Umezulike and all the departed rest in peace, Amen Late Mr. Wale Akinpelu 27
CHIEF PAUL ONYEABOR, AKAJIUGO 28
Chief Paul (Akajiugo) CongratulationsOnyeaborto SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin for this monumental gathering. I thank God for all. Let’s keep the SOSU candle burning.
SIR JOE MADU Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on the reunion 29
HON. & MRS. CLIVE A. ANYANNA AGUJIEGBE & ACHATA, UGO-1 OF OBODO, ELUAMA Congratulates SOSU Alumni Reunion Celebration/ Event on September 3, 2022 in “Big D” Texas Long Live SOSU Alumni Long Live Igbo Land Long Live Nigeria Long Live USA 30
Love from
SIRONWUKAAMBROSEFAMILY to SOSU Brethren 31
OTUNBA SAMUEL A. ADEOLA
Attending SOSU was a great change for the better for my life. Grateful to have met some wonderful friends there and I am grateful to GOD that my first child Julie Omotokunbo was born while I was a student at SOSU. Equally grateful to GOD for the wife that he provided for me who in no small way helped me to graduate in 3 years and 4 months at SOSU. Went on to obtain Master’s degree at the old East Texas State University (now Texas A&M Com merce) and several IT certifications. May the souls of our departed College members continue to rest in peace amen.
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OZY ONYEFORO Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on the reunion 33
PROF. AUSTIN EMEAGWAI, CPA, PHD CongratulatesSOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on the reunion 34
SYLVESTER IKENYEI Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on the reunion 35
THE FAMILY OF MR. & MRS. CHARLIE IGBONOBA Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on her inaugural reunion at Dallas TX September 2-4, 2022 36
THE FAMILY OF MR. & MRS. BONNY ODOEMELAM Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on her inaugural reunion at Dallas TX September 2-4, 2022 THE FAMILY OF MR. & MRS. DONALD ENEJE Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on her inaugural reunion at Dallas TX September 2-4, 2022 37
THE FAMILY OF MR. & MRS. FELIX EKPE SOSUcongratulatesAlumniofNigeriaoriginonherinauguralreunionatDallasTXSeptember2-4,2022 38
THE FAMILY OF MR. & MRS. VICTOR EMODI Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigeria origin on her inaugural reunion at Dallas TX September 2-4, 2022 39
Graduate with PhD in 2009. My lovely wife Leaving Enugu airport, Nigeria to USA on January 5, 1981, surrounded by co-workers and well-wishers. DR AUGUSTINE EJIKE ENE Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on the reunion 40
CHIEF ERIC UMEH (OMEREOA) Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on their reunion 41
MR. PREYE OKOSI Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on their reunion 42
CAPTAIN ANDREW CUMMINGS Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on their reunion 43
ATTORNEY KENNETH ONYENAH SOSUCongratulatesofNigeriaoriginontheirreunion 44
THE FAMILY OF CHIEF SIR OSY EKPE (ALUPOAKU 1 ENUGWU UKWU NA UMUNRI) Congratulates SOSU of Nigeria origin on their reunion 45
OF SOME SOSU MEMBERS OF NIGERIA ORIGIN 46
GROUP PICTURE
Top left to right: From the Islands, Osy Ekpe, Emeka Ikpa, Kenneth Onyena, Felix Ike, Fidelis Nnoli,
MEMBERS
GROUP PICTURE OF SOME SOSU OF NIGERIA ORIGIN
Bottom left to right: Shakky Bobo, Sam Adeola, Igoma, Louis Mazeli, Okezie, Joe Madu
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For all your meetings, weddings, and other banquet related functions, the Garland Convention Center is your choice. 1931 East Cernterville Rd. Garland, TX 75041 Call us at (214) 762-0042 The Executive and management of Garlan Convention Center Congratulates SOSU Alumni of Nigerian origin on her Inaugural convention at Dallas, TX. September 2nd-4th, 2022
