Biography of CHIEF/DR. (MRS.) IFE SINACHI UGWUONYE-OKECHUKWU

In Plato’s allegory of the metal, he classified men into groups of gold, silver and lead. Chief/Dr. (Mrs.) Ife sinachi Ugwuonye-Okechukwu is pure gold, in her own right.

There is gold in her intellectual content, gold in her warmth and humanity, gold in her generosity, and gold in her staunch loyalty and sacrifice to her fatherland. A Senior Mortgage Banker and Lawyer, with offices across the United States of America, Ife sinachi lives in Orange, California. Upon her entry into the US, she worked for the World Bank in Washington DC, from 1998 to 2001. She is currently a Branch Manager and Senior Loan Consultant with EPiQ Lending, a position she has held in several other banks, including the CitiBank N.A, 2005-2012; Bank of America, 2011-2012; Banque Populaire Mediterranean - BPMED; Bank of the West; US Bank, N.A; PNC Bank; CIT Bank, N.A; and Loan Depot, all in California, USA.

A native of Agbaja Umumba Ndiuno and Amankwo Oghe in Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Ife sinachi attended Girls High School, Imezi-Owa; University of Port Harcourt (BA, Foreign Languages), 1994; Université Catholique de Lille, France for her MA in International Commerce, 1996; and University of Pheonix, Arizona, where she studied Organizational Leadership, Business and Finance, obtaining an MBA in 2008. She enrolled for Law and Business (Finance) programme at the Trinity Law School, and earned a Juris Doctorate (JD) in 2012.

Sinachi, as she is fondly called, is a social mobilizer to the marrow. She gave a “Midas touch” to the Enugu State Association, USA Inc, (Enugu USA) during her presidency from 2014 to 2016.

Energetic, empathic and intelligent, she exhibited fearless and bold dispositions in matters affecting the destinies of Enugu State indigens in the United States. She developed positive ties with the home government and people of Enugu State, projecting and protecting her indigens in the US, with a leadership that was widely described as lucid and pragmatic. She initiated and facilitated far-reaching programmes on good health and well-being, quality education, zero hunger and gender equality, as well as raised the bar of youth and women empowerment back home in Enugu State.

She not only used continuously, and in full, the whole influence of her leadership but was also highly regarded by her contemporaries both in Nigeria, the US and beyond as a fine and pure gold.

She is called actualizer and she has even risen beyond that as she keeps initiating new ideas, including the Ezeagu Patriots (EP), which she founded in 2019.

Philanthropy is Dr. Ife Sinachi Ugwuonye’s major preoccupation, and perhaps what stands her out is her spectacular charity under the auspices of Sinachi Scholarship Foundation Inc., an NGO she founded in 1999. With the belief that “good education creates great communities where all are empowered to succeed”, the foundation has seen over forty-five indigent youths of Enugu State through various Nigerian tertiary institutions while several other primary and secondary schools in Ezeagu Council Area have equally benefitted immensely in educational materials and school supplies.

At a time of great misfortune occasioned by the ravaging COVID-19 Pandemic and its resultant economic lockdown in 2020, Dr. Ife sinachi joined the war against hunger, mobilizing actions and initiating various awareness programmes on peculiar measures against the pandemic. In particular, she donated cash and materials as effect-cushioning measures to Umumba Ndiuno and Amankwo Oghe, among other communities in Ezeagu Council Area.

Professionally, Dr. Ifesinachi is amazingly recognized, having shattered the glass ceilings of the Union Bank of California consecutively in 2003 and 2004; Citi Bank-NA Top Producer Award for five years (2005-2009); Bank of America NA-Service and Product Award (2012); Bank of the West, PNB Paris Bas-President Club Award, among many others.

She was a member of Trinity Law School Moot Court, and founded the African Law Students Association (ALSA), serving as its president from 2010 to 2012.

For her giant strides and consistent supports in the fight against COVID-19 Pandemic, Ife sinachi, was awarded the COVID-19 Humanitarian Champions Award in addition to being appointed member of the Civil Society COVID-19 Response Team. She was, in addition, appointed a United Nations-Eminent Peace Ambassador (UN-AmbP) for her support and remarkable role in building blocks for sustainable peace anywhere she finds herself.

Her other selfless services to humanity have also roundly been noted and appreciated. She was honored with the traditional chieftaincy titles of Adadioranma by Ezeagu of Traditional Rulers in 2009; Adaejiejemba by Amokwe Community in 2011; and Ada Igbo Nile by Enugu State Traditional Rulers in 2016, and most recently on December 30, 2021, Ugo Ezeagu.

She also has in her kitty, the Excellence of Humanity Award by Igbo Community in Dallas, Texas; Community Service Award by City of Carson, California; Icon of Humanity Award by Equity Concepts of Dallas, Texas; and Service to Humanitarian Award by Life & Times Media, and Coal City International Inc., among others. She is a member of the Rotary Club International of Anaheim Hills, California,

Dr. Ife Sinachi is an amazing linguist with astonishing fluency in French, German, Spanish, Igbo and Yoruba languages.

Her footprints, no doubt, have become enough inspiration to those who have eyes to see.