Chief Lady Rose Nwabugwu Okereke (Nee Iheme) was born July 16,1945 to Samson Iheme a carpenter and Elizabeth Iheme (Nee Korie) an entrepreneur, farmer and political leader. Rose was born in Umunachi Obowu and was the oldest and only daughter of three siblings. Her brothers, late John Iheme and Mordi Iheme proceeded her.

While in school, she exceled in academics both in elementary and Modern schools. She was a great all around athlete. She was the best skilled handball player in her days; best track and field athlete winning all competitions and meets in the Obowu, Okigwe and, Aba regionals. As a result of her athleticism and achievements, Rose was very famous and well known during her school years in Obowu and the surrounding communities and towns.

Upon completing Modern school, she attended Police Academy training, Rose was briefly in the Police Force before accepting a supervisory position at the upscale Leventis Department Store in Port Harcourt. She met her husband Chief Ignatius Okereke, while working at Leventis Store during one of her shifts. Their courtship in Port Harcourt blossomed until the Biafra - Nigerian civil war broke out in the late sixties.

When the civil war broke out, both Rose and Ignatius left Port Harcourt and moved back home to Imo state to be closer to family. Brave and fearless Rose enlisted and served in the Biafran Army as an Army Corporal. She was in charge of any road movement within the region, granting passage and road access only to vehicles deemed necessary. Her love I.G worked in the Biafran Military logistics supplying and distributing provisions and food rations to the Biafran Army. It was during one of her shifts that she discovered her love had been captured and was being shipped off to the war zone to fight for the Biafran Army. Rose and her team intercepted the vehicle and released him.

When the war heightened, Rose and Ignatius were married. During this time, Rose began her entrepreneur journey by opening up her first restaurant in Orieagu market square. This was to become a place to provide rest and show hospitality for war travelers, residents and Biafran Army and Refugees. After the war, Rose and her husband left Mbano and relocated to Enugu. From Enugu they began their family. When the opportunity presented itself, they moved to Lagos where they raised their growing family and their thriving business entrepreneurship.

Rose was a savvy and successful businesswoman involved in many successful multi-faceted business ventures.  Her ventures included real estate construction, beverage and poultry distributorship, She was a restaurateur and, an import/export specialist; importing fabric, cosmetics, jewelry and clothing amongst other business adventure. She was well traveled. Her business ventures took her to these many parts of the world – traveling frequently to such places like United Kingdom, Germany, Barcelona Spain, Las Palmas, Italy, Paris and, United States.

Rose was a humble and devout Christian with a strong faith; she sealed her faith in the Lord by completing the Holy Christian Pilgrimage to Jerusalem and Bethlehem in 1979. She later was knighted in the Catholic Church. 

Throughout her life and life’s journeys, she was committed to her callings and hence she was bestowed upon many titles as a result of her many humanitarian efforts, her life services to the church and the community and her natural wisdom.  She had a giant heart and took in people who needed help. She was an inspiring soul and was always there with kind words and shared her wisdom by providing wise advice for all who came to her with their troubles. Her home was open to everyone and her hospitality made them feel important. She never expected anything back. She was the most loving, humble, compassionate, understanding, family orientated woman and one of the most beautiful souls one could ever meet. Always happy, she was a giver and a humanitarian at heart, her life accomplishments exemplified generosity, kindness, caring, elegance, bravery, strength, resilience, thoughtfulness, and hopefulness. She possessed all of these qualities for sure. Her greatest joys were her children and the life lessons she instilled in them to carry on her legacy and keep it alive. Though she is gone from this physical realm, she will always be around us in the spirit realm and her star shines brightly in the sky.