His Story Isaac Uwaoma Chidike (Formally Otuonye) was born on 14th December, 1944 into a humble Christian family of late Elder and late Mama Agwoma Elizabeth Otuonye Okoboro of Umueledi Village in Elu-Elu Old Umuahia Autonomous Community, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State.He is the last born in the family of six children.
EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT / WORK CAREER
He had his primary school education at St. Charles Catholic School, Old Umuahia and St. Joseph’s Catholic School Amakama, Olokoro from 1950 to 1957 and obtained his first school leaving certificate with distinction. He had no opportunity to enter into secondary school along with his peers and so in 1958 with the encouragement of his lovely mother, he enrolled in a local institute in Umuahia to study typing and shorthand and by the end of 1960 he was done with the institute. However, it was not until early in 1962 that his uncle, HRH, late Eze Amara I, Barr. Y. C. Onwuchekwa (of blessed memory) brought him to Lagos and gave him a job in Lagos as an office assistant. In 1963 he got a new employment as a secretary. This new job rekindled his zeal and determination to study privately to improve himself and in 1966 he sat for and passed the London G.C.E. ‘O’ Level as well as the Royal Society of Arts (RSA) London School Commercial Certificate.He also obtained the RSA intermediate certificate in typing and shorthand during this period. Armed with these credentials he was now poised to get good jobs in reputable organizations. His ambition was fulfilled as he got a new employment in 1964 as Secretary to the Managing Director of a Multinational organization having offices in Nigeria and Ghana.
The civil war which broke out in 1967 put a hold on the career run of Barr. Chidike, because he left Lagos in December, 1966 along with other people from the East.
He enlisted in the army during the civil war and served in the Intelligence Unit of the Biafran Army.
At the end of the civil war Barr. Chidike returned to Lagos and without much difficulties secured employment with the Nigerian Institute of Management in 1970. Between the periods 1970/1971 he registered for the advanced certificate examination of Pitman’s Institute, London and obtained the highest certificate of the institute in typing and shorthand.
He later got a new employment with Panalpina World Transport as Secretary to the Deputy Managing Director. In this Company he intensified his private studies and by the year 1972, he sat for and passed the G.C.E ‘A’ Level.
In 1974, he got employment with The West African Portland Cement Co. Ltd. as Personal Assistant to the Finance Director. He rose to the position of Shipping Manager in this company.
Barr. Chidike was admitted into the University of Lagos, Akoka in 1976 to study Law. He graduated in 1981 and was conferred with the LL.B. (Hons.) Degree. He immediately proceeded to the Nigerian Law School and made Second Class (Hons) in the Bar final examination. He was called to the Nigerian Bar as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in 1982.
He served as a Youth Corper from 1982 to 1983 when he was discharged. Thereafter he joined the law firm of M. O. Mbaike & Associates as junior counsel. He worked in this law firm until 1986 when he disengaged to establish his own law firm in the name of I. C. OTUONYE & CO. In 1989 he was appointed Notary Public for Nigeria.
Barr. Chidike is fully engaged in corporate legal practice and advocacy. In his over 30 years of continuous legal practice, Barr. Otuonye has handled diverse and contentious cases in many jurisdictions in Nigeria. He served as Company Secretary to some private and public companies and also sits on the Board of some of these companies. He also served as resource person to some organizations and has written many articles and delivered lectures on some topical legal issues.
MARITAL LIFE
Barr. Otuonye and his wife were joined in holy wed-lock on 7th April, 1973. The union is blessed with Five (5) children, Four (4) sons and a daughter. By the grace of God all the children have graduated in different fields of endavours i.e. Law, Engineering; Medicine, Sciences and Humanities.
Barr. Chidike and his wife are also blessed with beautiful daughter’s in-law and Eight (8) wonderful Grand Children. All in all, he was continually grateful to God for the gift of a wonderful family.
CHRISTIAN LIFE
Barr. Chidike was a devoted and committed Christian and this is the secret of their family success. Himself and his wife have always worked together in the Lord’s vineyard and by the grace of God brought up their children in the Christian doctrine.
Barr. Chidike and his wife became genuinely born again in 1982. When they joined of Mountain of Fire & Miracles Ministries (MFM). Barr. Chidike attended the leadership training as well as the marriage seminars. He was a house leader and Vice Chairman of his branch marriage committee while his wife was a teacher in the children ministry.
Barr. Chidike joined the Lord’s Chosen Charismatic Revival Ministries mid-2004 and ever since have been committed workers in the Lords vineyard.
He was the Zonal Co-ordinator of Festac Zone 1 (he was the pioneer co-ordinator of Zone 3) Festac Town. He pioneered the struggle for the establishment of a Chosen fellowship center in Festac Town. At the Head Quarters Church, Barr. Chidike served as a member of the Arbitration Panel of the Disciplinary Dept. He was also a founding member of the Lord’s Chosen Legal Department.
Bar. Chidike Working together with his wife in the Lord’s Vineyard, sponsored the establishment of a Chosen worship center in their home town, Old Umuahia in the year 2013. This they did by donating a piece of land to the local church and sponsoring the building of the worship center.
Upon relocating to Ajah in 2018, Bar. Chidike joined Word Assembly that same year and commenced worship with Word Assembly Light House, where his first son Pastor Ugo Otuonye Pastors as Resident Pastor. He was a member of Word Assembly Light House until his passing to Glory on the 4th of February, 2021. While he was with Word Assembly Light House, he totally submitted in humility to the ministry of his son who became his Pastor, ( a very rare act of humility). he was very active with the Men's fellowship of Word Assembly Light House and the Small Group Ministry, where he taught on numerous occasions.
CORE FAMILY VALUES / CHILDREN UPBRINGING
Barr. Chidike placed great premium on family values and the training of his children.
In these core areas Barr. Chidike had this to say:
1. There are three (3) incontrovertible factors or forces that would bring a change or shape the character of any man.
i) Hearing the word of God and acting on the word.
ii) Having respect for the position attained in society or community;
iii) Having respect for one’s age.
Any man who cannot be changed by any of these forces shall end up in shame. (Barr. Otuonye on family values and integrity)
2. The greatest and indeed the only enduring gift a man could bequeath to his children is good education.
In this our age or generation a man who inexcusably fails to give his children good education is a failure himself. (Barr. Otuonye on the importance of education of children).
Daddy we thank God for the life you lived. You brought your family up in the way of the Lord. May you find rest in the bosom of the Lord until we meet to part no more. Adieu Daddy!
