By Ingram Osigwe
Come Tuesday, January 7th, 2025 all roads will lead to St. Patrick’s Catholic Cathedral, Awka, Anambra state and ICC Event Centre also in Awka as the Proverbial Two Love Birds of the Love Song, Engr. Louis Chinecherem Ihionu and his delectable bride, Miss Vivian Ukamaka Okonkwo exchange marital vows.
After the marriage solemnization at the church, the wedding ceremony will shift to the ICC Event Centre for the reception which will be chaired by Chief Patrick Onwuelingo (Ogbunaechendo Akokwa), Chairman/CEO Patricklingo Pharmaceuticals Ltd. The marriage sponsor, Chief Ifeanyi Amaonye (Ife Ekwuluobia) will also be on hand to direct proceedings.
Arguably one of the high society weddings east of Niger in the new year, Ukamaka and Chinecherem’s union is a marriage of two Southeast states- Imo and Anambra. While the bride, an Economist and a graduate of the prestigious Cardiff Metropolitan University, UK, hails from the Okonkwo family of Umuakuru kindred, Umuechem, Umuoji in Idemili North local government area of Anambra state, the groom, a Coventry University, Uk-trained Engineer and a Director in Reliable Group of Companies, hails from the Ihionu family of Umunyaku, Umuopia, Ideato North local government area of Imo state.
Chinecherem who attended Infant Jesus Secondary School, Asaba, Delta state, for his secondary education also holds a Masters Degree in Automobile Engineering.
The wedding ceremony will attract the high and mighty in society as the groom and bride’s parents who are top-notch industrialists and big-time foreign dealers respectively are expected to leverage their influence to attract their VIP friends and business associates to the the event.
While the groom’s mother, Nneoma Lady Maria Ihionu (Chibundo), founder of Akokwa Digital Ladies, ADL, is the MD/CEO, Reliable Group of Companies, his father, Chief (Sir) Samuel Ihionu, KSJI (Chimereze of Akokwa) sits atop the Indigenous conglomerate as Chairman.
On the other hand, the bride’s father, Chief Okey Silas Okonkwo (Ozuomee Umuoji) is one of Nigeria’s biggest and most successful forex dealers.
Coming shortly after the highly successful maiden ADL Akokwa carnival and Award nite, friends and well-wishers of the Ihinous opine that the wedding will further cement conviviality among communities, towns and friends beyond Akokwa.
