WikiMedia Nigeria Honours Anambra NUJ Chairman Odogwu, ICT Agency Boss Agbata, Others

‎The Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Anambra Network recently marked its fourth anniversary with Distinguished Knowledge and Literacy Award of excellence on some distinguished Nigerians handling sensitive Unions and Agencies in Anambra dtate including the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ Anambra State Council, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu PhD JP and the MD/CEO Anambra ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata. Dr. Odogwu, a former Deputy Chairman/Supervisory Councillor for Health, Awka North local government area by 2012 had earlier received the Vice-President of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Comrade Chekwube Anslem Okoloneli and his team in a courtesy call, where he announced that Comrade Odogwu shall be honoured for excellent and outstanding contributions to knowledge and literacy through the media as chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists in Anambra State. Vice-President of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria, Okoloneli said the group discovered Comrade Dr.Odogwu as a Field Marshal achiever in journalism with mentees everywhere you turn. He called for a strong partnership with Odogwu as a person and NUJ Anambra State Council under his purview with WikiMedia Nigeria, Anambra State Network. Dr. Odogwu, a former Assistant Director, Communication And Publicity, UNIZIK Business School Awka for 2020/2021 Academic Year was also Local Organizing Committee, LOC Secretary, 2022 Conference of African Council For Communication Education, (ACCE) September, 2021 to February, 2022. Odogwu served as Editor, South-East, South-South, Oracle NewspapersJanuary, 2019 to February, 2020. He was appointed Editor, South-East, Special Projects, Vanguard Newspapers between May, 2018 to August, 2018. He still serves as the Editor South-East, Authority Newspapers from March, 2018 to September, 2021 having returned back to Authority Newspapers after a brief stay with other newspapers. He was appointed Regional Editor South East, Leadership Newspapers between February, 2018 to February, 2019. It’s important to note that Odogwu’s rise to the Editor’s rank was spontaneous and he was the first to be appointed Editor in Anambra State among the entire over 50 Correpondents. He was Anambra State Correspondent, Authority Newspapersbetween October, 2015 to February, 2018. He was Correspondent, Nnewi/Onitsha Anambra state, The Nation NewspapersMarch, 2012 to April, 2014. Odogwu was a Consultant/Reporter, Orient Newspapers limitedMarch, 2009 to May, 2013. As a man of many parts, Comrade Odogwu as he is fondly called taught in primary and Secondary Schools including as a Master III, Community Secondary School, Mgbakwu, Awka-North May, 2005 to August, 2008.He was Anambra State Correspondent, Champion NewspapersFebruary, 2005 to February, 2012 and Editor, FAWEN News Magazine, Nigeria November, 2004 to October, 2005. At the department of Mass Communication Unizik, he has been a Time Table Officer, a special Adviser to the HoD on Special projects, Academic Adviser, Department of Journalism And Media Studies sinceFebruary, 2026 to date. He was also the Chairman, Media and Strategic Communication Committee of the Vice-Chancellor and Coordinator, Department of Mass Communication Students Industrial Work Experience Scheme ( SIWES) since 2024. Odogwu was also the Communicator Province of the Niger, Anglican Communion and Diocese of Awka as well as Director, Communication , Media, Publicity and Research, Province of Awka and Diocese of Awka Anglican Communion. Comrade Dr.Odogwu, a Child Rights Activist as a Member, Organising Committee on Child’s Rights, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka sinceOctober, 2023 to date. also teaches at Paul University Bro Bono for Professional Diploma in Journalism and Media Studies programme,February, 2022 to date. Dr. Odogwu was also Chairman, Faculty Home Coming Committee, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka July, 2026 to Present and Member, Faculty Town and Gown Relations Committee, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka July, 2026 to Present as well as Member, Faculty Office Space Allocation Committee, Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, AwkaJuly, 2026 to date. Odogwu pioneered Blogging in Anambra state and the South East region before making it, an online newspaper, hence, the publisher/ Editor-In-Chief of www.odogwublog.com, the first indigenous online Newspaper in Anambra State and South East Nigeria. His newspaper Odogwublog was in A list for assignments and invitations ranking with the national dailies then and was rated high worldwide before every Dick and Harry today joined the fray. He is also founder of The Watchdog Magazine of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ Anambra State Council even as he is also an Editor-In-Chief. He has initiated some other newspapers with others including defunct Market Voices Newspaper among others. He was also the Chairman Book Committee Federal Polytechnic Oko, Alumni Association since April, 2026 to date. At the event proper, Okoloneli described the anniversary as a celebration of four years of open knowledge, digital training and capacity building in Anambra State. He said the network’s major objectives included equipping youths with digital skills and preserving Igbo and African culture, language and heritage through platforms such as Wikipedia, Wikidata, WikiSource, WikiQuotes, WikiVoyage, Wikimedia Commons and WikiBooks.‎ ‎Okoloneli urged young people and students to actively join the Wikimedia movement, saying local communities should be able to tell their own stories rather than leave their history and heritage to outsiders. He recalled that the network emerged from a Training the Trainers programme and noted that it was recognised in 2023 as “Network of the Year.” The Chief Executive Officer of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, described Wikimedia as an important platform for knowledge dissemination, preservation and documentation of people, events and society. He pledged the agency’s continued support and partnership with the network, urging its members to sustain the good work. The anniversary celebration and award presentation, held on Saturday, October 3, 2026, at the Prof. Kenneth Dike State Central E-Library, Awka, also featured the recognition of individuals and organisations that have supported the network’s activities and promotion of open knowledge.‎‎In her welcome address, the President of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria Anambra Network, Mrs. Chinwendu Anyanwu, said the network had implemented 102 projects in Anambra State and beyond, covering areas including health, governance, language, women and community information. She said the Anambra Network was created in September 2022 as part of Wikimedia User Group Nigeria and had relied largely on volunteers involved in editing, photography, training, translation, Wikidata and communications.‎‎Anyanwu explained that Wikimedia was a global movement committed to making knowledge freely accessible through platforms including Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, Wiktionary, Wikiversity and other sister projects. She said the network had also organised campus outreach and training programmes that introduced students to Wikimedia projects while creating opportunities for digital skills development and global participation. ‎She identified participation, continuity, resources, documentation, volunteer retention and coordination as some of the challenges confronting the network, stressing the need to build structures that would sustain the community beyond individual events. She called for stronger mentorship, leadership development, documentation and partnerships with educational and cultural institutions.‎‎The Co-founder/Fans Club lead, Mr. Kayode Yussuf, encouraged youths to focus on technology and positive ways of life, promising to continue supporting the initiative whenever called upon. One of the pioneers, Mrs. Onyinyechukwu Jane Achukwu, also highlighted the group’s mentoring, capacity-building and cultural documentation activities across different regions, stressing the importance of preserving oral histories and African heritage on open platforms. The Team Lead, Wikimedia Anambra Network Communications, Miracle Chinaza Adiele, said his position and relationship with students had enabled him to introduce many young people to Wikimedia activities. He noted that students from areas including Mass Communication and Public Administration had participated in the network’s programmes, adding that the team was working tirelessly to achieve its objectives. ‎Among those honoured with awards of excellence were the Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Anambra State Chapter, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu PhD, JP, and the CEO of the Anambra State ICT Agency, Mr. Chukwuemeka Fred Agbata, among others. Comrade Dr. Odogwu, who authored three novels including ‘ My Dad,My Hero’, ‘Dangerous Escape’ and “Forgiveness Is Sin: A Corps Member’s Escapades”, and a thrilling drama “Amanuke (A Drama Series)”, was represented by a veteran journalist, Comrade Uche Kalu, who expressed appreciation for the recognition and congratulated Wikimedia on four years of sustained activities, describing the platform as important for knowledge sharing, documentation and preservation of events, people and societal history. Odogwu ‎urged for a deliberate and organized youth participation in digital skills development to assist Wikipedia in a sustained documentation of Igbo culture, language, heritage and community knowledge. ‎The anniversary celebration ended with renewed calls for volunteers, editors, trainers, photographers, researchers and newcomers to continue contributing to Wikimedia projects, while beneficiaries of the awards expressed appreciation and pledged their continued support for the network. Highlights of the occasion included a spelling ‘B’ competition, cultural dance performances, anniversary cake cutting, presentation of awards, among other activities.