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VINCENT IKEOTUONYE

Hon. Vincent Chukwunyelu Iketuonye is a Nigerian educator, author and politician who was a member of the Nigerian parliament in the first republic.

Prior to entering politics, he was a teacher, and later school administrator at Africa College and Priscilla Memorial Grammar School, Oguta. In 1961, he authored a biographical book, 'Zik of New Africa'. By 1957, had succeeded at the young age of 33 in establishing the twin institutions of Zixton Grammar School and Zixton Primary School Ozubulu. The primary school one of a few in Nigeria which offered boarding facilities for its pupils in the sixties had parents, as far as Sierra Leone send their children to that well renowned institution. The grammar school would become a soccer legend in Eastern Nigetia winning such trophies as the Phensic Cup during those promise filled years. Zixton Grammar School produced football legends and internationals such as Dr. Johnny "Silver" Egbuonu and Earnest Ufele and his brother among others.

At the dawn of Nigerian independence V.C Ikeotuonye had become a prominent NCNC member of parliament. In one of his books, Chicken Criticism, he would detail the malaise which brought about the collapse of the first republic. During the second republic, he became the Anambra State chairman of the Nigerian Peoples Party but would part ways with the party, a few years later, to join the National Party Of Nigeria (NPN). Hon. V.C Ikeotuonye subsequently became the state chairman of the National party of Nigeria (NPN) and at the 1983 election, he achieved as party chairman the victory of seeing the NPN into power in Anambra State. He served as the Chairman of the governing council of Yaba College of Technology and of the board of Niger Insurance.

V.C Ikeotuonye was among the rare class of nationalists who had paid a price for Nigerian independence and democracy. An educator par excellence and a leader of his people, his love for soccer and his ability to inspire the Zixton football team remains celebrated. He passed unto glory in the month of March 1988.

He defeated the first Senate President of Nigeria (Dr. Abyssinia Nwafor Orizu) to become the chairman of old Nnewi local government. As Chairman of Nigeria People's Party,he delivered Chief Jim Nwobodo as governor of Anambra State and when Nwobodo messed up,he dumped NPP and NPN made him their state chairman and delivered late Chief C.C. Onoh as the governor of Anambra State, teaching Nwobodo a lesson he will never forget in his life.