Odita Sunday 
Pan African Peoples’ Chieftaincy Title On Mayor Of Colombia and Okei’s Passion for a United Africa
By; Jerome-Mario Utomi
Reports have it that some years ago, Patrice Evra, a player who joined Ferguson’s winning Manchester United side in 2006, narrated how the club Manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, met him in the backroom of an airport in France ahead of potentially signing him to join the team. According to him, Sir Alex looked in his eyes and asked him one question. “He looked at me with a steely stare and said ” Are you willing to die for this club?” I replied “yes,” and he immediately reached across the table and said, “welcome to Manchester United, Son!”
Ferguson believed that creating a strong, united culture within the club would result in a winning team on the pitch and build a sustainable success over the long term. He was right, as no football manager, before or after, has ever managed to dominate with such stability, consistency and success as Ferguson did.
Likewise, when it comes to creating a united Africa continent, one name shares a similar hallmark and philosophy with Sir Alex Ferguson. That personality is Sir Tonna Okei, an Agbor, Delta state born but United States Of America based Grand Knight Emeritus. Okei is also the president of the Organization of African Unity South Carolina, a Member of the Board of Trustees of the Knights of Columbus, a Notary Public and a Team Leader, Community leader, cultural enthusiastic and Quality Assurance Bureau of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.
Despite his long sojourn in a foreign land (United States of America), Okei is daily consumed with the passion for creating a united Africa, a continent where peace, justice and holistic and sustainable development reign supreme. Out of so many instances, Okei’s unwavering zeal, enthusiasm and passion for a united Africa stem from a recent news report that the Pan African People, a sociocultural pressure group comprising Africans residing in Columbia, Carolina, United States of America (USA), bestowed a chieftaincy title – Adolor of the Pan African People – on Daniel J. Rickenmann, Mayor of Columbia, South Carolina, for his sterling public leadership style famously characterized as development-oriented and sustainable cultural integration and peace promotion.
The title which was conferred to him on Saturday, January 17, 2026, was facilitated by, and formed part of activities lined up to mark this year’s birthday celebration of Grand Knight, Sir Tonna Okei, President, Organization of Africa Unity, South Carolina (SC), a Pan African Inter-Nation, an umbrella socio-cultural organisation of all Africans resident in South Carolina,
Okei was born on January 16, 1975, in Surulere, Lagos State. He was born a few days after the Udoji commission pay increase took effect and his mother collected her first payment and thus named him Tonna (Praise God).
Speaking with journalists shortly after the Chieftaincy title was bestowed on the Mayor of Columbia, Sir Okei described the development as deserving, saying that Daniel J. Rickenmann is a lover of Africans, a just public office holder with impeccable character, peace and development engineer. He noted that Rickenmann has over time demonstrated exemplary leadership traits worthy of emulation by those presently in different positions of authority and those aspiring to be in one form of leadership position or the other in the nearest future.
Urging the Mayor to sustain the tempo of his people-oriented leadership devoid of marginalization, vindictiveness or victimization, Okei called on members of the group and Africans resident in the United States at large, to remain resolute in their obedience to laws of the land, contributing to the development of the United States, Nigeria and Africa.
Looking at Okei’s records of achievements, one will agree with the popular notion that Anioma people of Delta State are, in terms of population and landscape, can be likened to a dot in the map of Nigeria but the people, in material terms, have indeed, through hard work, planning and improvising, established themselves in all critical sectors-finance, science/technology, sports, education and most importantly public leadership.
This becomes even more evident as Okei, an illustrious Anioma son is today globally perceived as a personality that has left behind third-world challenges of illiteracy and poverty, to become a successful individual advocating peace, justice, fairness and human capital development across the globe for Nigerians in particular and African in general.
The above fact was well captured by Africans and non blacks that recently celebrated him on his birthday with endless encomium in recognition of his unflinching advocacy for human capital and community development, relentless calls for good governance and youth development expertise.
According to them, Okei, popularly known as Ikuku Oma, was eulogized as a dogged fighter for fair, just, equitable and peaceful world, that has in like manner, at various times and places been recognized by various associations, organizations, movements and corporate entities for his undying push for a development driven world.
‘’What we are doing today is not different from previous experiences. The celebration is not in any way different. We are only replicating what other groups have done in the past for a man who has become famous for wiping tears and passing smiles in his efforts for human and community developmental strides. Okei, in our view, has become a leading light that any youth in Nigeria and abroad desirous of making progress in life must emulate’’.
“We are acknowledging the silent, salient and outstanding public leadership exploits at the global stage of a yet to be celebrated Agbor born, Grand Knight Emeritus, president of the Organisation of African Unity South Carolina, a member of the Board of Trustees of the Knights of Columbus, a notary public, a member of the South Carolina cultural and linguistic committee, a team leader, community leader, cultural enthusiast, Quality Assurance Bureau of the South Carolina Department of Health and Human Services who has through hard work, planning and self improvement, established self as a global citizen.
“As a charismatic leader, Okei, a year ago published a masterpiece titled ‘’I Am Still Standing’’. A book which was the first from Knight Sir Tonna’s stable amply qualifies as an Ika blockbuster celebrated by the world with forewords from world notable personalities, and perhaps the most famous platform ever seen to celebrate Agbor/Ika/Anioma language and customs. The book gave a graphic description of how the cultural Ambassador was medically diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and primary schologantis and through God’s divine intervention, survived’’.
As part of his persistent resolve to foster collaboration, attract development and international respect to Delta state and Nigeria as a whole, Tonna has, at different times and places met and discussed with the President of Ireland, Mary McAleese, addressed South Carolina Bishop conference, hosted the Major of Accra, Ghana, endorsed then senatorial candidate but now senator Tameika Dorsett of the United States of America, received in audience the Sheriff of the Richland County, Leon Lott, Visited the President of the University of South Carolina, addressed South Carolina Bishops Conference, addressed the Mayor and Council, Eastover Council, hosted/honoured by the SC Legislative Black Caucus, received the Mayoral Community leadership award, advocated for stricter gun laws in the United States, visited the Irish Deputy Senate President in the company of the former First Lady of Edo State, Mrs Eki Igbinedion among others.
For her part, Okei’s wife, Dr Oluwatoyin Okei (Yeye Asoju Oba), observed with pride that when it comes to assisting humanity and taking people from where they are to where they should be, Grand Knight Tonna has no rival as neither sickness nor insufficiency of funds could deter him from achieving such objectives.
“My husband is loving. He is a caring father of our children. He stands as a shining light when it comes to advocacy for human capital and community development, relentless calls for good governance and cultural promotion among other areas of human endeavours.
“In keeping with his development oriented and detribalised culture, Tonna married me from South Western Nigeria and we are today blessed with six children and a grand-daughter”.
Tonna, the eldest son of Lady Felicia Okei and Barrister George Okei, a former commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affair in the old Bendel State, was celebrated with a lavishly planned party in recognition of his unrelenting advocacy for good governance, peace building and community organizing and development.
He attended Ika Grammar School, Agbor, Delta State, Government College Eric Moore, Command Day Secondary school, Army Cantonment Ojo Barracks Lagos and Government College Ughelli, the University of Benin, Georgia State University and the University of South Carolina graduating with an Associate in Social Works, Bachelor of Social Work and Master of Social Work. He holds an Oracle DBA 10i certificate in Database management and is a UNIX-certified Manager, he holds an Associate in Public Management. Tonna is a Behavioural Analyst and Quality Assurance guru who has lived in the United States for 19 years (since 2007).
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