There are moments in the life of a community when celebration rises above festivity and becomes a mirror, reflecting its values and the kind of leadership it esteems. The coronation of His Royal Highness, Igwe Paulinus Ugwuoke of Ajuona Orba Autonomous Community, and the conferment of the revered traditional title Omengboji N’Orba on Hon. Chimezie Felix Mba, was one such moment. It was a huge statement.
Hon. Mba with Aka Eze Aka (right) and Hon. Mrs. Onyinye Odoh (left) at the reception
Yesterday, 30th December 2025, at Nkwo Primary School, Orba, the atmosphere shimmered with colour, culture, and consequence. From the rhythmic cadence of traditional performances to the dignified procession of monarchs, political leaders, academics, and captains of industry, the gathering bore the unmistakable imprint of significance. Glamour was present, yes; but not the empty glamour of spectacle. Rather, it was the beauty that emerges when honour aligns with merit and acceptance grows organically from years of service.
Philosophers have long argued that recognition is society’s moral language. Hannah Arendt once observed that “power corresponds to the human ability not just to act, but to act in concert.” The massive turnout at Orba was a vivid demonstration of this truth. The people came in concert, comprising traditional institutions, government, intellectuals, and grassroots voices. All these affirmed a man whose life’s work has consistently bridged boardrooms and villages, policy and people, ambition and humility.
Hon. Mba (right ) with his elder brother and CEO of CDV conglomerates, Chief Dr Charly Mba (middle) and Hon. Mrs. Chidi Mark Obetta of the House of Representatives (left) at the reception
Hon. Chimezie F. Mba’s elevation through traditional honour is neither accidental, nor decorative. It is rooted in a biography of quiet consistency and public impact. In an age where titles are sometimes pursued as ornaments, his came as recognition, earned, not lobbied. As Aristotle reminds us, “Honour is the reward of virtue.” And virtue, in this sense, is visible not only in what one achieves, but in how one achieves it.
For over two decades, Hon. Mba has built a reputation as a man who understands systems and serves communities with equal seriousness. From his distinguished career in commercial banking, where he handled top-tier corporate portfolios and navigated the delicate balance of growth and risk, to his current leadership in real estate and infrastructure development, his professional life reflects a rare synthesis of intellect and execution. He belongs to that shrinking class of leaders who see enterprise not as extraction, but as stewardship.
Udenu Chairman and His Deputy alongside top aides in a group photograph with the newly coronated monarch, HRH Igwe Paulinus Ugwuoke
Yet, what perhaps endeared him most to his people is not the scale of his résumé, but the steadiness of his character. In Udenu Local Government Area, where he serves as SPA on Urban and Rural Development to the Chairman, Aka Eze Aka, his work has been marked by a people-first approach. Policy, in his hands, is not an abstract document; it is a living promise translated into roads, spaces, and opportunities. As one thinker aptly put it, “The true test of leadership is whether people feel its presence long after the leader has left the room.”
The conferment of Omengboji N’Orba also shone a warm light on a broader family narrative of acceptance and trust. The reception at the residence of Hon. Mba, hosted by his elder brother, Chief (Dr.) Charly Mba, the Founder and CEO of CDV Conglomerates, was itself a study in communal affirmation. The convergence of dignitaries, professionals, youths, and elders spoke volumes. Acceptance, after all, is not declared; it is demonstrated. And the ease with which the community gathered around both brothers revealed a shared verdict: these are men whose success has not alienated them from their roots.
Chief (Dr.) Charly Mba’s presence loomed not as an overshadowing figure, but as a complementary force, an elder whose own entrepreneurial journey has created platforms for growth across the South East and beyond. Together, the Mba brothers embody a philosophy that success need not be solitary. As the German philosopher Karl Jaspers wrote, “The meaning of life is not discovered in isolation, but in shared responsibility.” Their acceptability lies precisely in this shared sense of responsibility to family, to community, and to the future.
The glamour of the day painted by the distinguished guests, the regal splendour, the cultural richness, was therefore not cosmetic. It was symbolic. It reflected a community comfortable with its choices, confident in its honourees, and united in its sense of pride. From the presence of the Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Senior Legislators, Academics, and Traditional Rulers, to the ordinary sons and daughters of Orba who watched with joy, the message was consistent: this honour resonated.
In conferring a title on Hon. Chimezie F. Mba, Orba was not merely celebrating a man; it was articulating a standard. It was saying, in effect, that leadership still matters, character still counts, and service is still the surest path to legitimacy.
A rare quote attributed to the Stoics holds that “Fame is the shadow of virtue; it follows whether one seeks it or not.” On that day in Orba, virtue cast a long and graceful shadow. And in that shadow stood Hon. Chimezie Felix Mba: accepted, affirmed, and honoured.
Indeed, greatness was not bestowed. It was recognized.
©The Concourse Media
