Biography of Chief, Sir Augustine E. Ukattah, aka; ‘Malam,’ Senator Emeritus, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Augustine Echewodo Ukattah was born at Ahaba-Oloko, in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State Nigeria, on August 28, 1918. He was the fourth son of the Royal Ukattah Nkor Abajuo and Ejighiato Nwamgbede Ukattah, both of Ahaba-Oloko. His father died when he was very young and he had to grow up under his uncle, Chief Mathew Ugoani. He attended Christ the King Primary School Aba and St. Theresa’s School Okigwe. After a brief spell as a Pupil Teacher, he entered the prestigious St. Charles Teacher Training College Onitsha in 1941. He qualified as a Higher Elementary Teacher in 1944, and passed the Senior Teachers’ Examination in History, in 1948.

After he left St. Charles Teacher Training College Onitsha in 1944, he was sent to Holy Cross School Uturu – Isuikwuato, in 1946, as a Certificated Teacher, and that became his very first teaching assignment. From 1946 to 1950, he was the Headmaster of St. Patrick’s School Ogudu-Asaa, in Isiukwuato. In 1951, following his outstanding record at St. Patrick’s School, he was posted to head St. Bernard’s School Okigwe. He was later sent to Umuahia, in 1952, as the headmaster of St. Michael’s Township School, known then for outstanding results in both academia and sports. He headed St. Michael’s Township School, from 1952 to 1959. Between 1960 and 1962, he became the Catholic Mission Inspector General of Education. In 1963, he became Assistant Superintendent of Schools, a position he held until the end of Nigeria Civil war. He retired from active service in 1973.

While he was the headmaster of St. Michael’s Township School, he was also active in politics hence became secretary of (NCNC) National Congress of Nigeria and the Cameroon - the popular political party among Eastern Nigerians at the time. He became first son of the Old Bende division, to be elected member of the Federal House of Representatives from 1954 - 1959 when he became a Senate, representing then Umuahia Province. In 1961, Chief Ukattah acted as Senate President of Nigeria, holding brief for Barrister, Dennis Osadebay. He was appointed leader of High-powered Nigerian delegation to the Republic of Mexico via the United States in 1963 by then Prime Minister of Nigeria, Alhaji Tafawa Belewa, when he, as leader of the delegation, was privileged to have addressed a joint session of the House of Senate and of the Deputies of the Republic of Mexico. On return, he authored a book titled; ‘My Trip to Mexico’. He also served for many years as a member of the Bende Native Authority, and Bende County Council. He was equally, first Chairman of the defunct Ikwuano County Council, now known as Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State and for many years, President of both Ikwuano and Oloko Clan Unions.

He was very broad minded and objective. He showed benevolent to his relations, friends and the needy at the expense of his comfort. He was industrious and fore – sighted. In the late fifties, he sponsored the education of his youngest brother Ferdinand I. E. Ukattah in Great Britain, where he qualified as a Barrister and Solicitor in 1960 thus, became the first Ikwuano and Umuahia indigene to qualify as a Lawyer and later, the Chief Judge of Imo and Abia States, of Nigeria. Sir Augustine Ukattah was an ardent Christian. In 1976 he received a Knighthood of the order of St. Gregory, from Pope Paul VI Also, in 1977, he became a Knight of St. Mulumba and until his death in 1996, he was the Grand Knight of the order of St. Mulumba in Umuahia Catholic Diocese. And in 1991, was appointed a Justice of the Peace (JP) by the State Government.

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senator_Ukattah"

Dr. Antonia Pantojas (September 13, 1922-May 24, 2002), born in San Juan, Puerto Rico was an educator, a civil rights leader and founder of "Aspira".

Dr. Pantojas began her primary studies in San Juan. She was able to study in the University of Puerto Rico thanks to the financial help given to her by her wealthy neighbors, where she earned a teachers certificate in 1942. In 1944 she migrated to New York City where she found a job as a welder in a wartime factory. Dr. Pantojas won a scholarship to Hunters College in the Bronx, where she graduated with a Bachelors' degree in sociology in 1952. She then proceeded to study in Columbia University's New York School of Social Work, where in 1954 she earned her Master's degree.

In 1957, Dr. Pantojas founded the "Puerto Rican Forum", which served as an incubator for organizations and programs promoting economic self-sufficiency. She dedicated all of her energies to the organization, which is now known as the "National Puerto Rican Forum".

In 1961, Dr. Pantojas founded "Aspira", a non-profit organization encouraging educational attainment, self-esteem, cultural awareness and leadership development. Aspira has offices in six states and Puerto Rico. It has provided approximately 50,000 Latino students with career and college counseling, financial aid and other asistence. Among the programs graduates are: Fernando Ferrer, former Bronx president; Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union; Ninfa Segarra, President of the Board of Education of New York; Aida Alvarez, former director of the Small Business Administration under President Bill Clinton; Nelson A. Diaz, first Puerto Rican Solicitor General in Philadelphia; and Jimmy Smits, reknowned Puerto Rican actor.

In 1964, she shifted her emphasis from self-help programs to the reformation of the educational system. In 1967, Dr. Pantojas served on a committee, convened by the then Mayor of New York City, John Lindsay, that recommended the decentralization of the school system.

In 1972, Aspira, under the direction of Dr. Pantojas, filed a civil rights lawsuit in the Federal court demanding that New York City provide classroom instructions in Spanish for struggling Latino students. Aspira won the lawsuit in what was considered a landmark victory in 1974.

In 1970, she established the "Universidad Boricua", which is now known as the "Boricua University of Brooklyn and the Puerto Rican Research and Resources Center in Washington, D.C.. In 1973, she earned her Ph.D. from Union Grauate School in Ohio. Dr. Pantojas joined the faculty of the San Diego State University's School of Social Work in 1978 and she also founded the "Graduate School for Community Development.

After 1984, Dr. Pantojas moved to Puerto Rico where she established "Producir", an organization which provides economic assistance to small businesses and "Provivienda", which works to develop housing for the needy.

Dr. Antonia Pantojas published her autobiography "Memoir of a Visionary, Antonia Pantojas". In 1996, President Bill Clinton presented her with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, thus becoming the first Puerto Rican woman in receiveing such an honor.

Dr. Antonia Pantojas died in Manhattan, New York on May 24, 2002.

Among Dr. Pantojas other numerous awards and recognitions are the following: Inducted into the Hunter College Hall of Fame; The Hispanic Heritage Award; The Julia de Burgos Award of la Casa Cultural of Yale; A Doctors of Letters Honorary degree from the University of Connecticut; A Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Massachusetts; A Doctor Honoris Causa from the University of Puerto Rico and The Hunter College Professional Achievement Award