Chief George Oranyelu Ilouno was born in 1960 to a devout Christian family of the late Chief Gabriel and Mrs. Christiana Ilouno. He hails from Ifiteani, Njikoka Local Government Area, Anambra State, Nigeria. Currently, he is co-owner and director of GB Medical Services, an outpatient substance abuse in Long Beach. Chief Ilouno, popularly known as “Olili” is a committed leader of people. He believes in serving mankind, which he takes as a lifetime commitment that requires one’s willingness to make ultimate sacrifices such as committing time, talent, knowledge and personal finance in order to achieve the ultimate goal of the people.
I am here at Hollywood Park Casino Ballroom looking at a variety of landscape with people from all walks of life coupled with a cast of keynote speakers surrounding you. You are being roasted in a grand style, in an event commemorating your 50th birthday. It was electric and the crowd was overwhelming. What was going through your mind while being roasted?
Well, I would say satisfaction, looking at the crowd and all the well wishers, I was happy and thankful knowing for the fact that I am appreciated for my contributions in my community. And as somebody who loves people I wanted everybody to come and celebrate with me.
Tell me about the medical mission. When was it conceived and of what purpose?
Actually, the medical mission was conceived in 2004 when I became the President of Nimo National Union, USA and Diaspora and I was the president and one of my campaign promises was that if I’m elected president, I will organize a medical mission to Nimo, initiating a free medical mission at no cost to NBS Americas in 2004. It was not easy in the beginning but the mission eventually became a success. After the success of the medical mission to Nimo under my Presidency, Anambra State Association – USA (ASA-USA) got me involved and made me the coordinator of ASA-USA medical mission because of what they saw as the result of Nimo. Becoming the coordinator for ASA-USA, I lead a team of medical professionals from different countries to Anambra State for a free medical treatment under ASA-USA. I was visiting home two times a year. In August, I will go for ASA-USA medical mission and in December I will go for Nimo Town Union medical mission. We did that from 2006 to 2007 when another person took over the mission, and I said, listen, that Nimo medical mission must continue. Actually, this December, we are trying to make another medical mission to Nimo.
You facilitated the laying of the foundation phase of Nimo Civic Center and building of toilets in primary schools. Tell me about it.
When I took over the presidency of Nimo Town Union, USA, the civic center was in the formative stage and it’s still under construction and the whole idea for the construction is that it will attract a lot of jobs and other things for the people of Nimo.
On building of toilets in the primary schools, actually, when I became the president of Nimo, education was one of our executive agenda and building of schools. We thought about giving scholarships. We thought about building the schools. So actually when we visited home we found out that most of the pupils were going to toilet in the forest. So I presented the case to Nimo Town Union in Diaspora that we need to do something about it. So actually, our decision was to build toilets for all the primary schools in Nimo.
What you are doing is what the government supposedly should be doing, the civic center, building and equipping the schools and other social programs. What’s your take on the government not being held accountable?
Accountability has been what I do preach. The question is what are they doing with the funds the federal government gives to the states, especially for education and other things? What are they really doing? It is quite discouraging but what can one do. We cannot sit back and watch our loved ones at home be without basic necessities like power, water, equipping the schools and other things. And that is why most of us who are community leaders here in Diaspora try as much as we can. And the people here are better than the ones in Nigeria. So all we can do is help. But again, we the community leaders here, as watchdogs put pressure on the government hoping one day the right government will come and listen to the cry of the people. Especially, when Ngige took over, he was the one that did something. I wiil speak for Anambra State. Before Ngige took over Anambra State, Anambra was forgotten, nobody knew that roads will be built, schools will be built, but actually two or three years he took over, he was able to prove. Now he has set precedence. Governor Obi is trying because he took over where Ngige stopped. So their goal now is to make sure that whatever good they think of doing for the people will continue. So things are getting better and we are expecting for things to get better overnight. The goal is if you have the right person, then the people will be ok.
Tell me about Peoples Club International, Los Angeles Branch
I am the founding member of People’s Club International, Los Angeles Branch and also currently 1st Vice Chairman. The club was founded three years ago and the reason actually I came into People’s club is the way I do things. I am a social person. I went to an event in East Coast and saw how club members carry themselves. So I came back to Los Angeles and talked to few people, you know. Then I said Los Angeles is a very big place and we need to have something like that. Some few people agreed with me and we got together, talked over it and we consulted the Chairman of Philadelphia branch, Dr. Ezegozie Eze who helped us and came to Los Angeles personally and we talked it over, and that’s the way Los Angeles branch came. Now we are growing, you know. Actually, to be honest with you, we are a force to be reckoned with among clubs in Los Angeles and also most in the United States, because we are growing.
As a social club and all fraternities, there are objectives, short and long term goals. For instance, in the whole of Los Angeles, there are no banquet halls and things like that we can call our own. Is there anything in that order?
Thank you! You read my mind, you know, because if you follow the history of People’s Club, both in Nigeria and anywhere; and anywhere People’s Club are, they like to have a hall, and they always have their own hall. It’s not a choice; it’s something they have to because. the goal of the club is about members welfare and without them having club where members can socialize and going there anytime they want, then that’s not what people’s club is all about. Peoples Club is where a member can walk up go to a hall where he can eat and drink as the place belongs to them. So to answer your question, yes, that’s one of our agenda and we are working towards that. The goal is to get a People’s Club Hall of Los Angeles. I think we have the capability to do it within a short time because the members are actually excited, and it will be done.
I have heard about “Olili Cup” and it looks like a big project. Tell me about it.
You are right because “Olili Cup” is something I like because it involves youth. I connect to the youths because I have always liked to do something for the youths; in fact, all youths, because they are the great leaders of tomorrow I considered when I was still president of Nimo Town Union, and so, it was in 2006, after I stopped being president of Nimo Town Union, the youths approached me, saying Olili, what can I do for them, that they want, a cup. I said ok, I need a coordinator. “Olili Cup” started in 2006 and right now the tournament is played every year. Nimo has kept it lively. We had two presidents in Nimo then that actually helped me implement it. One was Chief Jones Akpu who was the national president of Nimo. Without him, I don’t think “Olili Cup: would have been able to go far. And after that, in 2010, when another person took over, Chief Obiefuna, actually, he was the one that said due to the status of “Olili Cup,” “Olili Cup” is going to be an institution. So he institutionalized “Olili Cup.” Institionalize means that even though I’m not there, “Olili Cup” has to continue. And the called it “Olili Cup Tournament.”. I’m looking forward to this year’s December “Olili Cup.”
