The ongoing Medical Research Center at Umuchuku community in Orumba South LGA, of Anambra State, would soon turn the obscure locality to a city of knowledge. On completion of the 15-storey building project, funded solely by Dr Godwin Maduka, the CEO and Medical Director of the Las Vegas Pain Institute and Medical Center, the largest pain treatment center in Nevada, USA, the rural communities will become the hub of medical in the country and African continent.
Dr Maduka, an adjunct clinical professor of anesthesiology, pain management and surgery, Touro University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Nevada, USA, tasted poverty during his childhood after the death of his father. He struggled through high school on the meager income provided by his mother, a widow.
Like a child destined to rule, he conquered poverty by dint of hard work, and backed three doctorate degrees from Harvard University.

The high rise building, which will serve as the Medical Research Center, first of its kind in the country, was at 80 percent completion stage when Campus Sun visited Umuchukwu community recently.
A close aide to Dr Maduka said the centre will be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities in medical science, to assist students in clinical training, as well as provide quality resource materials for lecturers and researchers.

Campus Sun learnt that the edifice, when completed, would also serve as the temporary site for the College of Medicine, Anambra State University. A formal request has been sent to the appropriate authority to consider the befitting structure for the temporary site of the state university, where medical students would be exposed to modern equipments in medicine and pharmacy.

To ensure a delightful campus life staffs and students, a 4-storey building, with 40 flats, located few meters away from the research center, has been completed to serve as residential quarters. In addition, a modern guest-house, furnished to taste, is also ready for use within the premises. A gigantic water plant, constructed by Maduka, supplies water to the community, even as more structures are been developed on the expansive hectares of land that would make the area a campus of first choice.

The legal advice to Dr Maduka, Ray Onyegbu, expressed optimism that that Umuchukwu would soon become a university town. According to him, the Medical Research Center would water the ground for a private university that would raise the bar in medical education and healthcare in the country. He described Dr Maduka as a philanthropist, driven by the passion to the rural Umuchukwu community to a modern city.

Campus Sun learnt that the ongoing Umuchukwu Medical Research Center, when completed, would be modeled after the Las Vegas Pain Institute and Medical Center,
the largest and most comprehensive pain treatment practice group in Nevada, USA. The facility in the USA, is wisely respected as premier, one-stop destination for pain treatment and relief, where teams of experts in pain medicine, physical therapy, radiology and wellness work together to decrease pain using the latest technologies and research.

Onyegu, who is also the President and CEO, Social-Economic Rights Initiative, a human rights advocacy group, explained that Umuchukwu community has the attraction of a university town. With expansive serene environment spread on the bustling of Awka capital. He said crime has been reduced in the village to zero level, with Dr Maduka, 4-storey building, to serve as police barrack, patrol vehicles, a bungalow for officers' mess and another one-storey building to serve as operational base for the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). In addition to these is another modern structure duly completed for the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC).

With several landmark projects already completed by Maduka in the community, such as: Magistrate Court and ongoing High Court, modern civic center, Umuchukwu has become a gold fish that can't hide. It was gathered that Dr Maduka's foundation attracted the attention of the former governor, Peter Obi, to the deplorable state of the local roads in the community, and volunteered to bear the 50 percent cost of construction. This humanitarian gesture moved Peter Obi, who during his visit to the community was overwhelmed by the laudable development in the area and constructed the Owerri-Ezukala, Umuchukwu Ogbunka roads while in office.

The President General, Umuchukwu Progressive Union (UPU), said Dr Maduka preaches education as the potent weapon against poverty. Having tasted poverty, he does hesitate to wipe the tears of the poor. According to him he (Maduka) built the Immaculate Conception International College, a boarding secondary school where students from Umuchukwu enjoys full scholarship program from JS1 to SS1. It is believed that out of 100 percent graduates in the community, Dr Maduka single handedly trained 90 percent.

In Umuchukwu community, money is no longer a hindrance to anybody that wants to go to school. Anybody that fails to go to school has no excuse to give, he said. Last year, he empowered 56 youths of the community with 56 million naira to support their businesses.

During an earlier interview, Maduka christened as the lion of Africa by his people, said, I will like to see a major university here; I will like to see some kind of factory or some kind of establishments that will get people gainfully employed, I will like to see state, federal or international presence here because, after all Umuchukwu, right now, have everything that urban city has.

We are very well protected in terms of security. SARS, Police, Civil Defense and army still patrol here. We have memorable roads, good source of water and also as you know, we have the tallest building in the whole of south-eastern Nigeria, 15-storey high and 17-decking tall. So, I think five years from now, of course it can't go down, it has to go up from what is on ground.