By Amaechi Agbo

He has seen two centuries, but he is not up to one-tenth of Melchizedek’s age who lived for 602 years as recorded in the Bible. However, at a young age of below four decades, Ugochukwu Ifeanyi John Junior, aka Lord Verbinski, has not only become a household name both locally and globally, but is a young man that has made his mark even in a short period of time in his life.

To many an outsiders, he is a controversial young man, but to those very close to him, particularly friends, colleagues, associates and family members, he is down-to-earth.

Many regard him as a controversial person because of his principles and stand on fairness, equity and justice. He is also an achiever and will not want any backward sliding when his propensity is moving towards a target.

More popular with his aka name Lord Verbinski than his real name, Ugochukwu Ifeanyi has created a niche and a path for himself.

A journalist of no mean feat, an active lover of football, he became a household name on radio in 2014 when he landed the position of Head of Sports as the Pioneer Sports Presenter/Analyst with Odenigbo 99.1FM, Obosi, Anambra State.  

It was at the Odenigbo Radio that he made his bones and met friends like Chikelue Iloenyosi, the SSA to the NFF President; John Ogu, the Super Eagles midfielder; Coach John Obuh, former Flying Eagles coach; Nduka Irabor and Mallam Shehu Dikko, LMC Chairman; among others.

But the marriage with Odenigbo Radio was not meant to last. A certified extrovert, adventurer and fearless radical who is highly inquisitive, he often rubs off as weird and controversial but there is always a method to his madness as he sees the world differently from the rest of the people

By 2015, owing to some differences, he resigned his position at Odenigbo FM and set out on his own, by establishing his own company, Megatron Media Works Limited. Where he employed Nigerians and became a social media influencer using his image and reputation to advocate for good governance and a peaceful serene society where justice and love reigns. He became a “hot cake” and was sort after by who is who in the sporting arena in Anambra State, Light if the Nation.

In 2016, he became the Special Adviser to the Ide Egwuregwu, Sen. Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah, the most sports investor in Africa, the President of Capital Oil and Gas PLC, the Founder of FC Ifeanyi Ubah. He was later appointed the Brand Manager of FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

Lord Verbinski in the same year was appointed the African Media Representative of West Ham United FC, London. He became the first African to appear live on Fanzone in their IMG studios in London and enjoys a great rapport with the company till date. He has also been to Wales, Egypt and Cameroon on official football-related business.

It was not a surprise that three years after, in 2018 to be exact, he was appointed the Head of Communications of Nnewi United FC (Anaedo Lions,) a professional football outfit based in Nnewi. The club was founded by Chief Gabriel Chukwuma, the former NFF Vice President, astute businessman, real estate developer, founder of the defunct Gabros FC and Chairman of Beverly Hills Hotels

In 2019 another feather was added to his illustrious cap as he was elected the Deputy Leader of the Iyom Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu Media (IBOM) and a Media aide to Her Excellency, Iyom Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu, the former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria, former Miss Intercontinental, former Ambassador of Nigeria to Ghana, former Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria, former Ambassador of Nigeria to Spain, the Mother General, Anyanwu Ututu of Igbo Land and the key facilitator of the establishment of the Real Madrid FC Academy in Rivers State. 

He also founded Thanos’ Sports Colloquium which holds November/December yearly, designed to address the state of sports in Nigeria, as well as recognise and appreciate all those who have contributed positively to the game.

The maiden edition was held held in Nnewi with the immediate past Honourable Minister of Sports, Barr Solomon Dalung who was the keynote speaker and was conferred with the award of Dike Egwuregwu. Also at the event were Sen. Dr Ifeanyi Ubah who was conferred with the Ide Egwuregwu, Her Excellency, Iyom Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu was decorated with the Ugo Eji Eje Mba Egwuregwu; Dr John Ugochukwu was conferred with the Eziafakaego while Coach Maureen Mmadu was conferred the Ijele Anambra.

Ugochukwu Ifeanyi John Junior C. aka Lord Verbinski was born to Sir Dr John and Lady Dr Nwakaego Ugochukwu of Nnewichi Nnewi on the 1st of April in the 1980s.

He obtained his formal education at Eliezar Memorial Nursery and Primary School, Umuanuka, Otolo Nnewi, before gaining admission into the prestigious Federal Government College, Independence Layout, Enugu but left after 2yrs for Good Shepherd Secondary School, Okpuno-Egbu Umudim where he spent 1yr before transferring to Special Science School Azigbo before going back to Federal Government College Enugu from whence he graduated and studied in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.