candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two -third of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas. Notable people Professor Chinua Achebe – native of Ogidi and best known for the classic, Things Fall Apart; first African writer whose books are standard curricula in schools and universities across the world. Chimamanda Adichie – writer, won the Orange Prize for Fiction (2007) and a MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (2008) Dora Akunyili – ex-head of NAFDAC, and former (17 December 2008 – 15 December 2010) Minister of Information won international awards for cleansing Nigeria of the scourge of fake drugs Emeka Anyaoku – first black secretary-general of the Commonwealth and recipient of South Africa's Order of the Companions of Oliver Reginald Tambo for his role in initiating talks between the apartheid state and the African National Congress Cardinal Francis Arinze – once considered a potential Pope Ukpabi Asika – political scientist and administrator from Onitsha; East Central State administrator during and after the Nigerian Civil War Adaeze Atuegwu - author and disability inclusive advocate Nnamdi Azikiwe Owelle of Onitsha – first president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy MBE – London-based artist; first black artist to paint a portrait of Queen Elizabeth II; one of the UK Women of the Year in 2002 and 2003; represented the UK at the Council of Europe; in 2009 she was made an MBE Chief Oliver De Coque – popular Nigerian highlife musician and guitarist Professor Kenneth Dike – pre-eminent scholar of African History and native of Awka; first indigenous vice-chancellor of the University of Ibadan and founder of the National Archives Cyprian Ekwensi – MFR, writer of international repute Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme – from Oko town; politician; architect; first executive vice-president of Nigeria, serving 1979–1983 Philip Emeagwali – winner of the 1989 Gordon Bell Prize for Supercomputing Buchi Emecheta Author and Sociologist Bonaventure Enemali – commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy Professor Ben Enwonwu – native of Onitsha; first Nigerian sculptor of international repute with artwork gracing the United Nations headquarters Ken Erics – multi-award-winning Nollywood actor, producer, CEO of KEN ERICS Productions, writer and occasional musician Ezego – entrepreneur