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Largest City in Africa Gets Its First Rabbi

Published

5 years ago

November 19, 2020

By Albert Akota

Rabbi Mendy and Mazal Sternbach to Establish a Chabad Center in Lagos, population 17.5 million

When Mendy Sternbach first traveled to Nigeria from Brooklyn, N.Y., in 2014 as a 21-year-old rabbinical student to help out for the High Holidays, he didn’t expect that someday he would be putting down roots in Africa. But year after year, something drew him back—and now he and his wife, Mazal, are about to embark on establishing what will be Chabad’s eleventh permanent presence in sub-Saharan Africa, in the continent’s most populous city.

While simultaneously studying in New York and Israel to earn his rabbinic ordination and rabbinical judicial degrees over the past six years, Sternbach returned to Nigeria for almost every Jewish holiday.

He occasionally remained for extended periods of time to assist Rabbi Israel and Haya Uzan, who established a Chabad center in the Nigerian capital of Abuja in 2012 and have since provided the necessities for Jewish life to the 1,000 or so Jews living in the country.

Despite the challenges of a new continent and culture, Sternbach told Chabad.org that “the overwhelming support from the local Jews and the never-ending work,” gave him the impetus to return each year.

“The community was always asking: ‘When will you be back?’ ” said the young rabbi.

Sternbach, who is 27, and his wife, who is 22, will now be opening their own Chabad House to serve about 450 Jewish residents in the coastal city of Lagos, Nigeria—Africa’s most populous city of 17.5 million and the continent’s fourth-largest economy.

At a time when many organizations and foundations serving the nation are cutting back on their activities—Nigeria has recorded 60,000 coronavirus cases and 1,200 deaths to date—Chabad has been more active than ever before.

“As the High Holidays were approaching, many people told us they were concerned about the coronavirus and didn’t plan on joining, said Sternbach. “So we spent a lot of time thinking of ways to create open spaces and safe-distance seating for services. Just a day before Rosh Hashana, we had so many people wanting to join that we needed to change locations to safely accommodate the over 70 people who wanted to join. At the end it was so successful, that for Sukkot we needed to redesign our sukkah to safely house everyone,” said the rabbi.

Despite the current challenges, the Sternbachs are upbeat about the future.

“Nigeria has tremendous economic potential and with its growth, the Jewish community is expected to grow as well,” said Sternbach.

“We will be here with the infrastructure in place, ready to serve their needs and achieve the directive of the Rebbe [Rabbi Menachem M. Schneerson, of righteous memory] to bring Torah study, the permanence of mitzvahs, and the love of G-d and Jewish tradition to every place in the world where Jewish people can be found,” he declared.

Following her graduation from Beth Rivkah high school in Yerres, France, and seminary in Montreal, Mazal Sternbach served as a teaching assistant in Wisconsin.

“While in Milwaukee, I received a call from Rabbi Uzan asking me to come to Nigeria to help him with educational programs,” she said. “It was an amazing experience.

The community in Abuja was so welcoming. I was involved in directing the preschool, an online school, running children’s programs, CTeen, Shabbat and holiday programs.

Nigeria is such a unique place, and I feel so lucky to be a part of this beautiful project.”

The Sternbachs were married in Paris in 2019 and are about to embark on establishing the latest Chabad center under the auspices of Rabbi Shlomo Bentolila, Chabad-Lubavitch emissary to Kinshasa in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and director of Chabad’s operations in ten nations in Central Afric…

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Daughters of Dr. Charles Ononiwu, Chiamanda and Chiamaka, Launch Debut Books to Uplift Hearts Facing Life’s Struggles

Published

4 weeks ago

October 10, 2025

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

At just 18 and 20 years old, Chiamanda and Chiamaka Ononiwu — daughters of renowned Nigerian surgeon Dr. Charles Ononiwu — have achieved a remarkable milestone with the release of their debut inspirational books, Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls.

Their literary journey began six years ago, during the height of the global COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was engulfed in fear and uncertainty, the then 13- and 15-year-old sisters turned inward, using writing as an outlet to process their emotions, express their faith, and reach out to others with messages of hope and resilience.

What began as a quiet act of creativity blossomed into two powerful books that now serve as beacons of light for readers navigating life’s storms.

Eighteen-year-old Chiamanda Ononiwu is the author of Do Not Be Afraid. A passionate Electrical Engineering student , she is also a proud alumna of Intellichild TLC and Valedictorian of Great Blessings School, Class of 2022.

In her book, she addresses the emotional challenges many young people face and draws from her personal faith to offer guidance and encouragement.

Her elder sister, Chiamaka Ononiwu, 20, is a final-year medical student at Babcock University in Nigeria. She penned Waterfalls, a heartfelt and deeply spiritual work she describes as divinely inspired. Chiamaka views her writing as a calling — a mission to uplift souls and bring hope to those struggling with life’s challenges.

“Personally, I would say it all started with the idea of inclusion, inspired by real human experiences,” Chiamaka shared. “We’ve had conversations with people who’ve gone through difficult situations — including issues and those stories helped shape what I write today.”

She added, “It’s all about encouraging people to face life with faith. We began this journey during a dark time in the world, and I felt called to create something that could offer comfort and hope — not just locally, but globally.”

The official book launch and signing ceremony took place on Wednesday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, and was attended by family, friends, colleagues, and well-wishers. It was a celebration of creativity, faith, and youthful brilliance, as the sisters presented their work to an inspired audience.

Speaking at the event, Chiamaka emphasized the core message of her book: “Waterfalls reminds readers that God is always watching over His people. He doesn’t bring fear — He brings peace, hope, and love. I want readers to find comfort and assurance in that truth.”

For Chiamanda, her book is a message to young people who may feel overwhelmed by life’s pressures: “Do Not Be Afraid is especially for youth navigating difficult times. No matter how hard life gets, you can always find strength and direction in God’s word.”

Writing came naturally to both sisters. Chiamaka recalled, “Even as a child, I loved writing short stories for my siblings. When the opportunity came to publish, I knew it was time to share my message with a wider audience.”

Despite their demanding academic paths, both young women balanced their studies with writing through perseverance and faith.

Chiamanda and Chiamaka are united by a shared dream — to inspire people across the world with their writing.

Chiamaka expressed Further; “Our biggest hope is that these books will reach people who need to know that God is real, that He’s always with them, and that through Him, anything is possible,” Chiamaka said.

With Do Not Be Afraid and Waterfalls, the Ononiwu sisters have not only created literary works — they’ve created lifelines. Their voices, grounded in faith and driven by purpose, remind readers everywhere that even in the darkest moments, God’s light never fades.

Their father, Dr. Charles Ononiwu — a distinguished surgeon and deeply devoted parent — also spoke at the event, sharing the journey from his perspective.

“For me, my number one priority has always been to care for children — not just medically, but also by encouraging them academically and in the basics of life,” he said.

He recounted a moving moment with Chiamanda, who approached him with the idea of sharing her story publicly to inspire others.

“She came to me and said she wanted to talk to her peers, to share how she had been comforted, and to help them see that everything would be okay,” he recalled. “As a father, my role was to guide her. I support both of them, help activate their strengths, and provide direction.”

Dr. Ononiwu made the decision to fund the publication of their books himself, believing in the power of their message.

“I told them, ‘You have something the world needs. You can make an impact in the lives of others,’” he said. “I believe every child has a gift. It is our responsibility as parents not to dismiss them, but to help them discover and nurture their talents.”

He encouraged all parents to support their children’s creative pursuits, noting, “Every person has something special inside them — no one is without talent. It’s just a matter of looking inward, discovering that gift, and sharing it with the world.”

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