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Welcome to Izora?
New African-themed club is
part-owned by a local businessman with a questionable past
BY THEODORE CARTER
With its palm-lined patio
and calypso drumbeats pulsing, Izora Restaurant and Nite Club
stands out from the neighboring car repair shops on Silver
Spring's East-West Highway. Located down the block from the
sparkling Discovery Communications high-rise, Izora is an
African-themed restaurant with big-screen televisions, a stage
for nightly live music performances, and a lounge where customers
can savor high-end wines.
With payment of an annual fee upwards of $1000, customers
can gain access to the "exclusive V.I.P. lounge, which
celebrates the success of hardworking professionals,"
said spokesperson Natalie Williams. "We're trying to
see our restaurant full of successful people; people who we
like to say ‘have arrived.'"
Ms. Williams refused to give the names of the individual
investors comprising the Izora Group, Inc., but said the restaurant's
owners are successful businesspeople.
"You'd be impressed by their businesses," she said.
Incorporation records show one of the two directors of the
Izora Group is George Onyewuchi, a name well-known around
the State Attorney General's Office and within the Maryland
Higher Education Commission (MHEC). In February, Onyewuchi's
Unisoft Technological School was sanctioned for offering students
financial incentives to enroll, offering training it was not
approved to teach, and denying students' tuition refunds.
The school's Career Path Program also promised students employment
after graduation and repayment of loans. But MHEC "found
no evidence that students were able to...reap the benefits
of the Career Path Program."
The Unisoft school closed in February leaving many students
with no degree and large debts. Average tuition costs were
$10,000. The state has worked out a deal with SLM Financial
Corp. to forgive loans of over 100 students; however, the
loan relief is only good for students who attended Unisoft
while the school was registered properly with the state. Unisoft
was not registered for much of the time it was in operation.
Former student Tabitha Merchant said that some of her classmates
lost up to $15,000 in tuition money to Unisoft. While Merchant
was reimbursed for most of her tuition expenses, she still
feels Onyewuchi cost her a great deal.
"I spent a year and a half pursuing these goals,"
she said.
The second Izora Group director listed on the incorporation
records is O. Jimmy Ogunniyi, CEO of Skyhawk Logistics. Skyhawk
has won an award for Department of Transportation contract
work, but has also twice had its status revoked by the state
for not complying with business filing laws. The company was
reorganized and for several years has been in good standing
with the state of Maryland.
When asked about Onyewuchi and Ogunniyi's past business,
Ms. Williams said that the Unisoft School and Skyhawk Logistics
have nothing to do with Izora, and emphasized that Onyewuchi
and Ogunniyi are just two of at least 18 who have invested
in the club.
"They were the two individuals that came up with the
concept behind Izora, but they do not take part in the daily
operations of Izora," said Williams, explaining that
she runs the restaurant with general manager Thaylor Grammont.
Williams' efforts could lead to Izora becoming one the most
lively cultural centers in Silver Spring. With calypso music,
jazz, reggae, and rotating art exhibits, Izora hopes to fit
in well with the new downtown, designated an arts district
by the Montgomery County Government.
"We couldn't have asked for a better location than downtown
Silver Spring, because there's so much diversity here,"
said Williams. "Silver Spring was our first choice all
along."
During Izora's August 12 opening ceremony, County Executive
Doug Duncan was also optimistic about the restaurant.
"Izora will add luster to Silver Spring's growing reputation
as a dining and entertainment destination," said Duncan.
"If you love live music–whether it's jazz, reggae,
Latin, or African music–this is the place to be."
Ambassadors from Nigeria, South Africa, and Ethiopia attended
the grand opening as well. Instead of a ribbon-cutting, a
kola nut was split, in accordance with African tradition.
Pieces of the nut were shared with attendants, as a symbol
of inviting Silver Spring into Izora.
Duncan's spokesman, David Weaver, said that the county was
not aware of the connection between Izora and Unisoft and
does not see reason to be concerned.
"It's not our place to comment, judge, or offer advice
to private businesses on how they conduct their affairs,"
Weaver said.
Still, there are some who wince at the glimmer of the upscale
restaurant. Merchant wonders if monies taken from Unisoft
students are being used to fund the venture. Is there anything
we can do," she said, "to stop this hustler?"
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