Ohanaeze Ndigbo PG, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, dies at 82

…Tinubu, Buhari, Ohanaeze mourn

By Chinelo Ude

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, is dead.

This was confirmed in a statement on Thursday by Jide Iwuanyanwu, the son of the late Chief Emmanuel.

According to the statement, the 82-year-old Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday after a brief illness.

“The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta, in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State announces the demise of our patriarch, Engr. Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday July 25, 2024 after a brief illness. He was aged 82. Chief Iwuanyanwu before his death was President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide and President of Owerri Peoples Assembly.”

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“Iwuanyanwu is survived by his wife, Lady Princess Frances Iwuanyanwu, many children and grandchildren,” the statement read.

The statement stated that the burial details will be announced later by the family after due consultations.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has extended his heartfelt condolences to the family of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who passed away on Thursday.

In a statement, President Tinubu condoled with the Imo State Government, the friends and associates of the deceased, and Ndigbo over this irreparable loss.

The President affirmed that Chief Iwuanyanwu will always be remembered for his remarkable legacy.

He prayed for the repose of the soul of the departed elder statesman and comfort to his family.

Also, former President, Muhammadu Buhari, has described the passing of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, as a great loss to the country.

Buhari, in a condolence message by his media aide, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Thursday, said that the late Igbo leader left indelible memories.

The former Nigerian leader highlighted Iwuanyanwu’s contributions to journalism, sports, politics and nation-building.

“He was a visionary who revolutionized the nation’s media and sports. He made notable strides in the media industry, construction, sports, business, and politics.

“I had several opportunities to interact with him to know about his passionate commitment to the unity, peaceful coexistence, and the development of Nigeria.

“His rich contributions have left indelible memories on the media, sports, politics, and business, where he made extraordinary achievements.

“My condolences to his family, friends and associates and the entire people of the South-East. His death is a loss to the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Buhari said.

Meanwhile, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has described its late President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, as one of the most outstanding Igbo leader.

This is contained in a statement by the Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, on Thursday in Enugu.

Ogbonnia said it was with a deep shock and sorrow that the group received the sad news of the passing of one of the most outstanding Igbo Leader, Iwuanyanwu,

According to him, the sad news was broken by Iwuanyanwu’s son, Mr Jude Iwuanyanwu, who said that his father died on July 25 after a brief illness at the age of 82.

He said Iwuanyanwu assumed office as the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo on April 30, 2023, adding that he was the ninth leader of the Igbo group since its inception in 1976.

“Evidently, each leader or President General has one remarkable or distinctive characteristic for which he is often remembered.

“While other past leaders had limited their perspectives on Nigerian contemporary issues, Ahaejiagamba as Iwuanyanwu was fondly called introduced strategic and visionary dimension to the modus operandi of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.

“In the first place, he had a towering personality with an impressive record as one of the most successful business men in Nigeria,” he said.

He added that the late Igbo leader deployed his prodigious intellect, political, administrative and political acumen, vast knowledge and invaluable contacts in the selfless service of Ndigbo.

The publicity secretary said the transformative leader lifted Ohanaeze Ndigbo far from its familiar habitat and provenance to an enviable pedestal.

“As members of the NEC, we were always amazed by the brilliant initiatives, elephantine memory, oratory, including the frequency with which the Igbo Leader enunciated robust ideas.

“Looking back, Ndigbo all over the world were delighted that a jinx-breaker, business icon, moral edifice, mobilizer and harmonizer Iwuanyanwu, was at the helm of affairs as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.

“It is therefore very painful that Chief Iwuanyanwu has passed on with all the ideas that were at his disposal,” Ogbonnia said.

The publicity secretary described a sad denouement for the Igbo that both Prof. George Obiozor and Iwuanyanwu died in office.

“We are also worried at the rate we are losing the brightest of the brightest among the Igbo in a close sequence at a time their wise counsels are mostly needed.

“It was Prof. Ben Nwabueze, and later, His Majesty, Igwe Chike Edozien, Dr Sylvester Ebiwei, Prof. Joe Irukwu, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, amongst others,” he decried.

He said that Iwuanyanwu was a philanthropist par excellence, focused creative thinker, brave soldier, accomplished engineer, astute business mogul, industrialist and a sagacious politician, and the former highest employer of labour at least in the entire East of the Niger.

“His trajectory was an admonition to the present day selfish and mundane leaders who perceived legacy as leaving enormous wealth behind for one’s offsprings; rather, it was about laying invaluable foundation among the populace, especially for younger generations.

“While we send a heartfelt condolence to the amiable wife, the Children, the people of Umuohiri Attah community and the Imo State government, we ask the Almighty to grant the soul of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, an eternal rest in his bosom,” he prayed.