Tinubu, others mourn as Ohanaeze Ndigbo leader, Iwuanyanwu, dies

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has died aged 82 years. Until his death, Iwuanyanwu served as the 11th President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo after he succeeded the late Professor George Obiozor who also hailed from Imo State and died on December 26, 2022. This is as President Bola Tinubu and other Nigerians […]

The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has died aged 82 years.

Until his death, Iwuanyanwu served as the 11th President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo after he succeeded the late Professor George Obiozor who also hailed from Imo State and died on December 26, 2022.

This is as President Bola Tinubu and other Nigerians have extended their condolences over the demise of the elder statesman.

Iwuanyanwu’s death was announced on behalf of the family by his son, Jide Iwuanyanwu, in a short statement circulated to the media.

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According to the family, 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,” he said.

“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,” the statement read.

Iwuanyanwu is survived by his wife, Lady Princess Frances Iwuanyanwu, many children and grandchildren.

His remarkable legacy will always be remembered – Tinubu

In his condolence message, President Bola Tinubu extended his commiserations to the family of Chief Iwuanyanwu, who passed away on Thursday.

The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Thursday, said President Tinubu condoled with the Imo State government, friends and associates of the deceased, and Ndi Igbo over this irreparable loss.

The president also said that Chief Iwuanyanwu will always be remembered for his remarkable legacy. 

“President Tinubu prays for the repose of the soul of the departed elder statesman and comfort to his family,” he said.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Abbas Tajudeen, in his condolence message to the Iwuanyanwu family and the entire Ndi’gbo, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, in Abuja, described the death as shocking and painful.

He also described the late Chief Nwanyanwu, who in 2023 succeeded Ambassador George Obiozor as the 11th of the umbrella socio-cultural body of the Igbo, as a famous businessman and politician.

According to him, Chief Iwuanyanwu was an elder statesman and a pan-Nigerian who used his leadership of Ohanaeze to seek peace and stability in Nigeria.

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has expressed shock and sadness over the death of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who died on Thursday at the age of 82 after a brief illness.

In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Levinus Nwabughiogu, Kalu likened Iwuanyanwu’s death to a fallen Iroko tree, adding that the late Chief Iwuanyanwu contributed immensely to the socio-economic development of Nigeria.

The deputy speaker recalled that Iwuanyanwu employed many Nigerians through his many business establishments.

He also recalled Chief Iwuanyanwu’s contributions to the successful unveiling of the Peace In South East Project (PISE-P) in Bende Local Government of Abia State in December 2023, saying that his commitment to the peace and unity of Nigeria was unparalleled.

He condoled with the late Chief Iwuanyanwu’s family over the irreplaceable and irreparable loss, acknowledging that Ndi Igbo and indeed, Nigeria will greatly miss him. 

He said, “It’s sad news for the people of the southeastern region because Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu remained one of the brightest stars from the region, who actually proved himself in business, political leadership and community leadership.

“Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was a great champion, who also designed a platform for the voice of Nigerians, especially the Igbo, to be heard using this champion newspaper.

“He was a man of many parts. A man with so many responsibilities which he discharged very well, and I was close to him in the later part of his life. He paid me a visit just a couple of months ago to congratulate me as the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives.

“And one of his requests was for me to work hard alongside the members of the parliament to ensure that their age-old dream of having a development agency known as Southeast Development Commission be a thing that will materialise in his lifetime.

“You’ll be shocked to hear that once the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria assented to that bill, he was the first that I called to share the news with. 

“But he was in a coma. It was his wife that answered and told me that the chief was in a coma.

“And a day after the assent to his long desire, he passed on. That is to show that he truly loved the Igbo race. We will celebrate him.”

The Governor of Anambra State, Prof. Charles Soludo also mourned the demise of Chief Iwuanyanwu.

In his condolence message issued by his Press Secretary Mr Christian Aburime on Thursday,Soludo expressed profound sadness over Chief Iwuanyanwu’s death, calling it a monumental loss to his family, the Igbo nation, and Nigeria at large.

He reflected on Chief Iwuanyanwu’s role as a personal mentor and significant supporter, praising his exceptional leadership, patriotism, and commitment to the progress of both the Igbo nation and Nigeria.

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in last year’s elections, Peter Obi also expressed sadness over the death of an elder statesman. 

Obi on Thursday on his X handle said the devastating report of his death has left all who knew him heartbroken.

He, however, said that the late Iwuanyanwu was not just a father to many, but a bridge builder who remained committed to the peaceful coexistence of all groups in the nation.

Similarly, the Coalition of Nigerian Youth Leaders (CONYL), the umbrella body of all the youth groups in Nigeria, said it received with rude shock the news of the passing of Iwuanyanwu. 

According to the statement signed by the President and Publicity Secretary of the association, Comrade Goodluck lbe and Comrade Junaid Abubakar respectively, the body said the news of Iwuanyanwu’s death is devastating and a big loss to Ndigbo, Nigeria and the world. 

According to them, Chief Iwuanyawu “was a great philanthropist, an engineer of great repute, an enigma of sorts, a trailblazer, a problem solver, a goal getter and a man with an overflowing zeal to be a blessing to his people and his generation.”

Iwuanyanwu’s tenure as Ohanaeze leader was eventful and transformative for Ndigbo and Nigerians at large.

In a recent interview he had with Daily Trust for the first edition of Trust Weekend, which could be one of his last interviews, he enumerated his vision for the Igbos in reorganising the parent body, uniting Igbos in the diaspora and addressing unemployment through creation of new markets in Igboland and industries as well as to enhance education.

He said, “We have realised that our diaspora is very large in many parts of the world and I have been in touch with them.

“We are establishing Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Europe headquartered in London; Ohaneze North America headquartered in New York or Washington; and Ohaneze in South America and the Caribbeans with headquarters in Brazil; Ohaneze Ndigbo Asia with headquarters in China; Ohaneze Pacific with headquarters in Australia; and Ohaneze Africa with headquarters in South Africa. Now, Enugu remains the global headquarters of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide.

“We are going to galvanise them and that will help us to develop our land and most of them have been contributing.”

Early education

Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu was born on Friday, September 4, 1942, to Pa Bernard Iwuanyanwu and Madam Hulder Iwuanyanwu of Umuohii Atta in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State of Nigeria.

He attended St. Patrick’s School, Nkpokwu (later renamed Rukpokwu), Port Harcourt, for his standard one to four, from 1948 to 1952, and from 1953 to 1954, he transferred to the Holy Trinity Church, Umuapara (later renamed Rumuapara) in Obiakpor Local Government Area for his standard five and six. Between 1955 and 1959, he attended New Bethel College, Onitsha, Anambra State.

In 1960, he was among the exceptional students offered admission into the Federal School of Science, Lagos, where he studied Pure and Applied Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

1963, Iwuanyanwu gained admission into the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he studied Civil Engineering. Because of his brilliance, he was awarded the prestigious German Academic Exchange Scholarship covering fees, boarding, holiday tickets and feeding. This award was for a few talented students of African descent.

Military career

When the Nigerian civil war broke out in 1967, Iwuanyanwu’s studies were interrupted as he was drafted into the Biafra Research and Production (RaP) Directorate headed by Professor Benjamin Chukwuka Nwosu, a nuclear physicist.

He was further put in the Rocket Unit headed by Professor Gordian Ezekwe with other scientific researchers like Dr Felix Oragwu who produced armaments for the war efforts with little access to the external world.

Until the end of the war in 1970, Iwuanyanwu served in the most heated battles to safeguard the Uli Airstrip, which was the Biafran enclave’s surviving access to the international community and from where the then Head of State of Biafra, Gen. Odumegwu Ojukwu, left the country.

In the course of the war, he was transferred to the Biafran School of Military Intelligence, Biafran Combat Engineering Unit and appointed the Head of the Biafran Combat Engineering Military Intelligence where he worked directly under the office of the General Officer Commanding the Biafran Army, Major General Alexander Madiebo.

Business life

After the Nigerian civil war, Iwuanyanwu resumed studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, graduating later in 1971 and began working as a junior engineer at the Nigerian Construction and Furniture Company.

From this position, he rose to the position of a site agent after he experimented with a design for producing a barge with a composite section of empty engine oil drums. He became a registered engineer of the Council of Registered Engineers of Nigeria on April 12,1972.

Further, Iwuanyanwu invented a flexible pavement and parameters for concrete thereby producing a mixed design of asphaltic concrete which was approved by the Nigerian Ministry of Works for use in the construction of airport runways and highways in Nigeria.

In 1976, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu began to work with two Americans, Messrs. Harper and Delano as the three started a construction company whose name, Hardel, was coined from the name of the two foreigners.

Iwuanyanwu later acquired the company from them and renamed it, Hardel and Enic Construction Company. His business grew into a conglomerate of over 20 companies, including Enic Advertising Ltd; Magil Industries Limited; National Post Newspapers; Sunrise Insurance Brokers; Oriental Shipping Lines Limited; Paradise City Hotel, Calabar and Oriental Airlines and Daily Champion Newspapers.

Iwuanyanwu was a well-known sports enthusiast and was the founder of Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club of Owerri, later acquired by the state government as Heartland Football Club. 

With the return to civilian rule in 1998, he made attempts to contest for president under the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).