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,” the statement read.
“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.”
Iwuanyanwu is survived by his wife, Lady Princess Frances Iwuanyanwu, many children and grandchildren.
The statement stated that the burial details will be announced later by the family after due consultations.
He becomes the second President General of Ohanaeze Ndígbo to die in office after his predecessor, Prof. George Obiozor also died in 2022.
His Role During Civil War
The Nigerian Civil war fought from 1967 to 1970, interrupted Iwuanyanwu’s studies. He was drafted into the Biafra Research and Production (RaP) Directorate headed by Professor Benjamin Chukwuka Nwosu, a nuclear physicist. Iwuanyanwu served in the Rocket Unit of RaP headed by Professor Gordian Ezekwe.With little access to armaments from the outside world, this group of researchers put on their thinking caps, including the nuclear physicist, Dr. Felix Oragwu, producing essential amenities and armaments, especially the dreaded Ogbunigwe.
Desiring to see action, Iwuanyanwu later served as a soldier rising to captain of a unit of the secessionist forces of the breakaway Biafra and leading from the front at the war fronts.
An Engineer
After the Nigerian civil war, Iwuanyanwu resumed studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, graduating later in 1971.
Iwuanyanwu worked as a pupil engineer at the Nigerian Construction and Furniture Company, rising to become site agent after he contrived a novel 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.
As a seasoned Engineer, Iwuanyanwu experimented on flexible pavement and parameters for concrete, 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. The trio 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.
Iwuanyanwu Nationale (Heartland FC Founder
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu founded the Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club (now Heartland F.C.), which won several national and international championships. He was the Chairman, National Sports Development Fund, and, Chairman, Nigerian Football Association USA “94” and Cup of Nations Fund Raising Committee.
Active In Politics
Chief Iwuanyanwu became publicly involved in activities of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural organization of the Igbo as from 1988. The main objectives of the Organization is to promote solidarity among its members for the sake of representing the political interests of the Igbo in Nigeria.
It was the primal platform which launched his political career. He had served as Chairman, Ohaneze Igbo Planning & Strategy Committee; Chairman, Ohaneze Political Committee; Chairman, Ohaneze Ndigbo State Creation Committee in 2006 and Chairman, Ohaneze Ndigbo Council of Elders. As Chairman of the Ohaneze Council of elders, Chief Iwuanyanwu was vocal with issues concerning the welfare of the Igbo.
On April 20, 2023, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was announced as the President-General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide. This was according to the “doctrine of necessity”, which took effect when the National Executive Council of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo directed the people of Imo State to find a credible replacement for the past President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ambassador Obiozor, who died in December 2022.
