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The death of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President of Ohanaeze Indigbo Worldwide on 10 July 2024 at the age of 82 devastated most Igbos residing all over the world and they have been erring their feelings via numerous media outlets.
Speaking to a select media representatives, Okenze Felix Amadi (Whekubi Mbaise), insurance guru and author submitted that Ahaejiejemba Ndi Igbo, late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was an Igbo icon, a worthwhile contemporary leader and a personal friend of his. He described Iwuanyanwu as a life long lesson which every Igboman should endeavour to learn in a bid to achieve a life of success for self, community and nation. According to him, Chief Iwuanyanwu successfully calibrated his life engagements in such a way that each segment illuminated the Nigeria society in his purview at the time especially as it affected his native Igbo. Okenze Felix Amadi composed Chief Iwuanyanwu‘s life trajectory in four stanzas with each highlighting a great impact from the sage.
The first was when he, as a youngster saw war and fought gallantly in defence of his traumatized kinsmen during the Nigeria civil war.
The second was in the immediate post war years when he led the path of hard work and success in business endeavors and ultimately mentored successive generations of Igbos in the entrepreneurial big picture. He with many of his mentees were responsible for giving the Igbo nation the unprecedented economic turnaround after a devastating civil war. As a civil engineer, his company Hardel and Enic was a leading indigenous construction company. His Oriental Airline was a star airline from the East. His Champion Newspapers delivered Igbo views more effectively to the rest of Nigeria and the world. At a time the likes of MKO Abiola promoted Abiola Babes football club in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Chief Iwuanyanwu equally promoted, Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club in Owerri, Imo State. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu did not only bequeath a culture of national competitiveness to his Igbo compatriots, he equally sowed in them the spirit of courage in community philanthropy. His philanthropic tendency was legendary.
The third was after the mid 90s, when Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu tactically slowed down in business pursuits in order to support effective leadership of Igbos in national politics. In the political transition efforts of the Babangida military regime, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was one of the top presidential aspirants of the National Republican Conversation (NRC ) . The Igbo and Nigeria as a whole proudly took note of his strides. From then, all through to the Third Republic, Chief Iwuanyanwu bore the banner of the Igbo in national politics . From being a founding member of the ANPP , he became a strong voice and leading figure in the People’s Democratic Party (PDP ) that ruled Nigeria from 1999 – 2015. During this period, successive PDP Governments at the Federal and state levels acknowledged Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu’s weight of contributions as a nationalist and touch bearer for the South East
The fourth stanza was after the regime of Goodluck Jonathan in 2015 when he again slowed down in partisan politics for a good reason. The Igbo having lost such leaders as Dr Alex Ekwueme and Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Chief Iwuanyanwu saw the need to play a stronger role in unifying Igbos for a better engagement with other ethnic nationalities in the Nigeria nation. He played this role even as a member of the People’s Democratic Party until he formally quit partisan politics in 2021 to become a complete father figure for the Igbo of the South East Nigeria. His contributions in this endeavor seemed unparalleled. He became the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide in 2023 and was riding very high on this turf when death came knocking on 25th July 2024.
Okenze Felix Amadi further emphasized that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was by every means a true Nigerian who stood for true federalism and good governance of his country. He worked assiduously for the harmonious coexistence of the many ethnic nationalities of Nigeria. More importantly, Iwuanyanwu wisely campaigned for the fair treatment of Igbos living in the various geopolitical zones of the country. It was in consideration of these achievements, according Okenze Amadi that Chief Iwuanyanwu was a worthy recipient of several national, community and religious honours while he lived.
Okenze Amadi urged the South East Governors to collaborate to give Ahaeji ejemba Ndi Igbo , Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu a befitting burial and name landmarks in commemoration of his contributions.
He prayed for the repose of the gentle soul of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejiejemba Ndi Igbo.)
