Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has died at the age of 82 after a brief illness. His son Jide Iwuanyanwu confirmed his passing in a statement on Thursday, July 25, 2024.
Iwuanyanwu, a prominent Nigerian politician and businessman, was born on September 4, 1942 in Umuohii Atta, Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State. He attended several schools including St. Patrick’s School in Port Harcourt, Holy Trinity Primary School in Rivers State, and New Bethel College in Onitsha. Iwuanyanwu later studied Civil Engineering at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka on a prestigious German Academic Exchange Scholarship.
In addition to serving as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo since 2023, Iwuanyanwu was also the President of Owerri Peoples Assembly. He was conferred with several national honors including the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR), Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic (OFR), and Member of the Order of the Federal Republic (MFR). Iwuanyanwu also received academic honors such as Doctor of Laws from Shaw University and Doctor of Science degrees from the University of Jos and University of Calabar.
Iwuanyanwu is survived by his wife Lady Princess Frances Iwuanyanwu, many children and grandchildren. The family stated that burial details will be announced later after due consultations.
