The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has established a condolence register for its late President General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, aged 82, passed away after a brief illness in Abuja, the capital of Nigeria, last Thursday. Following an emergency meeting in Enugu yesterday, the NEC assured that it would steadfastly continue to pursue and uphold the vision and programs of the late Igbo leader.
Okey Emuchay, the Secretary General of the apex Igbo organization, was the first to sign the condolence register. He expressed that the group, and indeed the entire Ndigbo community, were deeply shattered by Iwuanyanwu’s passing. Emuchay compared the loss to the fall of a mighty Iroko tree, noting the sorrow of losing Iwuanyanwu less than two years after the death of his predecessor, Professor George Obiozor, who died at the age of 80.
Furthermore, Emuchay acknowledged the condolences received from various notable figures, including President Bola Tinubu, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former Secretary General of the Commonwealth Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the Governors of the South East States, and leaders of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum such as Chief Edwin Clark and Pa Ayo Adebanjo, among others.
“Nigerians from all over the world have been calling to commiserate with us. So, our prayers are with his wife and children; His Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodimma, the Government and people of Imo State and all others who knew him. We are in touch with the family,” Emuchay said.
Disclosing that a central burial committee will soon be constituted, the Ohanaeze scribe said that this year’s the Igbo Day celebration scheduled to hold on September 29, with Imo State as host, will be shelved as mark of honour for the departed President General.
Continuing, Emuchqy said: “It is not easy for us, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the Igbo nation and Nigeria.
“Appropriate consultations began with our governors, with the structures of Ohanaeze and the elders and stakeholders of Ohanaeze and several other bodies and organizations that the PG was affiliated to.
“We want to assure that the ship of Ohanaeze is in safe hands. Nothing will happen to Ohanaeze. He had wonderful ideas and visions for the Igbo nation and for Nigeria. Collectively as NEC, we want to give assurance that we shall march on from where he stopped.
“In this respect, consultations also will start in earnest for us to have a meeting of Ime Obi; our governors, our leaders, our stakeholders. We’ve been here before, we overcame and we shall overcome. It’s not easy for us as I said before but we cannot question God. He has done his bit, he has gone to rest. He has passed on the baton , it is left for us to continue from where he stopped.
“I, therefore, have the honour and the privilege to sign this condolence register at the national secretariat.
“We are asking all state secretariats of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the chapters we have in Nigeria and in the diaspora to do the same. Open condolence books so that people could come and write and convey whatever thoughts and prayers they have for our departed President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.”
Source: thesun.ng
