Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 general election, Mr. Peter Obi, has reacted to the death of the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, describing it “devastating.”
Chief Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday after a brief illness at the age of 82.
Obi in a statement posted on his X account, said 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.”
The former Anambra Governor added that “Chief Iwuanyanwu was one of those revered father figures who have always given me useful advice.”
The statement reads;
“I am greatly disheartened by the death of an elder statesman and President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. The devastating report of his death has left all who knew him heartbroken.
“He was not just a father to many, but a bridge builder who remained committed to the peaceful coexistence of all groups in the nation. He was undoubtedly a deeply patriotic Nigerian whose desire for justice, equity, progress and development of the nation transcended tribal boundaries.
“Chief Iwuanyanwu was one of those revered father figures who have always given me useful advice. I recall visiting him at the hospital, on the 11th of this month with the Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Okey Emuchey. He promised me that he would soon be alright, to continue with his contributions to the progress of the nation. Since then, I continued to pray for his quick and full recovery, till I received the sad news of his death.
“I sincerely condole with his immediate family, the Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, and the entire nation over the death of this revered patriarch. May God grant us all the fortitude to bear his sad loss and grant him eternal rest.”