The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has
officially announced the passage of the President General of the apex Igbo
organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor George Obiozor. He died on Wednesday
at the age of 80.
In the same vein, the Imo State
Governor, Hope Uzodimma, and the presidential candidate of the Labour Party,
Mr. Peter Obi expressed deep sadness over the death of the Igbo leader and
described it as a colossal loss to not only the Igbo nation but Nigeria as a
whole.
Confirming the reports late Wednesday,
Governor Uzodimma said the 80-year-old former Nigerian Ambassador to the United
States “passed on recently after a brief illness” without providing further
details.
He further said in a brief statement,
“On behalf of the government and people of Imo State, I, Senator Hope Uzodimma,
the Executive Governor of Imo State, sorrowfully announce the passage of a
great Son of Imo State and Nigeria, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
worldwide, Prof George Obiozor.”
According to him, “A renowned academic,
an exceptional diplomat, a statesman and a tenacious patriot, Prof George
Obiozor passed on recently after a brief illness.”
The Imo Governor further described
Obiozor’s death as “a big loss to Imo State, the South East and entire
Nigeria,” adding “I have no doubt that both Nigeria and the international
community will miss his profound intellectual contributions and wise counsel on
national and global issues. His burial arrangements will be announced in due
course.
Also, announcing the death of the
Ohanaeze chieftain, National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo
Worldwide, Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, said “It is with pain and sorrow
in our hearts that the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and indeed all the Igbo
sons and daughters received the news of the passing of Ambassador Professor
George Obiozor, CON, (Ugwumba). Until his death, he was the
President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization.
“Obiozor was a prodigy and an enigma of
some sort: an erudite reflective scholar of world-renowned, prophetic
intellectual, astute resourceful administrator, sagacious plebian political
submarine, seasoned diplomat, cultural reservoir, detribalized patriot, jovial
cerebral discussant, among others. The most endearing of the Obiozor mystique
can be summarised in character; the courage of his convictions, steadfastness
and uncompromising commitment to his goals,” he said.
Ogbonnia maintained that Obiozor was
sometimes misrepresented and misunderstood because of the silent cautious
strategy and tactics with which he pursues his goals but behind the great
achiever was an uncommon and perfect gentleman of immense proportions.
The Obiozor life trajectory, according
to him, is one of the most enviable: he started as a child in Awo-Omamma, went
to the USA for further studies, acquired a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), taught
in world-class universities and was promoted to the rank of a professor of
International Relations, served Nigeria in various capacities without blemish
as the Director General, Institute of International Affairs, Lagos; Nigerian
Ambassador to three countries, Israel, Cyprus and the USA; articulated the
Return of Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu with Dr. Chuba Okadigbo and Joe Asogwa in
1982; led the Igbo delegation to the 2014 National Constitutional Conference
and ultimately, was elected the President General of the apex Igbo
socio-cultural body, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
He said “Above all, Obiozor in his first
world press conference as the President General, at the headquarters of
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, assured the Igbo that time has come for the age-long
collective aspiration of a Nigerian president from the South East of Nigeria.
“He demonstrated his unassailable
commitment to the Igbo by leading delegations to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo,
British Embassy, Chief E. K. Clarke, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Sultan of Sokoto,
among others. The Obiozor-led advocacy assumed an irreversible, unquenchable
and irresistible national charm, resonance and unprecedented crescendo.
“During the last meeting of the National
Executive Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide held at Owerri, Obiozor spoke
emotionally about the candidacy of Peter Obi and pointed out that it would have
been a major catastrophe if Obi were not in the race. He
expressed satisfaction that Peter Obi has changed the political dynamics
of the country and created a pathway for Nigerian new beginning.
“Obiozor will be remembered as a man who
displayed an uncommon intellect, irrepressible courage, candor, tolerance,
large heart and equanimity; he sacrificed his personal comfort in the
service of Igbo nation. What stands Obiozor out among his peers is his unique
intellectual wizardry, profound sense of humour, extraordinary creative
imagination, rationality, clear-headedness, unwavering determination and
incandescent passion with which he pursues his views even in the most hostile or
complex circumstances.
“While we condole the wife, children and
the immediate family, we take solace in the fact that when a chronicle of Igbo
personages will be launched, some leaders will appear in footnotes while some
chapters will be devoted to Ambassador Professor George Obiozor,” he added.
The octogenarian held the position of
President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo from January 9, 2021 until his death.
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