The National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Dr Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia has confirmed the death of former President General of the association, Prof Joe Irukwu,
The apex Igbo body described the demise of one of its former leaders as shocking.
In a press statement which was made available to journalists on Sunday, Dr Ogbonnia described the late Irukwu as one of its brightest leaders and enjoined his immediate family and people of Abia State to bear the great loss.
The message reads: “The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has received with rude shock the sad news on the passing of one of our brightest, an accomplished legal luminary, moral edifice, insurance and risk management wizard, an erudite scholar of world renown, Igbo leader and former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Professor Joe Ogbonna Irukwu, SAN, CFR.
“Irukwu was elected the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in 2003 and he served meritoriously and bowed out in 2007. During his incumbency, Irukwu added colour, glamour, zest, robust intellect and panache to the Igbo umbrella socio-cultural organization.
“One recalls with nostalgia and immense delight, the social skill, wisdom and organizational acumen that Irukwu displayed in the face of the turbulence which was occasioned by the political intrigues that confronted his tenure as the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“Professor Joe Ogbonna Irukwu was called to the English Bar in 1962 and enrolled as a Solicitor and Advocate of the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the same year. He has held many top positions in both Private and public Sectors of the Nigerian economy. Irukwu resisted the lure by Dr. M. I Okpara, the then Premier of the Eastern Region, to join partisan politics;. instead, he chose to pursue his dream of applying his knowledge in Law to build an enviable insurance industry in Nigeria. Irukwu painstakingly achieved his set goals and became a foremost risk management expert, Professor of Insurance, educationist, award-winning author and holder of many distinguished fellowships and academic awards.*
