The demise of former president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor Joseph Ogbonnaya Irukwu (SAN), at the age of 89 years, has left the immediate past Governor of Abia State, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, in a state of grief and sadness.
Ikpeazu described the late Irukwu as a genuine scholarly Iroko tree.
In a statement released by his spokesperson yesterday, Sir Onyebuchi Ememanka, the ex-governor said, “Prof was Africa’s inaugural professor of insurance and he was the one who pioneered insurance as an academic discipline in Nigeria, authoring numerous textbooks in the field. He was an outstanding lawyer whose scholarly contributions, particularly in the domain of Insurance Law, led to his appointment as Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).”
He served as the pioneer chief executive officer of the federal government-owned Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation and established the African Development Insurance Company Limited. He was a renowned and esteemed figure in Corporate Nigeria.
Ikpeazu remarked, “Professor Irukwu, a distinguished son of Item in Abia State, didn’t confine his greatness to the legal and insurance fields alone. He was a devoted and dedicated son of Item Okpi, holding the prestigious title of Omezioha Item. He was also a proud Abian who always welcomed me as Governor. He was a passionate Igbo patriot and an exceptional Nigerian who rose to become the president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.”
The former governor further expressed his view that the passing of Professor Irukwu has deprived us of one of our most esteemed human treasures, and it signifies a further reduction in the number of our distinguished elder statesmen who played a vital role in shaping our nation.
However, he acknowledged that Professor Irukwu lived a fulfilling and prosperous life, marked by significant accomplishments in every sphere of human endeavor.
Dr. Ikpeazu conveyed his heartfelt condolences to the Irukwu family of Item, the entire people of Abia State, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the body of Senior Advocates of Nigeria, and the academic community in Nigeria and Africa.
The former governor prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul and urged his immediate family to find solace in the everlasting legacies of their father and patriarch.