Pulse.ng : Restructuring: Iwuanyanwu canvassed equity, fairness, justice

Members of the burial committee at the news conference and other members of Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo

By Perpetua Onuegbu/Michael Ajayi

The Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo , an Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has described the late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu as a man that stood for equity, fairness and justice for all.

Amb. Okey Emuchay, Secretary General of the group, said this at the inaugural news conference of the National Burial Committee of late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu in Abuja on Thursday.

Emuchay said that the late Iwuanyanwu was a man that believed in fairness, equity and justice even as he believed in the restructuring of the nation.

He said Iwuanyanwu meant well for the Igbo nation and its development.

“He wanted a south-eastern part of the country to develop, where people would be proud of where they came from.

“Out of all the regions in the country, it is only the south east that has five states , other regions have six or seven.

“Even at that, he knew that the Igbos cannot do it alone and created a southern and middle belt forum, southwest forum together with Afenifere that gave us opportunity to canvass for restructuring.

“Ohaneze Idi-Igbo will continue to pursue all those things he held dear to his heart among which is parity among all regions in the country,” he said.

He said that the late leader did not show any sign of regret for not being able to ensure the release of the incarcerated leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kalu.

He also said that the late leader visited Kalu constantly at the DSS facility and wrote several personal letters of appeal for his release

On his part, Sen. Ben Obi, Chairman of the National Burial Committee, said: “We are sure that with all he had done in nation building and his strides in various sectors, President Bola Tinubu will do the needful to immortalise him”

The burial committee comprised six members among which are Sen. Ben Obi as the Chairman, Mr Jidenna Iwuanyanwu (first son), Dr Nwadito Iheakanwa (first daughter) and Amb. Okey Emuchay as the Secretary, among others.

The late icon would begin his journey to eternal rest from Lagos on Oct. 16 beginning with a tribute at Eko Hotel and would be laid to rest in his home town at Ata Ikeduru in Imo on Nov. 1

Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu died on July 25 after a brief illness at the age of 82 in Abuja.

He was the 11th President-General of the Ohaneze Idi-Igbo , a businessman whose business grew into a conglomerates of more than 20 companies, including shipping, insurance, hospitality and aviation.(NAN)