From Sylvia Udegbunam, Enugu

Enugu State governor, Dr. Peter Mbah has described the former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndi-Igbo, Late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, as an irreplaceable Iroko who championed national unity, built bridges and stretched his arms of  friendship across different communities in Nigeria regardless of creed and belief, particularly in troubled times.

Mbah, who poured encomiums on the late Igbo leader during the Service of Songs and Tributes held in honour of his memory at the weekend in Enugu, said the grief evoked by his death would hardly be mitigated by time.

While insisting that despite being candid and unpretentious in his view about burning national issues, Chief Iwuanyanwu was a patriotic Nigerian who discouraged divisiveness, ethnic coloration and spoke for every Nigerian, he was always on the side of truth and justice.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu was a quintessential statesman, an icon, pan-Nigerian, national colossus, and absolute patriot, who devoted his life to the pursuit of peace and progress of Ndi Igbo and Nigeria. Ahaejiagamba took up the mantle of leadership of Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo at a very difficult time, and acquitted himself creditably as a courageous leader, whose vision was to chart a new roadmap for Igbo renaissance in the Nigerian commonwealth. He was a bridge-builder, and the espoused were never coloured by ethnicity or creed. In his death, Nigeria has lost a statesman; and the South East, a strong voice whose shoes will be hard to fill,” Mbah added.

Sharing his personal encounter with the late sage, the governor said the impression he was left with at the death of Dr. Iwuanyanwu was that he was a lover of the Igbo people with strong devotion for the Nigerian project.

He recalled how the late Ohanaeze leader visited him on a number of occasions to seek his advice on the posthumous project of honouring past Igbo sons and daughters who had distinguished themselves and impacted on the development and transformation of the Igbo society.

Mbah equally extolled him as a man ahead of his time and for embodying the true spirit of the Igbo people through his entrepreneurship legacies which laid the foundation for many Igbo youths to excel in their careers.

“In many ways, Chief Iwuanyanwu was a trailblazer, literally lighting the path for the younger generation of entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, from civil engineering to newspaper publishing. His grit and innovative spirit was further underlined by his ownership of a private commercial airline at a time such a feat was a rarity.

“He invested in sports in an era when ownership in football clubs was still the exception. In deploying vast resources to sports development and many philanthropic causes, he demonstrated that wealth should never be an end in itself. His capacity to create was only matched by his capacity to give. His roots have nourished us all and he has reached far into our community with the spirit of generosity and service,” Mbah enthused.

The governor, while calling for the immortalization of Dr. Iwuanyanwu for the meaningful life and uncommon legacies left behind by him, expressed optimism that by imbibing the values that defined his life, his memory will be preserved.

Dignitaries at the event included the Governor of Imo State, Hope Uzodimma, who was represented by the  Deputy Governor, Chinyere Ekomaru, Enugu State Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Hon Uche Ugwu, Senator Victor Umeh, Senator Uche Ekwunife, Enugu State PDP Chairman, Dr Martin Chukwuweike, wife of Nigeria first president, Prof Uche Azikiwe, Chairman, Enugu State Traditional Rulers Council, His Majesty, Igwe Samuel Asadu, former governor of Ebonyi State, Senator Sam Egwu, among other eminent personalities.