***Demands immortalisation of PG
By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
With the unveiling of the week-long burial rites of the late Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu, the President General of the Igbo socio-political apex body, Ohaneze Ndigbo (Worldwide), the leadership of the group said they will meet with the President of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to brief him of the plans to give the foremost industrialist and politician a befitting burial.
This is even as Ohaneze Ndigbo is demanding the full participation of the federal government and immortalisation of the business tycoon who made successes of his involvement in aviation, construction, banking, insurance, confectionery, sports sectors and printing and publishing with Champion Newspapers.
Speaking at the inaugural press conference of the National Burial Committee of late Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu on Thursday at Imo State Governor’s Lodge in Asokoro, Abuja, Secretary General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Ambassador Okay Emuchay revealed that the Igbo socio-political apex body has concluded plans to pay a courtesy call on President Tinubu in the company of the South-East Governors Forum led by Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma at a date yet to be made public.
Ambassador Emuchay in a questions and answer session disclosed that Ohaneze Ndigbo is demanding that Chief Iwuanyanwu be given his rightful place by the federal government as a patriot who worked hard to create jobs for Nigerians from every geo-political zone of the country through his construction companies, football club with the defunct Iwuanyanwu Nationale FC and Oriental Airlines, etc.
Said he: “I think the third question has to do with the immortalising our great hero and leader, well, those of you who participated in the condolence visit by the Middle belt Elders Forum and PANDEF will recall that they made very strong demands that the federal government should immortalise the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo.
“And we are also going to make this demands strongly because Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was undisputeably one of the foremost statemen of this country in any and every aspect of endeavours you look at it.
“So it will be in our interest to join hands with other groups and work hand in gloves with
South-East Governors Forum led the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma. Fortunately, the Director General of South-East Governors Forum is here. We will work hand in gloves with them”.
On the question if the federal government and Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will be participating in the funeral rites of Chief Iwuanyanwu, Ambassador Emuchay said:
“Of course, we (Ohaneze Ndigbo) will be visiting the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (President Bola Ahmed Tinubu).Probably that visit will be led by the Chairman of the South-East Governors Forum and Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma and his brother Governors to formally put the demise of Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu before him and we are sure that with all that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu have done for country, the President will do the needful.
“On that of the NFF, the National Burial Committee will definitely meet them but I believe that the Chairman of Contact and Mobilisation Committee will speak on that issue but we will meet with the NFF where Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu was a shinning light in sports.
Also throwing more light on the involvement of the NFF, Chairman of Chairman of Contact and Mobilisation Committee, Senator Representating Imo West, Senator Osita Bonaventure Izunaso said: “Well, the Chairman has said it all but it is not only NFF that we are conducting.
“If you have listen to Professor Okey Ikechukwu while he was speaking you would have heard that Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu represents several aspects of the Nigeria sector.
“For example, we are in touch with the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) because he was a foremost engineer so they are participating. In fact they have cancelled their trips to Kenya because they want to fully participate in the burial.
“We are talking to the aviation sector where he also played a major role in aviation industry.
And we are glad that we have an arrowhead (Professor Obiora Okonkwo) in aviation sector here.
“So there are several sectors, you cannot even describe Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu the way we are doing it but we will get to somewhere before the burial date”.
Prompt News reports that Chief Iwuanyanwu’s final journey home will begin on Wednesday, October 16 in Lagos and end on Friday, November 1, 2024 when the remains of the foremost entrepreneur will be laid to rest at his family house in Atta, Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo state.
