Ohanaeze Ndigbo President-General, Prof. George Obiozor dies at 80

VICTOR DURUAMAKU, Owerri

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma has announced the death of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Prof. George Obiozor.

He died at the age of 80.

His death was announced in a statement issued on Wednesday night by Uzodimma and titled, “Imo State Government Obituary Announcement”.

The statement reads: “On behalf of the government and people of Imo state, I, Sen. Hope Uzodimma, the Executive Governor of Imo State, sorrowfully announce the passage of a great son of Imo State and Nigeria, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, worldwide, Prof George Obiozor.

“A renowned academic, an exceptional diplomat and statesman, and a tenacious patriot, Prof George Obiozor passed on recently after a brief illness”.

“The death of this foremost Igbo leader and former Nigeria’s ambassador to the United States and the State of Israel is a big loss to Imo State, the South East, and the entire Nigeria. I have no doubt that both Nigeria and the international community will miss his profound intellectual contributions and wise counsel on national and global issues.

“May his great and gentle soul rest in peace”.

According to the statement by the state government, burial arrangements would be announced in due course by the family.

Obiozor was elected President General of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo on Sunday 9th January 2021.

Earlier, a top member of Ohanaeze confirmed to that Obiozor died on December 26th though pleaded not to be named.

According to him,he chieftain, the ex-top diplomat died of a heart-related disease.

He disclosed that the apex Igbo body would not announce Obiozor’s death until his family makes the formal announcement.

“The man is dead but it’s not in our tradition to announce such death even when we have such information, we allow the family members to make such an announcement.

“He died on Monday of heart-related disease. I’m not specific about where he died but he travelled abroad and returned to Lagos.

“I was called in the early hours of December 26th that he died in the early hours,” the source said.

There have been reports and speculations that Obiozor was dead.

Amid these speculations, the family is yet to announce Obiozor’s death until Governor Uzodimma’s statement yesterday.