BREAKING: Ohanaeze Ndi Igbo lost Former President, Joe Irukwu, at 89

Former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Prof Joe Irukwu, is dead.

The elder statesman died at the age of 89.

The news of his death was contained in a statement by Prince Harrison Eze Okorie, President General of the Amaokwe Item Welfare Union.

Part of the statement read:

“The Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, on behalf of the entire Amaba Ukwu kindred and the immediate family, hereby announce the glorious but painful demise of our great patron, father, grandfather, son and brother, PROF (CHIEF)JOSEPH OGBONNAYA IRUKWU, SAN, CFR.

“The Union, on behalf Amaokwe Community, commiserate with the family and pray to God to grant his soul peaceful rest.

“The Union enjoin all Amaokwe sons and daughters to mourn the exit of this giant as we also remember to uphold his family in prayers in this moment of grief.”

Irukwu, a lawyer, lecturer, author and insurance guru, was the founding Managing Director of Nigerian Reinsurance Corporation.

He also founded the African Development Insurance Company after that, which was later sold to Diamond Bank.

He obtained a degree in Law and Insurance from a British university in 1962.