President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, is dead.

He was aged 82.

The late Igbo leader, who was also the President of Owerri Peoples Assembly, reportedly died on Thursday morning in Abuja.

It was gathered that the late businessman had been ill for a while. A statement on Thursday by Jude Iwuanyanwu, the son of the deceased read, “The Iwuanyanwu family of Umuohii Atta in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State announces the demise of our Patriarch, Engr. Chief Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu-Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo.

“Chief Iwuanyanwu died on Thursday, July 25, 2024 after a brief illness. He was aged 82. Chief Iwuanyanwu before his death was President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide and President of Owerri Peoples Assembly. The late business mogul and politician was born in September, 1942 in Umuohii, Ikeduru local government area of Imo state. He studied Civil Engineering in the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He was the 11th leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. His funeral arrangements will be announced by his family soon.”

The late Iwuanyanwu was the Chairman of Champion Group of Newspapers and Proprietor of the defunct Iwuanyanwu Football Club, which made waves in the Nigerian football league in the early to mid-80s.