A former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Professor Joe Irukwu is dead.
He died on Saturday at the age of 89.
Prince Harrison Eze Okorie, President General of Amaokwe Item Welfare Union announced the death of the elderly statesman in a statement
Okorie said, “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.”
The late Irukwu was a lawyer, lecturer, author and insurance expert.
He was the founding Managing Director of Nigerian Reinsurance Corporation and founded the African Development Insurance Company, which was later sold to Diamond Bank.
Irukwu obtained a degree in Law and Insurance from a British university back in 1962.