Tragedy: Alex Ekwueme Dies Same Day Her Daughter Lost Election

It was double tragedy for the Ekwueme family on Sunday.

The first bad news struck when the Independent National Electoral Commission [INEC] declared the incumbent governor, Willie Obiano the winner of the 2017 Anambra State governorship election.

The sad note in the news is that Lady Chidi Onyemelukwe, the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP] deputy gubernatorial candidate in the Anambra State election, is a daughter of Alex Ekwueme.

Thereafter, the bigger tragedy struck: Nigeria’s former Vice President of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme was reported dead in his London hospital.

Death of Dr Ekwueme was made public by his brother and the traditional ruler of Oko in Anambra State, Igwe Laz Ekwueme.

Igwe Ekwueme said that the former Vice President, died by 10:00pm in a London clinic, on Sunday.

In a statement, he said: “Ekwueme family regrets to announce the peaceful passing away of their patriarch, the former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON.

“The sad event occurred at the London Clinic at 10:00 pm on Sunday 19th November 2017.”

Recall that few weeks ago, Dr Ekwueme slumped in his Enugu residence and was immediately taken to the Memfys Neurosurgery Hospital, Enugu, where went into coma.

As soon as he was stabilised in the hospital he was flown to London in an air ambulance last week, as ordered by President Muhammadu Buhari.

QUICK BIO OF DR ALEX EKWUEME

Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme [GCON] is a former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Dr Ekwueme was architect and founded Ekwueme Associates, Architects and Town Planners, the first indigenous architectural firm in Nigeria.

He was the first elected Vice-President of Nigeria and he served in office from 1979 to 1983 under President Shehu Shagari.

Ekwueme who was Vice to President Shagari was ousted in a coup staged by military officers led by Brigadier Muhammadu Buhari on December 31, 1983.

He attended the University of London; King’s College; Lagos, Nigerian Law School; University of Strathclyde and University of Washington.

He is the Ide of the Oko kingdom in Anambra State, where his younger brother, Lazarus, is the traditional ruler.

He was also honoured by the council of Traditional Rulers in the old Aguata as the Ide of Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State comprising forty-four (44) towns.

Ekwueme is a distinguished architect who started his professional career as an Assistant Architect with a Seattle-based firm, Leo A. Daly and Associates, and also with the London-based firm Nickson and Partners.

He worked briefly with ESSO West Africa, Lagos, overseeing the Construction and Maintenance department.

He died in a London hospital on Sunday, November 19, 2017.

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