Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former President Goodluck Jonathan, and a host of other prominent Nigerians have joined the entire Igbo people, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and the government and people of Imo State in mourning George Obiozor, President-General of the apex pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, who died recently after a brief illness.
The death of Obiozor, who was elected President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide in January 2021, was announced Wednesday night via a statement by Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo State, on behalf of the Government and people of Imo State.
Uzodimma, in the statement, said the late Obiozor was “a renowned academic, an exceptional diplomat, a statesman, and a tenacious patriot”.
“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,” Uzodimma said.
“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,” he said.
The governor said Obiozor’s burial arrangements would be announced in due course by the family.
The announcement by the Imo State governor came barely a day after Ohanaeze Ndigbo had refuted earlier reports of Obiozor’s death, saying the professor was still alive at the time.
Mourning Obiozor, President Buhari, in a statement issued by his spokesman, Femi Adesina, on Thursday, said he was “deeply saddened” by Obiozor’s passing.
Buhari described Obiozor’s demise as an immeasurable loss to the country, adding that the former Ambassador of Nigeria to the United States, High Commissioner to the Republic of Cyprus, Ambassador to the State of Israel and former Director-General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) exemplified leadership skills and values as a thoroughbred diplomat.
The president said he had fond memories of meeting Prof. Obiozor on several occasions and valued his endearing sense of patriotism. He joined the Igbo nation in mourning the irreparable loss of “this great son of Nigeria” and prayed for the peaceful repose of the soul of the deceased.
On his part, former President Obasanjo said Obiozor would be “fondly and proudly remembered as a foremost multilateralist, an erudite scholar, a passionate nationalist, and a diplomatic legend of international repute”.
Obasanjo further described Obiozor as “an icon and a true Nigerian” who “acquitted himself as a peace-loving, unassuming and committed patriot”.
“He was a firm believer in democracy and participatory governance,” Obasanjo said.
Former President Jonathan said Obiozor’s death was a huge loss to the nation, describing the late diplomat as “a great patriot whose love for the nation and his people knew no bounds in his selfless service towards the unity and development of our country”.
Also, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, said he received the news of Prof. Obiozor’s death with rude shock.
Atiku condoled with Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the South East region and the country as a whole over “the fall of an Iroko”.
In a statement he personally signed in Abuja, Atiku described the late Obiozor as a charismatic personality who was much at home in any part of Nigeria.
The presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Peter Obi, on his part expressed sadness over the news of Obiozor’s death.
In a Twitter post on Thursday, Obi said Obiozor was “a dear elder brother and friend”.
“Prof. Obiozor was a patriot, renowned academic and diplomat, who served Nigeria and Ohanaeze selflessly and diligently. He was witty, well-heeled in history and effusive in his personal charm and warmth,” Obi tweeted.
Similarly, the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said Obiozor lived a distinguished life of service to Nigeria and to Ndigbo and that the late diplomat’s career made him one of the foremost patriots who served Nigeria with diligence, honour and integrity.
“The ideals of a better and more inclusive country where justice and equity would prevail, for which Ambassador Obiozor lived, will forever be cherished,’’ Tinubu said in a condolence message issued by his media aide, Tunde Rahman.
Earlier, in a statement on Thursday signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Alex Ogbonnia, and made available to journalists in Owerri, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, expressed grief over the death of its President-General.
The group said it received the news of Obiozor’s death “with a heart overtaken by pain and sorrow”, adding that the late diplomat stood out among his peers “for his unique intellectual wizardry, profound sense of humour, extraordinary creative imagination, rationality, clear-headedness, unwavering determination and incandescent passion”.
