Irukwu, ex-president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, dies at 89

Joe Irukwu, a former president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, is dead. He was 89.

Harrison Eze Okorie, president general, Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, announced Irukwu’s passing in a statement on Saturday.

“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 statement reads.

Irukwu was the founding managing director of Nigerian Reinsurance Corporation, a government-owned business established to increase the local share of reinsurance premium income.

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