ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – A former Anambra State Governor, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife, has passed away on Thursday, 14 December, 2023, at the age of 85, leaving behind a remarkable legacy.
According to a statement released on Friday by Chief Rob Ezeife on behalf of the family, Ezeife breathed his last at the Federal Medical Centre in Abuja, on Thursday at the age of 85.
The statement read: “On behalf of the Ezeife Dynasty of Igbo-Ukwu, I wish to announce the promotion to glory of our most distinguished son, ‘Okwadike’, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife, CON, a former Federal Permanent Secretary, a former governor of Anambra State, a former Political Adviser to the President and former Presidential aspirant.
“This sad event took place yesterday at 6 pm at the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja.”
“More details about the deceased and the arrangements for his state burial will be announced later.”
READ ALSO: Kogi LG Chairman Dies Hours To Governorship Poll
Born on 20 November, 1938, in Igbo-Ukwu, Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ezeife overcame educational challenges, teaching himself through correspondence courses to eventually earn a BSc in Economics from the University College Ibadan.
Later, he pursued further studies at Harvard University, attaining a Masters and PhD degree in 1972 on a Rockefeller Foundation scholarship.
Ezeife’s distinguished career included roles as an Administrative Officer in the civil service, Permanent Secretary, school headmaster, lecturer at Makarare University College in Kampala, Uganda, and teaching fellow at Harvard University. Additionally, he served as a Consultant with Arthur D. Little in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
A seasoned politician, Ezeife was elected governor of Anambra State on the Social Democratic Party’s platform from January 1992 to November 1993 during the aborted Third Republic.
Subsequently, he became a Presidential Adviser on Political Matters to former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
During his governorship, Ezeife played a pivotal role in transferring Nnamdi Azikiwe University and Federal Polytechnic, Oko, to the Federal Government, ensuring their survival in the challenging political climate.
While arrangements for his State burial are pending announcement, Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife’s contributions to education and politics leave an enduring mark on Anambra State and Nigeria as a whole.