By Tony Adibe
A former national Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Chief Chekwas Okorie, has described Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, who died on Tuesday morning as a “courageous, bold and forthright nationalist.”
Chief Amaechi who was from Ukpor in Nnewi, Anambra state, passed on at the age of 93. The pioneer APGA national chairman, in a statement, said that he was saddened when he received the news of the demise of the elder statesman, who was Nigeria’s first minister of aviation.
Okorie said that by his death, Chief Amaechi left a huge void that will be difficult to fill for a long time, explaining that the deceased played a significant role in the formation of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, the highest Igbo socio-cultural organisation.
The statement reads: “I received the news of the death of Chief Mbazulike Amaechi with deep sadness. Although he enjoyed the special grace of God to live up to the ripe old age of 93 years, yet by his passing he left such a huge void that will be difficult to fill for a long time.
“Like wine, his invaluable contributions and interventions in public discourse became better as he aged. He was courageous, bold and forthright at all times. A couple of days ago, I was narrating to a few young men who came on a routine interaction with me, the story of the glorious days of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“I recalled to them how and why Ohanaeze was formed, which was originally known as IGBO FORUM in 1976 when it was formed until 1979 when it was renamed Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“ I was then the youngest member of the organization which was then an elite group. I handled most of the errands of the organization. I was then a young undergraduate at the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.
“I informed them that the 1976 class of what later became Ohanaeze, had only Chief Mbazulike Amaechi and my humble self alive.
“The Boy is Good”, as he was popularly known in his hay days when he became a cabinet minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at the youthful age of 24 years old, will be greatly missed, especially his wise counsel to Ndigbo and every Nigerian government. May his noble and valiant soul rest in peace.”
