PROFILE OF CHIEF DR. EMMANUEL CHUKWUEMEKA IWUANYANWU AHAEJIAGAMBA NDIGBO

Date:

Share post:

CITATION ON CHIEF DR. E.C IWUANYANWU CFR, OFR, MFR, GCSI, FNSE, FNIST, FNICE, KSC, (AHAEJIAGAMBA NDIGBO)

Chief Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu CFR was born on September 4th, 1942 in Atta, Ikeduru local government area of Imo State, Nigeria. He is a civil engineer, industrialist, politician and philanthropist.

Early Life:
Chief Iwuanyanwu attended St. Patrick’s School, Rukpoku, Port Harcourt, Rivers State from 1948 to 1954. He thereafter, enrolled at New Bethel College in Onitsha, Anambra State. He had his undergraduate studies at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he studied civil engineering between 1963 and 1970. Other academic exploits include; D.Sc. Engineering Morgan State University Baltimore, Maryland, USA; L.Ld (Hon) Shaw University Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; DBA Hon University of Nigeria Nsukka; D.Sc Hon University of Jos; D.Sc Hon University of Calabar; D.Tech Federal University of Technology Owerri; DBA Hon Edo State University and D.Sc (Hon) Engineering, Imo State University.

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu’s Career:

Chief Iwuanyanwu was one of the few Nigerians who blazed the trail in the elusive search for making the private sector the engine of the national economy. His pioneering traits took him into newspaper publishing and that move saw the birth of the Champion newspapers which recorded a level of success that took quite a number of people by surprise. The Champion newspapers changed the face of newspaper publishing in Nigeria before it, because he brought in the best brains in the industry from that area. His business grew into a conglomerate of over 20 companies. As an astitute business man and a meticulous investor, he is the Chairman Hardel & Enic Group ( a leading Road Construction, Industrial Building And water Resources Development Company in Nigeria), Chairman Magil Industries Limited (A major Industrial Development Company in Nigeria Involved in manufacture of furniture, interior and Exterior decoration, ultra modern automated bakery,Manufacture of steel wool, etc).Chairman Enic Advertising and Marketing (Research Company in Nigeria)Chairman Sunrise Insurance Brokers (An Insurance Broker and Finance Company) Chairman Benhol Farms Limited (A leading Agriculture Company in Nigeria that has joint Venture with Italian Government Agency)

Chairman Iwuanyanwu Holdings & Properties Ltd ( A Substantial Property Holding Company And Developers) Chairman Sunrise Breweries Limited, Proprietor Iwuanyanwu National Football Limited, Proprietor Magil Agricultural & Animal Health Products Limited, Chairman and Founder Iwuanyanwu Foundation (An Educational and Development Trust) Chairman Iwuanyanwu National Ambulance Foundation (a medical and health intervention Foundation), Executive Chairman/Publisher Champion Newspaper Limited, Chairman Oriental Airlines Limited, Chairman Oriental Shipping Lines Ltd. He also founded the Iwuanyanwu Nationale Football Club of Owerri (now Heartland F.C.), which won several national and international championships.

In the field of politics, Chief Iwuanyanwu had been a loyal member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), a party he had stuck with through thick and thin. Until his official resignation from partisan politics on 4th September, 2021 at the age of 79 years, he was a member of the PDP Board of Trustees and was a member of PDP National Cacus. For so many years, he flew the flag of Ndigbo as a frontline presidential aspirant of Igbo extraction.

See also  Profile of Engr ENGR. O. Wasiu OLOKUNOLA

He has served as Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo State Creation Committee, Chairman Ohanaeze Ndigbo Planning and Strategy Committee, Chairman Ohaneze Political Committee, Board Chairman Federal Road Maintenance Agency, Board Chairman Nigerian Investment Promotion, Founding Chairman Raw Materials Research and Development Council of Nigeria, Chairman National Productivity Merit Award, Chairman Nigerian Sports Development Council, Founding Chairman Nigerian National Lottery, Chairman National Orthopedic Hospital Igbobi, Lagos and former Pro-Chancellor University of Calabar.

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu’s Personal Life:

On August 28th, 2011, tragedy struck. His wife of more than 40 years, Lady Eudora Nnenna Ozinyereaku Iwuanyanwu, with whom he had three sons and five daughters died, aged 63. She was described as “a critical success factor for her husband.” in 2013, he took a new wife, Frances Chinonyerem Iwuanyanwu (Nee Enwerem) with whom he lives happily with along with his older children and a little son Kamsi.

Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu’s Awards:

Chief Iwuanyanwu remains one of the very few NIGERIANS that has received three National merit awards which are: Member Federal Republic of Nigeria (MFR), Officer Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR), and Commander Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFR). He is the Grand Chancellor of IMO STATE.

He was honoured with Chief Executive of the Year, Business Education Executive Council in 1985

He won the Business Person of the Year Award, Business Concord in 1991.
He is a Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Science & Technology, Fellow, Nigerian Society of Engineers,Fellow, Institute of Management Consultants, Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Fellow, Nigerian Association of Agricultural Students, Fellow, Chartered Institute of Transport of Great Britain, Fellow, Solar Energy Society of Nigeria, Fellow, Nigerian Institute of Sales Management (FNISM),Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria, Fellow Institute of Purchasing and Marketing Administration, Fellow, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana (FAIFPU), Fellow, The Nigerian Academy of Education, Fellow, Nigerian Entrepreneurs Association, Fellow Institute of African Studies UNN. He is Cited in WHO is WHO in Nigeria, Cited in WHO is WHO in Africa, Cited in WHO is WHO in Commonwealth, Cited in WHO is WHO in the World.

He is the “Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo,” a title conferred on him by Chairmen of Traditional Rulers representing Ndigbo in the seven states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Delta, Imo and Rivers states.

He is the Balogun Babaguwa of Ibadan Land, an honour bestowed on him by Olubadan of Ibadan Land. The Obong of Calabar had equally honoured him with the title of Eburutu of Effik Kingdom. On his cap of honour are over eighty chieftaincy titles harvested across the length and breadth of Nigeria.

See also  Engineers Call For Full Implementation Of Executive Order 5

He has been honoured by the Women of Nigeria through the National Council of Women Society, and is a Grand Patron of African Students Union who in appreciation of his contributions has placed his name in its Hall of Fame in Addis-Ababa.

He was also honoured by the African Youths Parliament with Nelson Mandela Leadership Award for the year 2016, amongst over one thousand national and international awards/honours so numerous to mention. He is a Knight of the Order of St. Christopher.

As a renounound and compassionate phillantropist who has given out over N10 billion (ten billion naira) towards charity through his Foundation; the Iwuanyanwu Foundation in the area of building of hospitals, University buildings,roads, Bridges, scholarship to over ten thousand Nigerians, Churches, remarkable amongst them is his donation of $2million (two million dollars) for the building of IMO STATE Airport and N1billion (one billion naira) for the building of Cathedral of St. Matthew Atta, Anglican Communion, Ikeduru, IMO STATE.

In the field of Engineering which is his primary calling, Chief (Dr.) Emmanuel Chukwuemeka Iwuanyanwu has made the following achievements:

In the field of Hydraulic Engineering he designed an Ocean Berge with composite section of empty oil drums which was able to carry a pile driver used for constructing pile foundation in deep sea. This Berge was able to stand the static load and the dynamic load of the pile driver.

He built the Enugu Airport as a young Civil Engineer. During that period he carried out experiments on flexible pavements and produced a flexible pavement made of asphaltic concrete based on Asho Standard. This was approved by the Federal Ministry of Works and thereafter was conventionally used. Before that most flexible pavements were constructed with Macadam based on BS Standard.

He took part in the design and production of the first rocket missiles produced in Nigeria which carried war head up-to 8 miles. The rockets and war head were made completely from local materials.

He also has carried out a lot of study and production of various explosive armaments.

He introduced a new bridge design which eliminated pile foundations and hand rail, an example of this is the Azaraegbelu Bridge in Owerri Umuahia road. Before the present design and construction which was done by Engr. Dr. E. C. Iwuanyanwu, the Arazaraegbelu bridge was a scene of many fatal accidents where many lives were lost.

In all his houses, he established a Chapel of Holy Bethel where constant praises and prayers are offered to the Almighty God. All through his life, he has remained a dedicated soldier of Christ, using his time, money, intellect and other resources in the effective propagation of the Gospel. He has received one of the highest honours in the Anglican Communion by the Primate Church of Nigeria.

See also  Adenuga: Celebrating Africa’s Paragon of Enigma, Charisma @68

His philosophy of life is appropriately encapsulated in his speech on Monday 11th November, 1985 when he handed over a Blood Transfusion Center which he built, furnished and donated to the Imo State Government and I quote:

I believe in the Supreme Being. He is omnipotent, omnipresent. He is all loving and all wise. He is the Almighty God.

I believe that the highest fulfillment, the greatest happiness and the widest usefulness of the individual can only be realized in harmony with the divine will of the Almighty God.

I believe in the supreme worth of the individual, in his right to life and liberty and pursuit of happiness.

I believe in the sacredness of human life and human right.

I believe that every right implies a responsibility, every opportunity an obligation and every possession a duty.

I believe in dignity of labour whether with the head or with the hand.

I believe that the good God in his infinite mercy has bestowed mankind with sundry gifts and whatever gift bestowed on any man is given to him by the good Lord in sacred trust and man should use such gifts to promote love, happiness and peace among the people of all races and creed.

I believe that the world owes no man a living but owes every man an opportunity to make a living.

I believe that love is the greatest thing in the world and it can over-come hate, greed and rancor.

I believe that the rendering of useful service is the common duty of mankind
and the greatest happiness and peace of the human soul can be attained in rendering such services.

I believe that truth, justice and equity are fundamental pre-requisites to an enduring social order and that right can and will always triumph over might.

I believe in the sacredness of promise, that mans word should be as good as a bond, that character not wealth or power or possession is of supreme worth.

I believe that prudence is essential to well ordered living and that economy is a pre-requisite of a sound financial structure whether in government, business or personal affairs.

And finally, I believe that law is made for man and not man for law and that government is the servant of the people and not the master and no individual can be greater than the society in which he lives.

Ladies and gentle men, we present to you a living Legend of our time. His heritage is humility. His profession is pragmatism. His legacy is diligence and prudence. His promise is versatility spiced with magnanimity.

Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu CFR, OFR, MFR, GCSI, FNSE, FNIST, FNICE, KSC AHAEJIAGAMBA NDIGBO the Chairman OHANAEZE NDIGBO Elders Council (South East Elders Council)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Related articles

Celebrating the resilience and hardwork of Engr Martin Agbili, the New permanent Secretary Anambra

By Isqil Najim On Monday 11 March 2024, the erudite Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Chukwuma sworn in...

Citation of Professor Bagudu Gwadangaji DanShehu

Prof. Danshehu Bagudu Gwadangaji is a distinguished scholar, Engineer, Professor, Mentor, Role model and ICON of Mechanical Engineering...

Meet Barth Nnaji, mastermind of Nigeria’s only integrated power project

By Faith Esifiho Power supply is expected to witness a significant boost in over half of Abia State as...

Meet Engr Oluseun Faluyi, the New National Chairman of Nigerian Institution of Safety Engineers, NISafetyE

Engr Oluseun Faluyi is a graduate of Mechanical Engineering from University of Lagos, and hold an MBA (specialising...