George Obiozor, president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, is dead.

Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo, announced the development in a statement on Wednesday night.

“On behalf of the Government and people of Imo State, I, Hope Uzodimma, Governor of Imo State, sorrowfully announce the passage of a great Son of Imo State and Nigeria, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, worldwide, George Obiozor,” the statement reads.

“A renowned academic, an exceptional diplomat, a statesman, and a tenacious patriot, Obiozor passed on recently after a brief illness.

“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 Southeast, and the entire Nigeria.

“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.

“His burial arrangements will be announced in due course by the family. May his great and gentle soul rest in peace.”

The development comes hours after earlier claims on Tuesday that he had died, but the organisation had dismissed the reports and said he was alive at the time.

Obiozor was elected president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide in January 2021.

The Cable