The news of the death of Alex Ekwueme, former Vice President of Nigerian, filtered into the country early on Monday.
Ekwueme died in a UK hospital at 10 pm on Sunday.
“Ekwueme family regrets to announce the peaceful passing away of their patriarch, the former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr. Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON,” read a statement issued by Laz Ekwueme, Alex’s younger brother.
“The sad event occurred at the London Clinic at 10:00 pm on Sunday 19th November 2017.”
Ekwueme was one of Nigeria’s most educated political leaders.
He had his primary education at St John’s Anglican Central School, in his Home town, Ekwulobia, in Aguata Local Government Area of Anambra State.
He then proceeded to King’s College, Lagos from where he earned a Fulbright scholarship to study Architecture and City Planning at the University of Washington, United States.
Ekwueme later obtained a masters degree in Urban Planning and, later, a PhD in Architecture from the University of Strathclyde, UK.
He also obtained degrees in Sociology, History, Philosophy and Law from the University of London, and later attended the Nigerian Law School and was also called to the Bar.
Ekwueme is the first person to set up an indigenous architectural firm in Nigeria – Ekwueme Associates, Architects and Town Planners. He was president of the Nigerian Institute of Architects and until his death he remained institute’s Board of Trustees chairman.
During the Nigeria civil war between 1967 and 1970, Ekwueme served as the head of Planning of the Biafran Airports Board and is credited with the construction of the Uli and Uga Airports which were used by the Biafran government.
FIRST VICE PRESIDENT, JAILED BY BUHARI
Ekwueme was the first politically elected Vice President of Nigeria, when he ran as running mate to Shehu Shagari under the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the 1979 Presidential election.
The administration completed its first tenure from 1979 to 1983, contested and won a second term in office, but was ousted by a military coup that brought in Muhammadu Buhari, then an Army General, as head of State.
Following the coup, some politicians, including Ekwueme, were accused of corruption and detained at the Kirikiri Prison in Lagos. He remained there for 20 months before he was discharged by a military tribunal.
ABANDONED BY THE PDP
Ekwueme was the founding chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after he mobilized 34 eminent Nigerians who risked their lives to stand up against the dictatorial military administration of Sani Abacha.
He also became the first chairman of the party’s Board of Trustees.
However, in an interview in 2015, Ekwueme lamented that he had been subjected to “humiliation and neglect” by the PDP leadership.
“The truth is that the PDP as it is today was not the PDP we founded in 1998; that is the truth, I won’t hide it from anybody,” he said.
“It is not the PDP I risked my life to found in 1998. Now, PDP has been hijacked by people who have no philosophical or spiritual attachment to the precepts that informed formation of the party in 1998.
“People who founded and worked for the party are alienated by poor management of success, and those who do not have the patience, some of us have decided to find new channels to fulfill their political ambitions.
“I, for instance, the chairman of the party, first chairman of Board of Trustees, first chairman from the civil society to G34 and so on, if I was not myself, I’m not bragging, I am being modest, I have no reason to be in PDP today. All I have received throughout the years is humiliation and neglect.”
“I have no business being in PDP today because I am not a noisemaker. I am not created to be a noisemaker or to create trouble, they are using it to deny me whatever is due to me.
FLOWN ABROAD BY BUHARI
Ekwueme turned 85 on October 21, few weeks later, he took ill and reportedly collapsed in his residence in Enugu.
He was immediately taken to the Memfys Neurosurgery Hospital, Enugu, where he relapsed and went into a coma.
It was again, Buhari, now a civilian President, who gave directives that Ekwueme be flown abroad for proper medical treatment.
No sooner had Ekwueme arrive the UK, than a fake report started making the rounds that he had died. But the rumour was quickly dispelled.
On Monday, however, it was reported that truly, the perfect Nigerian gentleman politician, Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme (GCON) has gone the way of all flesh.