Obiano to unveil new book on Anambra light bearers

GOVERNOR Willie Obiano is to unveil a new book in Awka tomorrow, detailing the light bearers of the state, including some of the current 1,500 billionaires in the state.

The book, entitled “Icons of Anambra State,’’ was written by a researcher and biographer, Mr Uchechukwu Elugu.

The 317-page book, details the lives and times of some remarkable men and women, who made the difference to make Anambra the leading state in the South East.

The publication, sponsored by three leading banks, traces the resilience and enterprise that made the state to produce the highest number of achievers in Nigeria since the 20th century.

Anambra, which prides itself as “The Light of the Nation’’ currently has the lowest poverty rate in Nigeria with a Gross Domestic Product of $11.83 billion.

The state’s per capita income currently stands at $1,615, according to official records.

Notable personalities discussed in the publication are Prof Chinua Achebe, Africa’s most famous novelist, Prof. Kenneth Onwuka Dike, a leading historian and first African Vice-Chancellor of Nigeria’s premier university at Ibadan.

Others are Cyprian Tansi, Dr Pius Okigbo, Sir Louis Mbanefo, Chief Jerome Udoji, Prof. Dora Akunyili and Chief Emeka Anyaoku, the first black Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Also discussed in the publication are Lt.-Gen. Isaac Obiakor, Cardinal Francis Arinze, Prof. Lawrence Dim, Mrs Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, Mr Oscar Onyema, Prof Ben Nwabueze, Dr Olisa Agbakoba and Mrs Oby Ezekwesili.

Other Anambra icons include Prof Alex Animalu, Prof P.N Okeke, Prof Elo Amaucheazi, Dr A.B.C. Orjiako, Dr Emeka Okwuosa, Mrs Uju Ifejika, Prof Charles Soludo, Chief Chris Ezeh and Mr Mustafa Chike-Obi.

The others are Mr Otis Anyaeji, Chief Simon Okeke, Chief Fabian Nwora, Chief Innocent Chukwuma, Chief Cletus Ibeto, Dr Cosmas Maduka, Dame Virgy Etiaba, Mr Peter Obi and Mr Allen Onyema of Air Peace Airlines.

The publication also lists Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, cited as the most famous pan-Africanist of the 20th century and Dr Alex Ekwueme, Nigeria’s second republic Vice-President.

Among other pacesetters mentioned in the publication are Sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu, the billionaire father of Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.

Other outstanding achievers celebrated in the compendium are Sen Nwafor Orizu and Prof. Chike Obi, a leading mathematician.

Obi, who was famous for his work on non-differential equations also developed a special solution for Fermat’s Last Theorem.