TheCable

Nnia Nwodo, a former minister of information, has emerged president-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide.

Nwodo polled 242 votes to defeat his only contestant Chiweyite Ejike, the pioneer vice-chancellor of the then Anambra State University of Science and Technology (ASUTECH), who polled 13 votes.

Simon Ortuanya, a law professor, and Joel Ifeanyi Enugu, withdrew from the race just before the election began.

In a pre-election speech, Nwodo said he was ready to entrench transparency and accountability in running the affairs of the body.

“I will not use this position to make money; if I am asked to die for you, I will do so,” he said

He added that his wife equally lived above board while she served as a justice of the appeal court.

Nwodo said he would have meetings with the Indegenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other pro-Biafra groups in the days to come.

“If we allow them to be killed on daily basis, their blood will be on our head,” he said.

The seven Igbo speaking states — Enugu, Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo, Abia, Delta and Rivers, as well as other affiliate groups, including pro-Biafra groups MASSOB and IPOB — participated in the election with specified number of delegates.

Born on December 11, 1952, Nwodo had his primary education at St. Patrick’s School, Iva Valley, Enugu (1957-1960), Holy Ghost Primary School, Enugu (1961-1962) and St. Mary’s School, Uwani, Enugu in 1963.

For his sec­ondary education, he attended the presti­gious College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu from 1964 to 1970.

He gained admission into the University of Ibadan, Jos Campus, from 1971 to 1972, and University of Ibadan, Ibadan, from 1972 to 1976.

He left for the London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London from 1984 to 1987, heading back for a mandatory stint at Nigeria Law School, Victoria Island, Lagos, in 1988.