Politician and a multi-billion naira investment mogul, Chief Arthur Nzeribe is dead.At his country home known as ‘Haven of Peace’, located at Egbuoma community in Oguta Local Government Area of Imo, a man, Mr Justinian Nzeribe, who identified himself as the only surviving child of eight Nzeribe siblings, confirmed the death of the icon.
Mr Justinian said he received the sad news at about 6:00 a.m. on Sunday.
“When I heard it, I summoned courage and took it as a rumour until around 12 noon when the traditional ruler of Oguta summoned me to break the news.
“He has been sick for years of stroke.
“He was a simple man. Despite being great, he would always ask you to stay out of trouble.
“He was a champion of peace and an icon of my time, who left a lot of legacies behind, both political and his life style,” he said.
Meanwhile, Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State has expressed sadness over the death of former politician and senator, Arthur Nzeribe, describing his death as a big loss to the state and Nigeria at large.
The Governor’s Media Adviser, Oguwike Nwachuku, in a statement made available to newsmen in Owerri on Sunday said that Nzeribe reportedly died on Sunday at the age of 83.
He added that the late lawmaker “will forever be remembered as a political juggernaut in Nigeria.
“His death has robbed Imo and Nigeria of a seasoned politician and business icon, and died when his fatherly and statesmanly advice were badly needed,” he said.
The governor commiserated with the family members of Sen Nzeribe, the people of Oguta, where he hails from, his political and business associates, friends and well wishers on his passing, urging them to pray for the deceased’s soul.
He said the death was a personal loss to his family, the government and people of Imo and prayed God to grant the deceased a peaceful repose.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Nzeribe represented Imo West senatorial district between October 1983 and December 1983 in the Second Republic on the platform of the Nigeria People’s Party (NPP).
At the return of the third republic he also represented the people of Imo West between May 1999 and May 2007 on the platform of the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Nzeribe was born in Oguta on Nov. 2, 1938. His father, Oyimba Nzeribe, was a lawyer and former state counsel, and his grandfather, Akpati Nzeribe, held the traditional title of Ogbuagu, Oshiji, Damanze Oyimba of Oguta.
His second wife is the sister of Hajia Asabe Yar’Adua, wife of the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, who was brother of late President Umaru Yar’Adua.
Nzeribe lost his mother when he was a primary school pupil, while his father was away in Great Britain studying law.
His care was taken over by Catholic priests, who were involved in furthering his education.
He attended Bishop Shanahan College, Orlu and Holy Ghost College, Owerri. In 1957, he traveled to Lagos where he obtained employment with Nigeria’s Port Authority (NPA) as an engineering cadet.
A year later, he received a scholarship from the NPA to study marine engineering. He took courses at Portsmouth College of Technology and later attended Chesterfield College of Technology in England.
By 1960, he was selling life insurance to black immigrants in Britain. Returning to Nigeria in 1961, he was briefly an employee of Shell, then for a few months an Air Force cadet. Thereafter, he worked for Gulf Oil at the firm’s Escravos facility.
Nzeribe soon left Gulf Oil and returned to London, where he opened Jeafan, a public relations firm, with one Ghanaian and two English partners.
The firm worked with a number of African diplomatic missions in London including the Ghana High Commission.
The well dressed and mannered Nzeribe was able to gain the confidence of a few notable clients and through the Ghana Commission, he met Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and started to work for him in public relations.
Nkrumah also introduced him to other African leaders.
