Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has described the death of Chief Arthur Nwankwo as devastating to Ndigbo.

Nwankwo, politician, and publisher, died at the age of 77 years at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Ozalla, Enugu State, on Saturday.

In a statement signed by Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Chief Chuks Ibegbu, Nwankwo was described as an intellectual giant, activist, and political philosopher.

Meanwhile, a condolence register was opened yesterday at the Enugu residence of the late leader of Eastern Mandate Union (EMU).

Anambra State government yesterday condoled with the family and entire people of Ajalli over his demise.

A statement by the Commissioner of Information and Public Enlightenment, C.Don Adinuba, described Nwankwo’s passage as painful and glorious.

“Painful because Nwankwo was one of the few people in the world who should never die, and glorious because he was able to achieve so much for not just his country but also humanity,” it stated.

The state described Nwankwo as a real statesman, adding: “Governor Willie Obiano thanks the Nwankwo family for keeping in touch with his government in the last few weeks of their leader.”

Ekiti State Governor Kayode Fayemi also described the death of Nwankwo, the former Vice Chairman of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), as a huge loss to the pro-democracy family and the country at large.

Fayemi, in a condolence message, signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Yinka Oyebode, described the deceased as one of the country’s foremost rights activists and a patriot who defied all odds in the battle against the military dictatorship, which led to the enthronement of democracy in the country.

“Nigeria and indeed the civil society has lost a rare gem. Dr. Nwankwo loved his people and his country so passionately he would do everything humanly possible to ensure their freedom and prosperity in a free, just and decent society,” Fayemi said.

The 2019 presidential candidate of Peoples Trust (PT), Mr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim, said the death of his former running mate marked the depletion of the remnants of Nigeria’s intellectual political giants.

Lamenting the loss of the late elder statesman, Olawepo-Hashim said Nwankwo was not only a patriot but also a crusader for democracy.

“He lived an exemplary life for the promotion of good governance in Nigeria,” he added.

While commiserating with the immediate family of the deceased and the Enugu State government, Olawepo-Hashim noted that the late Nwankwo worked tirelessly for the return of democracy to Nigeria and deserved to be immortalised.