December 16, (THEWILL) – Mrs. Ezeife Njideka, the wife of a former governor of Anambra state, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, is dead.
Mrs. Ezeife died after a brief illness in the United States of America.
Her death was disclosed in a statement signed by the Secretary of the Igbo Elders Council, Professor Charles Nwekeaku.
“With great pains and total submission to the will of God, I write to inform our distinguished Igbo elders of the transition to the great beyond of Her Excellency, Chief (Mrs) Njideka Ezeife, the former first lady of Anambra State and wife of our Chairman, His Excellency, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife after a brief illness in the United States of America.
“Mrs Ezeife, who was scheduled to return to Nigeria on December 13, 2021, suddenly became sick a day before her trip and couldn’t make it.
”May God grant her soul a perfect peace, as well as His Excellency, Dr Ezeife and other members of his family the fortitude to bear her irreparable loss.
“Our members are enjoined to commiserate with the Ezeife family and remember them in prayers,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, the Anambra state government has commiserated with former Governor Ezeife over the death of his wife.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. C Don Adinuba, stated that Mrs Ezeife played a significant part in making the husband become a role model to a generation of not just Igbo people, but all Nigerians.
According to Adinuba, Mrs Ezeife would be remembered for her role in making her husband’s administration adhere strictly to prudent financial management and laying the foundation for the subsequent development of the state.
He said: “The state had just been created when Dr. Ezeife assumed office, and it had practically no infrastructure, no offices, no facilities and no funds,” the commissioner observed.
“Dr Ezeife had to squeeze water out of stone, and he saved a lot of money which he planned to invest in the state’s rapid development in the last two years of the administration which would enable him to win reelection easily, but his lofty plans were truncated when the military struck, once again, in Nigerian politics on November 17, 1993.”
“Far from bemoaning their fate, Mrs Ezeife and the family accepted their new condition with philosophical equanimity.”
“After the military coup that removed her husband from office, Mrs Ezeife encouraged him to continue to take an active part in the affairs of the nation, beginning with Anambra State because of her strong conviction that charity must always start at home.”
“Dr Ezeife accepted the counsel, contributing robustly to Anambra’s rapid development in the last few years, like most other former governors of the state.”
“In appreciation of his sincere and energetic contribution, Governor Willie Obiano appointed him a member of the Anambra State Council of Elders when it was inaugurated.”
Also, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, said it received with heavy shock the news on the unfortunate passage of Late Chief (Mrs) Njideka Ezeife.
In a statement by its secretary-general, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze condoled the husband of the deceased, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife on the sudden demise of his wife and entire Ezeife family, praying almighty God to accept the soul of the deceased and grant her eternal rest.
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