Biafra War Lord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu dies in Hospital.

22 days after his 78th birthday, former Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu succumbed to the cold hands of death.

The family said in a statement that their patriarch died of stroke in the Royal Berkshire Hospital, United Kingdom, in the early hours of Nov 26. Ojukwu had been flown to the London hospital almost one year ago, precisely December 23, 2010, after he suffered what doctors called “massive stroke” and went unconscious.

He was initially treated at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Enugu, before the trip abroad in an air ambulance. He was born on November 4, 1933 in Zungeru in today’s Niger State.

When Igbo leaders converged at the GRA, Enugu residence of Ojukwu on November 4, 2011 to mark his 78th birthday in his absence, little did they know that the funeral of Eze Igbo Gburugburu was coming so soon. In London, he was immediately admitted at the London Clinic where he was moved into the Intensive Care Unit, ICU. From December 2010 to March 2011, Ojukwu remained in the ICU of London Clinic. It was by the mercy of God that he went through that process and recovered consciousness and came out of ICU. There is no gainsaying that all the people he met at the ICU, I mean co-patients including those that came in after him all died except him to the Glory of God.

Former Biafran Leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s body will be flown to three African countries and one American country before the final burial in his Nnewi country home, according to his will.

Anambra State Governor, Mr. Peter Obi, who gave the indication, yesterday, in Awka said that Odumegwu-Ojukwu listed where his body would be taken to before burial.

The countries are nations that supported the Biafran struggle and recognised Biafra as an independent state. They are Gabon, Tanzania, Ivory Coast and Haiti

Despite his famed reputation as a nononsense man, Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was widely acknowledged as a ladies’ man. That he had a soft spot for women is like stating the obvious. As one of Nigeria’s most famous men, women got easily attracted to Ojukwu, as bees are attracted to honey. The late politician, in his lifetime, loved women, beautiful women. And they also loved him in return.

That many women wanted to have relationships with Ojukwu was understandable. He had many things going for him. First, he came from a wealthy background, with a father that was adjudged as one of Nigeria’s most richest man in the 50’s and 60’s; secondly, he was a highly polished man, whose impeccable manners was quite outstanding; thirdly, Ojukwu received the best education from the prestigious Oxford University, UK, and lastly, he was an officer of the Nigerian Army, an elite profession.