Dr. Alvan Ikoku (1900 - 1971)

Dr. Ikoku was an educationist and politician, was born at Amanagwu in Imo State on 1st August 1900, to a wealthy merchant family. He trained as a teacher, and later bagged a degree in Philosophy. In 1931, Ikoku resigned to establish his own college called the Aggrey Memorial College, named after the eminent Ghanaian educationist, Dr Aggrey. Ikoku was actively involved in the activities of the Nigerian Union of Teachers and he became its National President in 1955. He also participated in politics, serving  both in the Eastern Nigeria House of Assembly  as well as the Legislative Council in Lagos.  While in government, he applied his influence to foster the interests education. He died on 18th November 1971.

Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe (1904 -1996):

Widely known as “Zik of Africa”, he was the first democratically elected president of Nigeria in 1963. Nigeria has just become a republic after its independence from Britain in 1960. He remained in office till 1966 when he was removed by a military coup. The coup led to civil war in June 1967 when the Igbos seceded to set up the republic of Biafra. He worked abroad for Biafra secession but advocated reunification with the Federation of Nigeria when he saw the war was doomed.

Chief Dennis Osadebe (1911 - 1995)
Chief Osadebe was a lawyer, politician, poet and in the early 1960's, became the first Premier of Mid-Western Nigeria. Chief Osadebe was on record to have pursued a policy of ethnic integration and even development as he expressed geographical equity in the location of government companies: Ukpilla Cement factory (North), Delta Glass (South) and Asaba Textile Mills (East).

Professor Chinua Achebe (Born in 1930):

Chinua Achebe is a world-acclaimed novelist, university don, and author of many books, including the classic, “Things Fall Apart”. Achebe is Nigeria and Africa's most celebrated author and poet. His modern African classic, “Things Fall Apart” published in 1958, has sold over 10 million copies around the world and exists in 50 different languages. Professor Chinua Achebe has received numerous awards for his work, including the Commonwealth Poetry prize, the New Statesman Jock Campbell prize, and the Margaret Wrong prize.

Flora Nwapa (1931 - 1993):

Nwapa is best known as a Nigerian writer, teacher, administrator and a forerunner of a whole generation of African women writers. Her work concentrates on the re-creating Igbo life and customs from a woman's viewpoint. With EFURU (1966), Nwapa became Africa's first internationally published female novelist in the English language. She has been called the mother of modern African literature.

Cardinal Francis Arinze (Born in 1932):

Cardinal Arinze is a leading cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and has been the Prefect of the congregation for Divine worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments. Cardinal Arinze was one of the principal advisors to Pope John Paul II and was Africa's most highly regarded candidate to succeed Pope John Paul II before the election of Benedict.

Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu “Ikemba Nnewi” (Born in 1933):

Ojukwu was the leader of the secessionist republic of Biafra in Nigeria from 1967-1970, during the Nigerian civil war. He is widely respected among the Igbo, as a very competent commander and inspirational leader, holding out for 31 months during the war with minimal support from outside nations. Under his leadership, Biafra finally surrendered on January 8 th 1970. 

Eleazar Chukwuemeka (Emeka) Anyaoku (Born in 1933):

  Chief Anyaoku was the Former Secretary-General of the Commonwealth. His career spans 30 years of Commonwealth initiatives and negotiations. He has been actively involved in such thorny issues as the Gibraltar referendum of 1967, the Nigerian civil war of 1967-70, the St Kitts-Nevis-Anguilla constitutional crisis of 1969-70, the problems following Commonwealth Games boycotts during the 1980s and the process leading to peace and democracy in Zimbabwe, Namibia and, in particular, South Africa. He was also closely involved in the establishment in New York of a joint office for small Commonwealth countries who are thus enabled to be represented at the United Nations. In early 1997, he organized the first African Commonwealth Heads of Government Roundtable to promote democracy and good governance on the continent.

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (Born in 1954):

Dr. Okonjo-Iweala, a Nigerian national is the Minister of Finance for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a job she assumed on July 18th 2003. Prior to this appointment, Dr. Okonjo-Iweala was Vice President and Corporate Secretary of the World Bank Group. She is Nigeria's first female finance minister. So far in Nigeria, she has overhauled the budgeting and expenditure processes; halted spending of windfall gains from higher than expected oil prices; slashed the budget deficit and introduced unprecedented levels of transparency and disclosure in the national accounts. She has also prepared legislation to hold ministers and state governors of Nigeria accountable to spending plans and limits. Now she is targeting the bloated and wasteful public sector.

Philip Emeagwali (Born in 1954):

Emeagwali is a Nigerian-born computer scientist who is widely known as one of 2 winners of the Gordon Bell prize for his use of the connection machine supercomputer to help analyze petroleum fields. He has received numerous other awards such as the “Best scientist in Africa ”, “Distinguished Scientist Award” (1998), and “Computer Scientist of the Year” Awards. In a survey by New African magazine, he was voted 35 th “Greatest African of all time”.

Dr. Mrs. Dora Nkem Akunyili (Born in 1954):

Dora Akunyili, director general of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has led her agency on a persistent fight to root out both internal corruption and low standards for food and drugs. Before she took over NAFDAC, adulterated or contaminated drugs and foods were rampant in Nigeria. Amid her crusades against fake and substandard products, Akunyili has made powerful enemies but continues with determination. Dr. Akunyili is an internationally renowned Pharmacist, Pharmacologist, Erudite Scholar, Seasoned Administrator, and a visionary leader.

Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara:

Dr. Michael Iheonukara Okpara was the Premier of Eastern Nigeria and leader of the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), known at its birth as the National Council of Nigeria and Cameroon. He and Chief Dennis Osadebay of the Mid-West were the only Regional Premiers who survived the army revolt of January, 1966, in which two other premiers were killed.

Christina Anyanwu

Christina Anyanwu was the founder, editor and publisher of Nigeria's “The Sunday Magazine”. She also held positions as a Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) news anchor, and a former Imo state Information Commissioner. Anyanwu was imprisoned in 1995 for publishing an article about the authors of an attempted coup by the military government under the leadership of General Sani Abacha. She was later released after the death of Abacha. In 1995, she was awarded the Reporters Sans Frontieres-Foundation de France annual prize. In 1998, she along with 4 other women was honored by a U.S.-based women's media foundation for her courage on the job. Her other achievements and awards include the Courage in Journalism Award by the International Women's media foundation.

***There are many noble and well deserving Igbo people who were not mentioned on this page. However, if you find someone that deserves to be on this site, feel free to find a good picture of him/her, add a small write up; and email it to contact@umuigbounite.com. We will be happy to review and add it if necessary. Thanks!