Renowned insurance professional who is still hailed across Africa and beyond for his pedigree, Prof. Joe Irukwu, is dead. He died yesterday at the age of 89.
The statement by Prince Harrison Eze Okorie, President General, Amaokwe Item Welfare Union, said: “The Amaokwe Item Welfare Union on behalf of entire Amaba Ukwu kindred and the immediate family hereby announce the glorious but painful demise of our great patron, father, grandfather, son and brother, PROF (Chief)Joseph Ogbonnaya Irukwu, SAN CFR.
The Union while commiserating with the family, urged all to uphold his family in prayers in this moment of grief. He was also a past President General of Ohaneze Ndi Igbo.
Irukwu, a lawyer, lecturer, author and insurance guru, was the founding managing director of Nigerian Reinsurance Corporation.
He founded African Development Insurance Company thereafter, which was later sold to Diamond Bank.
Irukwu obtained a degree in Law and Insurance from a British university in 1962. He was one of the leading lights in the African insurance landscape and was instrumental to the formation of bodies such as: African insurance Organization (AIO); West African insurance Association (WAICA) and more.
In Nigeria, he was a former Chairman, Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA); President, Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) amongst others.
His demise was also collaborated by a source at the Nigerian Insurers Association which would be involved as soon as the family rolls out the funeral programme.
