The Ekwueme family has announced the passing away of their patriarch, the former Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON, at 85.
The sad event, according to a press statement by HRH Laz Ekwueme, the Igwe of Oko, occurred at The London Clinic at 10:00 pm on Sunday 19th November 2017.
Born on 21 October 1932, the first elected Vice-President of Nigeria, in office from 1979 to 1983,he was, according to Wikipedia, the Ide of the Oko kingdom in Anambra State, where his younger brother Prof Lazarus Ekwueme, reigns as the traditional ruler.
The former VP started primary school at the St John’s Anglican Central School, at Ekwulobia, then he proceeded to King’s College, Lagos. As an awardee of the Fulbright Scholarship in the United States of America (being one of the first Nigerians to gain the award), he attended the University of Washington where he earned bachelor’s degree in Architecture and city planning. He obtained his master’s degree in urban planning. Dr Ekwueme also earned degrees in sociology, history, philosophy and law from the University of London. He later proceeded to obtain a Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of Strathclyde, before gaining the BL (honours) degree from the Nigerian Law School.
He was distinguished architect. He started his professional career as an Assistant Architect with a Seattle-based firm, Leo A. Daly and Associates, and also with the London-based firm Nickson and Partners. On his return to Nigeria, he joined ESSO West Africa, Lagos, overseeing the Construction and Maintenance department.