The apex Igbo cultural organization – Ohanaeze Ndigbo – has joined numerous Nigerians to pay tribute to Nigeria’s first Minister of Aviation, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, aka ‘The Boy Is Good’.
Amechi died on Tuesday at the age of 93 years.
Paying tribute to the late elder statesman, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, described Amechi as a quintessential Igbo titan, icon and a trail blazer.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide joins numerous well-wishers both at home and in the Diaspora to mourn a quintessential Igbo titan, icon and trail blazer, Chief Mbazulike Amechi (Dara Akunwafor aka, The Boy is Good) as he bows out after eventful years on earth.
“Ohaaeze Ndigbo recalls with freshness how Dara mortgaged the bloom of his youth to fight for Nigerian independence. On several occasions, he was arrested and detained by the colonial authorities and in more than two occasions he preferred imprisonment to bowing to the oppressors.
“Other courageous youths who volunteered in that sacred obligation include Osita Agwuna, Nduka Eze, Mokwugo Okoye, Raji Abdallah, Ikenna Nzimiro, Anthony Enahoro, among others.
“When last the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, led by Amb. Prof George Obiozor, CON paid a courtesy call on Amaechi, we were happy to discover that those passionate, revolutionary, edifying zest and robust intellect that characterise freedom fighters were still very intact in him.”