By CHARLES IWUOHA

The remains of foremost Nigeria Educationist and politician, Dr. Basil Nnanna Ukegbu will be laid to rest mother earth on December 30, 2025 at his country home Amafor lmerienwe, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area of Imo State.

The burial date of the elder statesman, Patriarch, and nationalist was jointly announced by Mr Hector Ukegbu and Dr. Philip Ukegbu on behalf of the entire family.

"The family of the late Dr Basil Nnanna Ukegbu, in collaboration with the Imerienwe Autonomous Community, hereby formally announces the burial date of our beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, patriarch, brother, leader, and statesman.

"The burial will take place on 30 December, 2025 at his country home in Amafor, Imerienwe, Ngor Okpala Local Government Area, Imo State. Family, friends, mentees, political associates, and the general public are warmly invited to join us in celebrating the life and legacy of this remarkable statesman."

Born in August 1929, Dr. Ukegbu served as a Federal Parliamentarian (1959–1966) in Lagos, and was Chief Whip (1965–1966) for his party, the National Council of Nigerian Citizens (NCNC), which was a ruling coalition partner in the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He was also the governorship candidate of the Great Nigeria People’s Party (GNPP) in the old Imo State during the 1979 general election.

The educationist and visionary, who earned a PhD in [Economics] History from the University of London, founded Owerri Grammar School (OGS), Imerienwe in 1958, and later, TEDEM and Dorothy Colleges, also in Imerienwe.

In 1982, he established Nigeria’s—and Africa’s—first private university, Imo Technical University. Dr. Ukegbu won a landmark decision at the Nigerian Supreme Court in 1983. This landmark judgment paved the way for the massive growth that was experienced today in the establishment of private universities education in Nigeria.

Dr. Ukegbu was widely respected for his fiscal prudence, personal discipline, and steadfast commitment to probity in public service. From his youth, he was a fearless defender of the underdog and marginalised, an activist dedicated to grassroots development, and a tireless advocate of democratic rule.

In his lifetime, Dr. Basil Nnanna Ukegbu was not only a national political leader but also a devoted family man, a pillar of his community, and a philanthropist. His enduring contributions to his former Owerri Southeast National Constituency—comprising Ngor Okpala LGA and part of Aboh Mbaise LGA in today’s Imo State—and to the nation as a whole, will be remembered for generations to come.

The committee will be working closely with the family and the state government to ensure that Nnanna Ukegbu's contributions to national development and the legacies he left behind are honoured.