The former Executive Chairman of the old Nkanu Local Government Area, Hon. Prince Sir William Chukwuani, who passed away on December 13, 2024, will be buried on Saturday, January 25, 2025 in his hometown of Ozalla in Nkanu West LGA.
Prince Chukwuani was the first elected Chairman of the old Nkanu LGA, and at 43 years, one of the youngest Chairmen in the history of the coucil, when he assumed office in 1988.
As Chairman, he was highly rated for his agricultural and human empowerment programmes such as the procurement of tractors and distribution of fertilizers and other inputs to farmers to boost food production, construction and renovation of schools and health centers, provision of desks and writing materials, and grading of roads across the rural communities. He is also remembered as a colorful politician who mobilized and inspired an new generation of Nkanu youths into politics.
At a lying-in-state ceremony hosted by the Nkanu West Local Government Council in his honour at the Council Secretariat on Thursday, the Executive Chairman of the local government, which served as the headquarters of the old Nkanu LGA, Hon. John Ogbodo paid glowing tribute to Prince Chukwuani., describing his tenure as impactful.
“Late Chukwuani’s tenure was impactful going by so many infrastructures he left across the old Nkanu Local Government, including the construction of an NYSC block at the local government secretariat, amongst other life changing and empowerment programmes”, he said.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Chairman of the council, Engr. Friday Nnam, and the Secretary to the Local Government, Barr. Onochie Igwesi, among other senior government functionaries, dignitaries and family members.
The old Nkanu Local Government Area was later divided into Nkanu East and West LGAs in the last creation of new local governments in the country in 1996 by the General Sani Abacha military administration.
Prince Chukwuani, who hailed from Ozalla, was the son of the late first class monarch of unified Ozalla, Igwe Clifford Nwafor Chukwuani, and the grandson of the former Paramount Ruler of Nkanu, Chief Chukwuani Nwangwu.
A burial programme released by his son, Mr Valentine Chukwuani, said there will be a vigil mass on Friday, January 24, 2025 in his compound at Ishi-Ozalla, at 5 pm.
On Saturday, January 25, 2025, there will be a funeral mass at St. Vincent’s Catholic Church, Ishi Ozalla, at 12 noon, followed by interment in his compound.
Reception and condolence visits will be at Community Primary School, Ishi-Ozalla, the same Saturday, while the thanksgiving and outing mass by the family will be on Sunday, January 26, at St. Vincent’s Catholic Church, Ishi-Ozalla.
