Chief Tony Okoroji, Chairman, Copyright Society of Nigeria (COSON), Nigeria’s biggest copyright collective management organization, has expressed deep sadness at the passing of elder statesman and President, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.
Said Chief Okoroji, “many might not know that Chief Iwuanyanwu and I share the same heritage. We both come from the great town of Atta in Ikeduru Local Government of Imo State. He was like my elder brother and gave me needed support during his lifetime. As a young president of PMAN, Chief Iwuanyanwu stood by me and chaired the first ever edition of the Nigerian Music Awards (NMA) held at the National Theatre in Lagos at which President Ibrahim Babaginda was represented by Attorney General, Prince Bola Ajibola. That support easily made the NMA Nigeria’s biggest annual entertainment event and transformed PMAN into one of Nigeria’s most admired organizations.
“We called him “Ahaejiagamba” – the name with which we travelled to other lands. His name opened doors and he touched many lives home and away. His was a bold and visionary personality with immense elasticity of goodness which gave to many of us, his younger brothers, the inspiration to spread our wings and to soar.
“There is no question that Atta has lost a foremost son, Ikeduru has lost a unique ambassador, the Igbo race has lost a great leader and the Nigerian nation and indeed, the world, has lost a great citizen. A great Iroko has fallen!”
