Lady Victoria Aguiyi Ironsi, wife of Nigeria’s first Military Head of State, Major Gen Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi is dead; aged 86.
Lady Aguiyi-Ironsi died at 4am this morning, Monday August 23, 2021, after a prolonged battle with mild stroke. Family sources said she died at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Umuahia where she was admitted few days ago.
This is coming less 24 hours after another titanic Amazon and wife of late Premier of defunct Eastern Region, Dr Michael Iheonukara Okpara died in her country home Umuekwu Okpuala in Ohuhu Clan of Umuahia North LGA of Abia State.
Both Amazons and their spouses hailed from Umuahia North LGA and had kept low profile lifestyles since the demise of their husbands many years ago. Aguiyi Ironsi died in July 29, 1966 during a counter coup which was led by some Northern military officers, while Okpara died in December 15, 1984 after celebrating a cultural festival in Umuekwu Okpuala.
Our Reporter who saw the corpse of Lady Aguiyi Ironsi being deposited at the morgue in Umuahia (name withheld) said both her husband’s kinsmen and her maiden family members were there to ensure that the body of the elder stateswoman was properly deposited in the mortuary.
Dr Michael Okpara ruled the Eastern Region as a civilian Premier from 1959 to January 15, 1966, while Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi started his journey of ruling Nigeria from January 15, 1966. Aguiyi-Ironsi seized power amidst the ensuring chaos following January 25, 1966 military coup.
The states in the defunct Eastern Region which Okpara ruled as a democratic Premier are: Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers States.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
