A former deputy governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Kingsley Moghalu has felicitated an erstwhile secretary-general of the Commonwealth of Nations, Chukwuemeka Anyaoku, on his 91st birthday.
The elder statesman and Africa’s foremost living career diplomat turned 91 on Thursday, January 18, 2024.
In his glowing tribute, Moghalu who holds the chieftaincy title of ‘Ifekaego Nnewi’ also congratulated Anyaoku, the Ichie Adazie of Obosi Kingdom in Anambra State on the inauguration of his inspirational legacy project, the Emeka & Bunmi Anyaoku Library built by the Emeka & Bunmi Anyaoku Foundation.
“As his personal guest at Adazie’s country home in Obosi two years ago, it was my honor to have been given a personal tour of this elegant, values-laden project by Chief Anyaoku as it neared completion, on the eve of the occasion of the 2021 edition of the Emeka Anyaoku Annual Lecture, hosted that year by the then governor of Anambra State, Willie Obiano and hosted in rotation annually by the state governors of Nigeria’s 36 States.
“I was privileged to have served as the guest lecturer of the 2021 Emeka Anyaoku Lecture in Awka, the Anambra State Capital. The elder statesman shared with me how much this legacy contribution to his community meant to him and how, even in his retirement and advanced age, much of his savings had gone into building the library.
“What a statement of the values that matter to him – and should matter to us all – that a man of this pedigree should make this kind of personal sacrifice for the education of the present and coming generations of young minds,” the ex CBN boss said.
According to him, it is double congratulations to one of Africa’s most distinguished personages of the 20th and 21st centuries, who has played key leadership and behind-the-scenes roles in resolving conflicts, promoting democracy, and advancing economic and social development in the 56 countries of the commonwealth.
Moghalu also congratulated the former diplomat’s wife, Mrs Bunmi Anyaoku, Ugoma Idemmili, who has been Adazie’s pillar of support.
