Former Anambra State Governor, Chief Willie Maduaburochukwu Obiano, has died in London after months of declining health. Family members said the end came suddenly, even though doctors had battled to stabilise him for weeks.
He was reportedly receiving treatment for heart failure and complications linked to urinary cancer. A senior family source described the mood as heavy.
“His health had been declining, but the final collapse came suddenly. We are devastated,” the source said.
Hospital officials confirmed that Obiano spent his final hours in intensive care and “fought till the very last moment.”
Obiano took over from the Labour Party 2023 presidential candidate, Peter Obi, in 2014 and governed till 2022, handing over to incumbent governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo.
His time in government was marked by impressive infrastructural development, including the building and commissioning of the Chinua Achebe International Airport at Umueri, and the state-of-the-art International Conference Centre (ICC) at Awka, amongst others.
The period of his governance was also marked by relative industrial and political calm, even while it was during the height of separatist agitations in the South East region.
Obiano was born on 8 August 1955 and hails from Aguleri in Anambra State. He was married to the former First Lady, Osodieme Ebele Obiano, who in 2023 unsuccessfully contested the seat for the Senate. They were married with children.
Before his death, Obiano faced a ₦4 billion money laundering case filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The matter was scheduled for continuation on November 25 at the Federal High Court in Abuja, after being reassigned to Justice Mohammed Umar. EFCC’s counsel, Sylvanus Tahir (SAN), had already presented witnesses, including a former bank officer who managed the security vote account tied to the former governor.
He told the court he interacted “daily and weekly” with state officials responsible for the transactions.
Obiano had persistently maintained his innocence of the charges against him.
His departure has come as a rude shock to the people of the state, the South-East region and beyond.
No statement yet has been formally made by the family or the government of Anambra State as of press time.
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