Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) - Politics

Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) - Politics - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum › Nairaland General › Politics › Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) (11395 Views)

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Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Racoon(op): 5:21pm On Jul 30, 2025

Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 – 19 November 2017) was a Nigerian politician who served as the first elected vice president of Nigeria from 1979 to 1983 during the Second Nigerian Republic under President Shehu Shagari as a member of the National Party of Nigeria.

Education
Ekwueme started primary school at the St John's Anglican Central School, at Ekwulobia, then he proceeded to King's College, Lagos. As an awardee of the Fulbright Scholarship in the United States of America (being one of the first Nigerians to gain the award), He attended the University of Washington where he earned bachelor's degree in Architecture and city planning.

He obtained his master's degree in urban planning. Dr. Ekwueme also earned degrees in sociology, history, philosophy and law from the University of London. He later proceeded to obtain a Ph.D. in Architecture from the University of Strathclyde, before gaining the BL (honours) degree from the Nigerian Law School.

Early Career
Ekwueme was a distinguished architect. He started his professional career as an Assistant Architect with a Seattle-based firm, Leo A. Daly and Associates, and also with the London based firm Nickson and Partners. On his return to Nigeria, he joined ESSO West Africa, Lagos, overseeing the Construction and Maintenance department.

He then went on to create a successful private business with his firm - Ekwueme Associates, Architects and Town Planners, the first indigenous architectural firm in Nigeria.

His practice flourished with 16 offices spread all over Nigeria and was wound up in preparation for Ekwueme assuming office as the first executive vice president of Nigeria. Ekwueme had presided over the Nigerian Institute of Architects and the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria.

He was chairman of the board of trustees of the Nigerian Institute of Architects. Before Ekwueme gained national and international limelight as the vice president of Nigeria in 1979, he was actively involved in the socio-economic development of his community.

In addition to his many public service roles within his community, Ekwueme started an active Educational Trust Fund that has been responsible for sponsoring the education of several hundred youths to universities in Nigeria and abroad.

Ekwueme was a member of the housing sub-committee of the Adebo Salaries and Wages Review Commission. He also served for many years on the board of the Anambra State Housing Development Authority On the national front.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/17DJY1hSvu/
Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017)

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Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Racoon(op): 5:25pm On Jul 30, 2025

Ekwueme was a distinguished architect. He went on to create a successful private business with his firm - Ekwueme Associates, Architects and Town Planners, the first indigenous architectural firm in Nigeria. His practice flourished with 16 offices spread all over Nigeria....

Before Ekwueme gained national and international limelight as the vice president of Nigeria in 1979, he was actively involved in the socio-economic development of his community.

In addition to his many public service roles within his community, Ekwueme started an active Educational Trust Fund that has been responsible for sponsoring the education of several hundred youths to universities in Nigeria and abroad.

9 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Goodvibes007: 5:26pm On Jul 30, 2025

This was the man that colluded with Shagari to chase Ghana away from Nigeria. They did it to find a scape goat for their poor management of the economy.

The tribal bigot also made a very useless supremacist statement that after the white man, the next most important of God's creation is the Igbo man. This reeks of colonial mentality and inferiority complex.

25 Likes 2 Shares

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by MufasaLion: 5:28pm On Jul 30, 2025

Bunch of useless old people. Shame on him and his cohorts.

8 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by SultanOfPuna: 5:47pm On Jul 30, 2025

There are many other streets in Lagos that have igbo names.

.especially in the island.

Only in trenches ghetto were you see them changing names of street

Poverty mentality no good at all

6 Likes 1 Share

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Raskimonojendor: 5:47pm On Jul 30, 2025

SultanOfPuna:
There are many other streets in Lagos that have igbo names.

.especially in the island.

Only in trenches ghetto were you see them changing names of street

Poverty mentality no good at all

Paintement is too much for you. Lmao.

This topic wasn't even about street naming.

28 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by OSUNADC: 5:49pm On Jul 30, 2025

A revered gentleman Statesman of noble repute from Igbo extraction. History will always be kind to him.

May he continue to rest.

ADC: HERE WE COME!!!

20 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by GeneralPula: 5:51pm On Jul 30, 2025

What are the significant things he did for Nigeria?

He should park well..

22 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by mightyhaze: 6:03pm On Jul 30, 2025

You won't know of an old man's youthfulness n handsomeness till u see his old pics..his looks reminds me of otunba gbenga daniels

1 Like

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Tingotoe: 6:15pm On Jul 30, 2025

Goodvibes007:
This was the man that colluded with Shagari to chase Ghana away from Nigeria. They did it to find a scape goat for their poor management of the economy.

The tribal bigot also made a very useless supremacist statement that after the white man, the next most important of God's creation is the Igbo man. This reeks of colonial mentality and inferiority complex.

Why can't you just concentrate on the positive side of his life achievements and pass?

7 Likes 1 Share

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Nobody: 6:24pm On Jul 30, 2025*

Shortly b4 his death,he was asked by a female journalist on how he Saw those who locked him in kirikiri, he said he had long forgiven and forgot all that happened, she was moved to tears. Buhabokori who imprisoned, while shagari, the president, was on house arrest him is dead

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Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by axglide(m): 6:27pm On Jul 30, 2025

According to a story from my pops

During the civil war, Ekwueme had to move to the east from Lagos. His neighbor in Lagos, a young Banker named Subomi Balogun, kept his property, renovated it, rented it out and returned the accrued rent to his neighbor Ekwueme when he returned.

Ekwueme was surprised but thanked the banker.

When Ekwueme became VP, the young banker then wanted a banking license and he approached the Government for a license, which the government which Ekwueme was a VP couldn’t deny him; the rest they say is history. And that’s how FCMB was born.

https://www.inigerian.com/alex-ekwueme-subomi-balogun/

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Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Elusive001: 6:35pm On Jul 30, 2025*

MufasaLion:
Bunch of useless old people. Shame on him and his cohorts.

.....Ekwueme was thrown into a common jail in Kirikiri. He had no political clout. Shagari was treated with residual dignity. Hundreds of other politicians were found guilty of embezzlement of public funds. Nothing was found on Ekwueme. The vice president of an infinitely corrupt NPN government was whistle clean. The trial judge attested that Ekwueme, who was a multimillionaire prior to his incursion into politics, left the government house poorer than he had entered.[color=#990000][/color]

Everyone says Ekwueme was different from the others. He wasn’t given to compulsive theft of public funds. He was wealthy but abhorred frivolity and exhibitionism. He stayed away from rancor and left bitterness for thugs. When others howled and threw tantrums, Ekwueme furnished objective reasons and proffered solutions.....

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2017/12/alex-ekwueme-great-man-lived-mad-country/amp/

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Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by tommy589(m): 6:35pm On Jul 30, 2025

Goodvibes007:
This was the man that colluded with Shagari to chase Ghana away from Nigeria. They did it to find a scape goat for their poor management of the economy.

The tribal bigot also made a very useless supremacist statement that after the white man, the next most important of God's creation is the Igbo man. This reeks of colonial mentality and inferiority complex.

This man was a well cultured gentleman.

"the next most important of God's creation is the Igbo man"

He's too refined to say the quoted

3 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Elusive001: 6:38pm On Jul 30, 2025

Goodvibes007:
This was the man that colluded with Shagari to chase Ghana away from Nigeria. They did it to find a scape goat for their poor management of the economy.

The tribal bigot also made a very useless supremacist statement that after the white man, the next most important of God's creation is the Igbo man. This reeks of colonial mentality and inferiority complex.

Please, I plead with you in the name of GOD Almighty, give us a proof of what you assertion here. If not, people will lie against in such a way that it will ruin you.

7 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Image123(m): 6:39pm On Jul 30, 2025

Chief Alex Ekwueme, hmmm. i wonder what he is doing on the front page though. Is today his anniversary?

17 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by JuanDeDios: 6:41pm On Jul 30, 2025

Goodvibes007:
This was the man that colluded with Shagari to chase Ghana away from Nigeria. They did it to find a scape goat for their poor management of the economy.

The tribal bigot also made a very useless supremacist statement that after the white man, the next most important of God's creation is the Igbo man. This reeks of colonial mentality and inferiority complex.

Did Dr Ekwueme actually say this?

___
13 more characters needed.

2 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Tareq1105: 6:41pm On Jul 30, 2025

OSUNADC:
A revered gentleman Statesman of noble repute from Igbo extraction. History will always be kind to him.

May he continue to rest.

ADC: HERE WE COME!!!

He was a great and cool man.

Let me add here that your ADC will not achieve anything. Una no reach.

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Tareq1105: 6:42pm On Jul 30, 2025

Elusive001:
Please, I plead with you in the name of GOD Almighty, give us a proof of what you assertion here. If not, people will lie against in such a way that it will ruin you.

I don't think he would make such comments. Let's see if he has proof.

1 Like

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by JuanDeDios: 6:43pm On Jul 30, 2025

tommy589:
This man was a well cultured gentleman.

"the next most important of God's creation is the Igbo man"

He's too refined to say the quoted

I agree. Much too refined.

____
If this guy has proof of the statement, let him supply it.

1 Like 1 Share

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by omoredia: 6:46pm On Jul 30, 2025

Seun cannot rest on top Ibo matter. This is becoming ridiculous to say the least

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Elusive001: 6:54pm On Jul 30, 2025

MufasaLion:
Bunch of useless old people. Shame on him and his cohorts.

Some of the answers were provided during the campaigns. The “Old boy” of Kings College, Lagos exhibited all the nobility that the institution drilled into him while in school. Not once during the campaigns did he raise his voice in anger and insult against anybody. He always was an issues person. Even after his party won twice, Alex Ekwueme never once lost his cool – irrespective of provocation. But above all, he was the first totally honest politician in high office I have known. Two examples will illustrate the point.

First, once elected Vice President to Alhaji Shehu Shagari in 1979, Ekwueme voluntarily wound up his firm – Ekwueme Associates and Town Planners – in order to avoid charges of conflict of interests. It was probably a first time in Nigeria that an elected official would do so.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/dr-alex-ekwueme-gcon-1932-2017-last-noble-politicians/amp/

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Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by casualobserver: 6:58pm On Jul 30, 2025

Racoon:
Ekwueme was a distinguished architect. He went on to create a successful private business with his firm - Ekwueme Associates, Architects and Town Planners, the first indigenous architectural firm in Nigeria. His practice flourished with 16 offices spread all over Nigeria....

]

Ekwueme and associates was not the 1st indigenous architectural firm. It was OluMuyiwa oluwole and associates in 1958. Ekwueme graduated in 1957 and established his practice in 1958 but he was not the 1st.

Always trying to rewrite history!

4 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Elusive001: 7:05pm On Jul 30, 2025

The second example was a testimonial given in the absence of Ekwueme by late Dr Wahab Dosumu, the Minister for Housing under Shagari’s government. Dosumu who attended Baptist Academy on Lagos Island was a classmate to my senior brother. He was also the first person known to me to have received the ASPAU scholarship to study in the USA. Ekwueme and Dosumu might have met in Washington State. Because I was also an ASPAU scholar, Dosumu was very close to me during his years as Minister and later Senator.

[b]One day, “Egbon”, as I called Dosumu, and I were discussing corruption in government. I was broadly castigating all political office holders when he stopped me and with a very serious look on his face.

“Dele, there is one man about whom you can’t say that.”

“Who is that?” I asked totally disbelieving it.

“Dr Alex Ekwueme, the former Vice President.”

“Oh yeah? Where is the proof, Egbon?”

Then he told me an incredible story. After six months in office, during which everybody else in top government or party position had made at least a request for contracts for themselves, their wives, mistresses, friends and traditional rulers, he noticed that the only official who had not made a request was the VP. So, Dosumu decided to surprise the boss. He packaged a very lucrative contract, headed for the VPs office, after booking an appointment. After the usual pleasantries he then dropped the envelope on the VPs’ table while mentioning that “there is a contract there for you Sir.”

Instead of the broad smile of gratitude he expected, the VP’s face contorted in anger before the explosive words came.

“Wahab is that why we are here in government? Is it because we can’t make money any other way? Have we been elected for this? ”Without opening the envelope he threw it back at the Minister and ushered him out. Egbon said he had never felt so small in his life. But, he kept watch to see if it was a ruse. Till the military kicked them out on December 31, 1983 he never heard of any instance of self-enrichment concerning Alex Ekwueme. That alone should have earned him a place in the pantheon of our noble leaders – which includes Aminu Kano, Ahmadu Bello, Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti and Audu Bako.
[/b]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.vanguardngr.com/2018/01/dr-alex-ekwueme-gcon-1932-2017-last-noble-politicians/amp/

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Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Elusive001: 7:12pm On Jul 30, 2025

Tareq1105:
I don't think he would make such comments. Let's see if he has proof.

You are waiting for what? Proof from the guy? He has ran away.

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by Elusive001: 7:16pm On Jul 30, 2025

casualobserver:
Ekwueme and associates was not the 1st indigenous architectural firm. It was OluMuyiwa oluwole and associates in 1958. Ekwueme graduated in 1957 and established his practice in 1958 but he was not the 1st.

Always trying to rewrite history!

Go and rest bros. You know better than Vanguard Newspapers and co?

Even hardcore haters who hate worse than you go dey shame for you.

2 Likes

Re: Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme GCON (21 October 1932 -19 November 2017) by casualobserver: 7:24pm On Jul 30, 2025*

Elusive001:
Go and rest bros. You know better than Vanguard Newspapers and co?

Even hardcore haters who hate worse than you go dey shame for you.

you people are so aggressive in pushing your false narratives that gullible people, the unschooled and the improperly schooled accept these falsehoods as truths. “One of the 1st” in no time becomes “the 1st”

Nigerian press are not authorities anymore. They are staffed with people whose poor education couldnt get them a proper job. Is it Nigerian media like Arise with Ojy who takes her news from social media without any verification that is now your authority on information?

if you want proper information, go to the Architects registration council or NIA or you can rereference authoritative sources like

"Modern Architecture in Post-Colonial Ghana and Nigeria"

by

Hannah Le Roux

you can also reference this academic paper with references
https://www.globalacademicgroup.com/journals/the%20nigerian%20academic%20forum/Fashuyi%205.pdf
it clearly states "By 1958, the first indigenous Nigerian architectural firm was set up by
Olumuyiwa Oluwole"

I will take the account from published historical records by reputable global bodies and published academic papers than quack Nigerian journalists many of whom can't compose a sentence or know how to verify information! if you have a degree and have submitted a dissertation, for God's sake you should at least be trained in how to verify sources of information!

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