Chief Benjamin Afagu Ekwealor, a respected statesman, educator, and legal practitioner, has died at the age of 89 years.
His family, in a statement on Wednesday, confirmed that he passed away on Saturday, July 26, 2025, at his residence in Nzam, Anambra West Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to his son, Mr Chuba Ekwalor, the deceased, trained as a lawyer, brought his legal expertise to bear across multiple spheres of public service.
In 1998, he was appointed to the Anambra State Judicial Service Commission as a representative of the Nigerian Bar, a role he held for nearly a decade.
His contributions to the commission earned him recognition for his principled stance and commitment to judicial integrity.
Before turning fully to law and politics, Ekwealor had an accomplished career in education, retiring as a school principal in 1977. That same year, he heeded the call of his community to join politics.
A member of the defunct National Party of Nigeria, the deceased was elected into the Old Anambra State House of Assembly in 1979.
He was re-elected in 1983 and later became Speaker of the Assembly, which then included the present-day states of Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi.
Beyond public office, Ekwealor was widely known as a community leader and statesman who devoted his life to service.
His legacy, spanning law, education, and politics, left a lasting imprint on Anambra State and beyond.
He is survived by six children and several grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced by his family in the coming days.
Credit: Punch