On Thursday, June 23, the internet was thrown into a buzz following the arrest of a former deputy president of the Nigerians Senate, Ike Ekweremadu and his wife, Beatrice....CONTINUE READING
The Nation reports that Ekweremadus has been on the international and local radar following his arrest by the UK police over an alleged child trafficking and organ harvesting from a minor…..CONTINUE READING
Following their arrest, the couple was arraigned at the Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court and subsequently denied bail.
However, aside from the Ekweremadus’ current ordeal before the UK court, here are details about the couple you might be interested in.
1. Politics
Ike Ekweremadu has spent over 19 years as a lawmaker in the National Assembly after serving as the chief of staff to Enugu state governor in 1999 before his appointment as the secretary to the government of the state between 2001 and 2002.
The embattled lawmaker served as deputy Senate President for three consecutive terms (sixth, seventh and eighth Assembly) under David Mark and Bukola Saraki, respectively. He however withdrew from his ambition to contest the Enugu state governorship election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party.
He was elected first deputy speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament and emerged as the speaker of the regional parliament in August 2011. Born on May 12, 1962, at Amachara Mpu in Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State,
2. Education
The former deputy Senate president obtained a bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Nigeria Nsukka.
A lawyer, Ekweremadu was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. He Doctor of Philosophy degree holder in law from the University of Abuja, the lawmaker was appointed the executive chairman of the Aninri local government council on the platform of the United Nigeria Congress Party (UNCP) in 1997.
He also won the Best Council Chairman of the year, in 1997.
3. Controversies
Ekweremadu had come under fire a couple of times over some of his actions including telling the people of the southeast region mainly Igbos not to vote for the presidential candidate of the Labour Party Peter Obi.
Following his comment, supporters of Obi and many other Nigerians took to social media platforms to blast the lawmaker.
In another instance, the former deputy speaker was harassed and violently attack while attending the second annual Cultural Festival and Convention organized by Ndi-Igbo in Nuremberg, Germany.
The attack which took place on August 17, 2019, was suspected to have been carried out by some members of the Indigenous People of Biafra who queried the lawmaker about the alleged killings of Igbos in the southeast.
4. Titles and awards
The embattled lawmaker has been conferred with several awards, honours and traditional titles including the conferment of the Knight of the Order of the Good Shepherd, Diocese of Enugu (Anglican Communion).
He bagged the Dr Kwame Nkrumah Africa Leadership Award; Doctor of Laws, LLD,(Honoris Causa), University of Uyo.
In his hometown, Ekweremadu is widely known with the title, Ochiagha Ndigbo (Generalissimo of Igboland) conferred on him by Eze Nri, the custodian of Igbo culture and tradition. He is also known as the Ikeoha Ndigbo (Pride and Strength of Ndigbo) by the South East Council of Traditional Rulers.
The lawmaker holds the national honour of the Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).
5. Marriage and family
Ike Ekweremadu is married to Beatrice Nwanneka, 55 and they have four children – 2 girls and two boys – together. One of their daughters, Sonia is currently battling a kidney-related medical condition and is in need of an organ transplant.
It is in their effort to save the child’s life that the couple was arrested at the Heathrow Airport on their way to Istanbul.
The duo were arrested on 23 June 2022 and charged alongside his wife with conspiring to arrange the travel of a child into the UK in order to harvest organs…..CONTINUE READING
