Former Anambra Speaker, Benjamin Ekwealor, Dies at 89

Wale Igbintade 

Former Speaker of the old Anambra State House of Assembly, Chief Benjamin Afagu Ekwealor, has passed away at the age of 89.

Chief Ekwealor died peacefully on the evening of Saturday, July 26, 2025, at his country home in Nzam, Anambra West Local Government Area of the state. 

His passing was confirmed in a statement issued by his son, Mr. Chuba Ekwealor.

A respected teacher, lawyer, community leader, and administrator, Chief Ekwealor retired as a school principal in 1977 before entering politics during Nigeria’s Second Republic. 

He was elected to the old Anambra State House of Assembly, which then covered the present-day Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi states in 1979 under the platform of the National Party of Nigeria (NPN).

Re-elected in 1983, he went on to serve as Speaker of the Assembly.

Beyond politics, Ekwealor continued his service to the state and the legal profession. 

In 1998, he was appointed to the Anambra State Judicial Service Commission as a representative of the Nigerian Bar, serving with distinction for nearly a decade.

A man widely admired for his humility, dedication, and selfless service to the community, he leaves behind six children and several grandchildren.

Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family in due course.