Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, and president emeritus of Aka Ikenga, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, were, yesterday, among early mourners of Biafra War hero, Col. Joe Achuzia, who died in the morning.

Obi in a message to News Express who recalled that Achuzia was one of the elderly Igbos on whom he paid periodic visits.

He described his death as “the loss of one of those not afraid of their own voices” and prayed to God to grant him eternal rest.

Uwazurike, on his part, said that “Achuzia was a titanic war leader”.

The legal luminary said in a message to News Express: “He was a commander who did not tolerate cowards. Indeed, in Biafra, he was known for pulling his gun on any deserter. He was such a fanatical leader that his troops believed that bullets could not kill him. Indeed, they did not kill him. To the average Igbo person, Achuzia was a demon in battle. He could have run away at the end of the war, but he did not.”

News Express reports that Col. Achuzia, the Ikemba of Asaba, died around 8am on Monday at age 90 in the Federal Medical Centre, Asaba.

Announcing his death, his son Onyeka Achuzia said: “I could still not believe that he is dead, even when he was entering the FMC where he died, he was smiling; we never knew he was going to die because he was still strong in spite of his age.

“He had a little bit of illness, coupled with his age, we really miss him for he was such a good father.”