Breaking: Willie Obiano, Former Anambra Governor, Dies in London at 70

Former Anambra State Governor Chief Willie Obiano has died at the age of 70 in London, United Kingdom, after a prolonged battle with severe heart failure and complications from urinary cancer, family sources confirmed on Friday.

The news, which broke just weeks before his scheduled resumption of trial in a N4 billion fraud case, has shocked Nigerians and sparked widespread tributes and reflections on a life that spanned banking excellence, political leadership, and legal controversies.

Born Willie Mmadụabụrochukwu Obiano on August 8, 1955, in Aguleri, Anambra State, he grew up in the culturally rich Southeast region of Nigeria. He attended Christ the King College, Onitsha, before proceeding to the University of Lagos, where he graduated with a second-class upper division degree in Accountancy in 1979.

His academic brilliance set the stage for a remarkable career in finance. Obiano began his professional journey in 1981 as an accountant with First Bank of Nigeria.

His expertise quickly earned him promotions, leading to a senior role at Chevron Corporation, where he rose to Chief Internal Auditor. In 1989, he was part of a select team that audited Texaco’s refinery in Rotterdam, Netherlands.

By 1991, he had joined Fidelity Bank Nigeria as Deputy Manager and head of the Audit unit, eventually becoming Executive Director in October 2003. His banking career, spanning over two decades, was marked by integrity, strategic leadership, and deep financial acumen.

His entry into politics came in 2013 when he was handpicked by then-Governor Peter Obi, a former colleague at Fidelity Bank, to succeed him. Running under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Obiano won the Anambra gubernatorial election in a three-phase poll held on November 16, 17, and 30, 2013.

He was sworn in on March 17, 2014, with Nkem Okeke as his deputy. He secured re-election in 2017 and served until March 17, 2022, when he handed over to Charles Chukwuma Soludo.

During his eight-year tenure, Obiano transformed Anambra into one of Nigeria’s most developed states in the Southeast. He constructed 17 bridges across the three senatorial zones, including the 2.8km Aguleri-Otu bridge, the longest in the region.

His administration built three iconic flyovers in Awka, hundreds of kilometers of roads, and completed the Anambra International Cargo and Passenger Airport, which boasts the second-longest runway in Nigeria. He also delivered the state’s first mega mall in Awka and the Onitsha shopping mall, boosting commercial activity.

His government recorded over 67 landmark projects in agriculture, education, healthcare, and security. Anambra became one of the safest states in Nigeria under his leadership, with initiatives like Operation Kpochapu earning national recognition. For his contributions, he was honored with the Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR).

However, Obiano’s legacy was clouded by controversy. In November 2021, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) placed him on a watchlist over alleged financial misconduct. On March 17, 2022, hours after leaving office, he was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos while attempting to board a flight to the United States.

The EFCC accused him of misappropriating over N42 billion in public funds, including security votes and federal allocations. The case was later narrowed to a N4 billion fraud charge involving the use of unlicensed companies to siphon state funds between 2014 and 2022.

Obiano faced nine counts and was arraigned in January 2024 before Justice Inyang Ekwo at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The trial, plagued by delays and health-related adjournments, was scheduled to resume on November 25, 2025, under Justice Mohammed Umar.

Reports also surfaced that Obiano and his family had restructured ownership of properties in the United States following his arrest, raising questions about asset concealment. A highly publicized incident during his tenure involved his wife, Ebele Obiano, the former First Lady of Anambra.

On March 17, 2022, during Governor Soludo’s inauguration, Ebele engaged in a physical altercation with Bianca Ojukwu, widow of Biafran leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, after allegedly slapping her. The incident, captured on video, went viral and drew widespread condemnation.

Obiano was married to Ebele, who was known for her charity work through the Caring Family Enhancement Initiative (CAFE). The couple had planned to relocate to the United States after his governorship, where they owned property. Details about their children remain private.

In recent months, Obiano’s health deteriorated significantly. He had been battling urinary cancer and severe heart failure, conditions that required specialized treatment abroad. Despite medical intervention in London, complications proved fatal, and he passed away peacefully on November 14, 2025, according to family members.

The timing of his death, just 11 days before his corruption trial was set to resume, has fueled speculation about the toll of legal stress on his health, though no official medical report has linked the two.

Nigerians have taken to social media to mourn and reflect. Many praised his developmental strides, while others criticized the irony of a former governor seeking treatment abroad amid Nigeria’s struggling healthcare system.