Ex-ICAN President, Emmanuel Ijewere Is Dead

Former president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Emmanuel Ijewere, is reportedly dead.

His death was confirmed to journalists on Friday by the senior manager of the corporate communications directorate of ICAN, Dare Muyiwa.

“Yes, he is late,” Muyiwa reportedly told The Cable on Friday.

He explained that Ijewere died last night after battling a prolonged battle with a terminal illness.

Naija News understands that before his demise, Ijewere was a prominent Nigerian businessman with diverse interests and expertise in banking, finance, and agriculture.

Having served as the 32nd president of ICAN from 1996 to 1997, he played a pivotal role in leading the accounting body. Additionally, he held esteemed positions as the president of renowned organizations like the Institute of Directors (IOD) and the Nigerian Red Cross.

Born in 1946, this former accountant pursued his studies in Lagos, Ijebu-Ode, Cameroon, and the United Kingdom (UK).

Commencing his accounting career in 1965 at Coopers & Lybrand, he later established Ijewere & Co., a chartered accountancy firm in Nigeria, in 1979.

Over the years, the firm has flourished and gained a stellar reputation as one of the country’s most esteemed indigenous accounting companies, specializing in tax advisory services.

Ijewere also served as chairman and director in many companies, including Best Foods Group, Emson, Nigeria Agribusiness Group, Drum Resources Nigeria Limited, Apel Capital & Trust Limited, Countrywide Direct Mortgage Company, Kerildbert Holdings, Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), Gemini Pharmaceuticals, among others.

At the national level, he was the pioneer chairman of the Agriculture and Food Security Commission and the director of the defunct modified value-added tax committee in 1993.

In addition, Ijewere was a member of the National Economic Forum (NEF), the International Investment Council (HIIC), and the Agricultural Transformation Implementation Council (ATIC), under the chairmanship of ex-President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.

He also served as a resource person for the transition committee of former President Muhammadu Buhari regarding agriculture.

Ijewere was the president of the Nigeria Agribusiness Group (NAGB), the umbrella organisation for Nigerian agriculture, until his death.