Sir Akanu Ibiam was a distinguished medical missionary, political leader, and traditional figure. He served as Governor of Eastern Region, Nigeria from December 1960 until January 1966 during the Nigerian First Republic. Over the course of his life, he changed his name and titles several times, reflecting personal and political shifts:
- 1919–1951: Francis Ibiam
- 1951–1967: Sir Francis Ibiam
- Post-1967: Akanu Ibiam
Despite publicly renouncing his British honors, the UK government never formally annulled them.
Early Years
- Born: 29 November 1906, Unwana, Afikpo, present-day Ebonyi State, Nigeria
- Ethnicity: Igbo
- Father: Chief Ibiam, later Eze Ogo Isiala I of Unwana and Osuji of Uburu
Education
- Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar
- King’s College, Lagos
- University of St. Andrews, Scotland – Medical degree, 1934
Medical Missionary Work
- Appointed medical missionary of the Church of Scotland
- Founded Abiriba Hospital (1936–1945)
- Superintended mission hospitals in Itu and Uburu
- Ordained elder (not minister) in the Presbyterian Church
Honours and Appointments
- 1949: Honorary OBE (Order of the British Empire)
- 1951: Honorary KBE (later substantive)
- 1962: Knight Commander of the Order of St. Michael and St. George (KCMG)
- 1955–1958: President, Christian Council of Nigeria
- 1957: Principal, Hope Waddell Institution
- 1959: President, University College Ibadan
- 1962: Chairman, Protestant Chapel Committee, University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Political Career
- Served in local government, Eastern Regional House of Assembly, Legislative and Executive Councils
- 1960–1966: Governor of Eastern Region, Nigeria
After the 1966 military coup, he was removed from office by Colonel Emeka Ojukwu.
Role in the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970)
- Actively supported Biafra, using international church networks to obtain relief
- 1968: Addressed World Council of Churches (WCC) meeting in Uppsala, Sweden
- Advocated for humanitarian airlifts to Biafra
- 1969: Campaigned across Canada for Biafra
- Returned his knighthood and renounced his English name in protest of British support for the Nigerian Federal Government
Later Years
- Engaged in post-war reconstruction and hospital development
- Active in the Bible Society of Nigeria and Christian Medical Fellowship
- President of the All Africa Conference of Churches
Death and Legacy
- Died: 1 July 1995
- Over 20,000 people attended his funeral in Unwana
- Honored with multiple institutions named after him:
- Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu
- Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana
- Francis Akanu Ibiam Stadium, University of Nigeria, Nsukka