The Nigerian social establishment has been thrown into mourning over the death of Chief Sunny Iwedike Odogwu, the Ide Ahaba of Asaba.

Odogwu, a foremost industrialist businessman, died in his home on Monday.

Born on March 20, 1931, in Calabar, the Cross River State capital, Odogwu hailed from Delta State and held a high ranking traditional title of Ide Ahaba of Asaba, the state capital.

He had his secondary school education at Ilesha Grammar School, Osun State, and thereafter joined an insurance firm as a trainee before he travelled abroad for further studies.

Odogwu established the Sunny Iwedike Odogwu (SIO) Group of Companies, a firm with investments in property development, shipping, finance, industrial relations and hotel management.

He also established Robert Dyson and Diket, an insurance brokerage firm, and was the publisher of now-defunct Post Express newspapers.

He is survived by his wife, Theresa, and nine children. One of his daughters, Ngozi, is married to Yinka Ojora.