Background
Ibiam was born in Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi State on 29 November 1906, of Igbo background. He was the second son of Chief Ibiam Aka, a traditional ruler of Unwana.
Ibiam was born in Unwana, Afikpo, Ebonyi State on 29 November 1906, of Igbo background. He was the second son of Chief Ibiam Aka, a traditional ruler of Unwana.
He attended Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar, and King"s College, Lagos, and then was admitted to the University of Saint Andrews, graduating with a medical degree in 1934.
From 1919 to 1951, he was known as Francis Ibiam, and from 1951 to 1967, Sir Francis Ibiam. He himself later became traditional ruler, Eze Ogo Isiala I of Unwana and Osuji of Uburu. Ibiam was president of the Christian Council of Nigeria (1955–1958).
In 1957 he was appointed principal of Hope Waddell Institution.
In 1959 Ibiam was president of the University College of Ibadan. On a visit to Northern Rhodesia, he was refused service at a café reserved for whites, an affair that became notorious.
In the lead-up to Nigerian independence Ibiam served in local government, in the Eastern Regional House of Assembly, and in the Legislative and Executive Councils. After Nigeria gained independence in 1960, Ibiam was appointed governor of Eastern Region.
On 24 August 1962, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (Knight Commander of the Order of Street Michael and Saint George).
Ibiam held office until the military coup of 15 January 1966 that brought Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi to power. His authoritarian successor, colonel Emeka Ojukwu, immediately ejected Ibiam from the State House in Enugu. Later, Emeka became president of the breakaway state of Biafra.
During the of 1967 – 1970, Ibiam actively assisted the Biafrans, helping obtain relief supplies through his church contacts.
However, Ibiam was instrumental in ensuring that the nightly air lift of relief into Biafra was started. In 1969, he travelled across Canada to raise humanitarian aid and support for the people of Biafra.
Ibiam returned his knighthood and renounced his English name, Francis, in protest against the British government"s support of the Nigerian federal government. Following the war, Ibiam continued work on reconstruction and hospital service.
Ibiam was responsible for the Bible Society of Nigeria and the Christian Medical Fellowship.
He became a president of the All Africa Conference of Churches. Ibiam died in 1 July 1995. More than 20,000 people attended his funeral in Unwana.
The Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, the Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana, Ebonyi State, and the Francis Akanu Ibiam stadium University of Nigeria, Nsukka are named after him.