Onowu Iyasele, Chief Francis Chike Ofodile (SAN) Is Dead
Ime-Obi, the Onitsha Traditional Council, formally announces the passing-on of Chief Francis Chike Ofodile SAN, OFR, 
the Onowu Iyasele (Traditional Prime Minister) of Onitsha, and former Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice on Sunday, August 3, 2014. He was aged 92 years.
A successful lawyer, Offodile rose to the rank of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 1979 and was elevated to the rank of Life Bencher. He was Nigeria’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice during the Buhari-Idiagbon administration of 1984-1985. He retired from active practice in 2009 after fifty years of his call to the Bar.
In 2003, the Obi of Onitsha conferred on him the office of the Onowu Iyasele of Onitsha, where he discharged his duties with exceptional dedication and ability until his death.
Chief Ofodile was born to Ofodile Ezeugo – of Umu Obi Udogwu royal family of Ogbeozala Village – and Umunebe of the Olisa Ojiede family in Odojele Village, both from Onitsha, Anambra State. He attended the Immanuel Church Infant School, St. Mary’s Primary School and Christ the King College, all in Onitsha.
He taught briefly at the Holy Trinity School at Onitsha Waterside, before joining the P&T (Post and Telegraphs)
Department, Enugu Ofodile travelled to the United Kingdom for further studies was called to the Bar at the Middle Temple in 1959.
Ofodile was conferred with the National Honour of Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic by President Musa Yar’Adua conferred in 2008.
The Council regards Onowu Iyasele’s demise as a tremendous loss to his family, the Obi-in-Council, Onitsha Kingdom, the legal profession and the Nigerian nation.