RIP Alex Ibru

CHAIRMAN, Publisher of The Guardian, Dr. Alexander Uruemu Ibru has passed on. He died at about 1.30pm on Sunday, November 20, in the course of an illness. He was aged 66.

Ibru was born on March1, 1945, the youngest of the famous Ibru brothers who hailed from Agbhara-Otor, in today’s Delta State and whose entrepreneurship made the name almost synonymous with business in Nigeria. He attended the Yaba Methodist Primary School(1951-1957), Ibadan Grammar School(1958-1960), Igbobi College, Lagos(1960-1963) and the University of Trent (formerly Trent Polytechnic)(1967-1970) where he studied Business Economics. After working briefly in the family business under the tutelage of his older brother and patriarch, Micheal C.O. Ibru, Alex Ibru launched out on his own and soon became one of the most successful young businessmen in the country.

He founded The Guardian in 1983 with a mission to make it one of the five best English language newspapers in the world. It soon established itself and has since remained the flagship of the Nigerian press.

Ibru is the Chairman of Trinity Foundation, the vehicle through which he did his massive philanthropy, giving support to the poor and the needy. He was also the founder of the Ibru Centre which promotes ecumenism and religious harmony.

Ibru was a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Club International. He was minister of Internal Affairs of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and member of the highest Provisional Ruling Council. PRC,from 1993 to 1995. As minister, he introduced far-reaching reforms in the management of Nigeria’s prisons and the Immigration Service.

He left the Sani Abacha-led government on principle, after which an attempt was made on his life, allegedly on the orders of the ruling junta. The case on that attempted murder is still in court.

He was a recipient of D.Litt honoris causa of the University of Port Harcourt.

A man extremely passionate about Nigeria and a compassionate promoter of the joy of humanity, Ibru’s philanthropy, his outstanding entrepreneurship, contributions to the development of the mass media in Nigeria and commitment to selfless service stood him out all through his life.

Burial arrangements will be announced soon by the family.

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