FROM Cross River State Governor Liyel Imoke, the Prelate of Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Sunday Ola Makinde and the Pastor, Household of God Church, Rev. Chris Okotie, came further acknowledgement of the contributions of the late Publisher of The Guardian, Alex Ibru, to humanity.
Tributes also came from First Bank Plc and Notore Chemical Industries Limited.
A statement made available to The Guardian by the Methodist Church Nigeria’s Media and Public Relations Officer, Rev. Oladapo Daramola, said that Alex Ibru used his gift as an entrepreneur to put food on the table of several people he gave employment to and equally offered opportunities to many people in other areas of life.
“His life in public service as a minister of the Federal Republic was impeccable and in the face of adversity and persecution from those who disagreed with him, he remained firm in his beliefs and stuck to his principles,” the Methodist Church said.
On his part, Okotie, who is also the Chairman of the Fresh Democratic Party (FRESH), described the late Ibru in a statement as a business icon who changed the face of journalism in his generation.
He noted that Ibru launched The Guardian in 1983 at a time when the fortunes of the then flagship of the press, the government-owned Daily Times, were nose-diving terribly.
“Mr. Ibru recruited some of the best minds from the ivory tower and mainstream media and then, began a polishing process for the media, which restored the dying tradition of quality journalism. He succeeded in sustaining the high standard of The Guardian till date. That’s his greatest legacy, apart from his quiet philanthropy and his famous ecumenical institution, the Ibru Centre”, he added.
Imoke also condoled with the government and people of Delta State on the death of one of their illustrious sons whose passage came at a time his service was most desired for national development in the country.
A statement signed by Imoke’s Special Assistant, Media and Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Omini Oden, quoted Imoke as saying that Ibru would be remembered for his entrepreneurial spirit, patriotism and ecclesiastical support for the development of the people and the nation at large.
Imoke said the late Ibru expressed his entrepreneurial gift in the chain of businesses he invested in and managed successfully especially The Guardian.
The governor maintained that the late Ibru’s interest in business did not becloud his sense of patriotism as he served the country without any blemish.
He pointed out that it was indisputable that Ibru’s venture into the media industry helped to redefine journalism practice in “Nigeria - taking it to a pedestal of ethical consciousness.”
The statement added that the fact that The Guardian had become the flagship of Nigeria’s journalism was a tribute to the mission of the deceased in a profession he believed in and stood for.
On behalf of the government and people of Cross River State, Imoke charged the Ibru family to remain committed to the good legacies the late publisher left behind as his vision would surely outlive his name.
Eminent persons continued yesterday to pay tributes to the late Publisher of The Guardian.
They included Federal Commissioner for Works, Alhaji Femi Okunnu, a former member of General Murtala Muhammed’s Supreme Military Council (SMC) and a former Military Governor of Plateau State, Air Codr. Dan Suleiman (retd), a former Minister for External Affairs Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi, a member of The Guardian Editorial Board Hamzat Ahmadu, erstwhile Minister of Tourism and Health, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, and former Deputy Inspector General of Police (D.I.G), Segun Kassim (rtd).
Others were Chief Deinde Lucas of the Yoruba Tennis Club, Mrs. A. Shobanjo, Chief Bolaji Kuti and Mr. Folarin Williams,
Okunnu said : “Alex played his part in the political history of this country. He served his nation both in business and in government. He also left an indelible mark in journalism which has survived him.” According to Suleiman, “Ibru is a great loss to Nigeria. He gave his life for the unity and progress of the country, he was a patriot. May his soul rest in peace.”
Idi-Hong described Ibru as a non-partisan person whose “death is a tragedy. This was a man who achieved a lot , he did not play part in politics despite being the Publisher of The Guardian Newspaper. On the contrary he used the newspaper as a tool to unite the country.”
In the same vein, Hamzat Ahmadu said he had been a friend to the late publisher even before he brought him to the Editorial Board. “He was a very good friend, I remember he successfully drove from New York to Washington asking me to join the board. I enjoy the commitment because he did not interfere in the affairs of the board, he just wanted the newspaper to go on independently,“ he said.
Segun Kassim described Ibru as a cool, calm and calculated person. “Ibru was a gentleman in a way, it is a pity we had to lose him at this early stage because the country would have benefited more from his virtues if he had lived longer,“ he said.
According to Kassim, Ibru was humble to the core despite his wealthy status, “he was someone you could always access any time one needed his attention.”
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