Ibru, Epitome Of Courage —Utomi

Prof Pat Utomi, the presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP) in the 2011elections, and human rights lawyer, Bamidele Aturu, on yesterday described the late Alex Ibru as an “epitome of courage”.

Similarly, the coalition of Niger Delta ethnic and civil society groups under the aegis of United Niger Delta Energy Development and Security Strategy (UNDEDSS), said Nigeria has lost a fighter for freedom.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Ibru, the chairman and publisher of The Guardian newspapers, and former Minister of Internal Affairs between 1993 and 1995, died at about 1.30 p.m.on 20 November, aged 66.

Utomi told NAN that Ibru would be remembered for his courage amid the state terror during the late Gen. Sani Abacha days.

“Ibru persevered. He was a gem of a different breed. Men who lived such a life as him are hard to come by in today’s world,” he said.

Utomi, who said that he was almost benumbed with shock at the passing of Ibru, said that with his death, men of courage like him had become endangered species in Nigeria

“Ibru’s life gave value to Nigeria at various levels, especially in business and politics and most of all, philanthropy,” he said.

Also Speaking, Aturu urged that Ibru should be celebrated for his commitment to democracy and belief in free press.

“Ibru is a very committed fellow and he showed it by his ability to sustain The Guardian through thick and thin,” Aturu said.

On whether his death would affect the alleged case of attempted murder on him involving Major Hamza Al- Mustapha that was still in court, Aturu said it would not.

He said that the late Ibru was not a witness in the case and as such the matter would continue.

Secretary General of the UNDEDSS, Mr Tony Uranta, said the orgainsation was depressed that Nigeria and the Niger Delta had lost one of its own.

“Ibru was so courageous to have survived the Abacha darker days in the 1990s. The Niger Delta, and indeed, Nigeria has lost an icon,” Uranta said.

He said that despite Ibru’s civil rights activities, he was a great gentleman, who was greatly favored by God to survive where others would have died.

“We pray that the family be granted the grace to contain his loss and to continue his legacy of resoluteness, fairness, forthrightness and honesty.”

Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) South-West, has described the late Ibru as a frontline nationalist that contributed immensely to the social development of Nigeria.

South-West secretary of the CNPP, Austin Nnorom, told NAN that Ibru’s contribution to democracy cannot be quantified.

Ibru was born on March 1, 1945 and was the youngest of the famous Ibru brothers, who hailed from Agbhara-Otor, in Delta State.

He attended 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.

In 1983, he established the The Guardian .

On 2 February, 1996 Ibru’s car was hit by machine gun fire from unidentified men, who had trailed him in a deep-blue Peugeot car in Lagos, shortly after he left the Abacha government.

Both Ibru and then editor-in-chief of The Guardian, Femi Kusa, were flown to England for treatment of their injuries. Many people believe that he never fully recovered from the injuries.

After Abacha’s death in 1998, his Chief Security Officer Hamza Al-Mustapha and others were charged with the assassination attempt on Ibru.