World Bank, UN, govs extol Ibru’s virtues

Posted by admin Headlines, United Nations Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011

The United Nations, the World Bank, governors and prominent Nigerians on Wednesday joined others to mourn and extol the virtues of the late The Guardian publisher, Alex Ibru, who died on Sunday.

Empowered Newswire reported that the AU-UN Joint Special Representative in Darfur, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari; Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Prof. Joy Ogwu; Vice President in charge of Africa at the World Bank; Dr. Oby Ezekwesili; and US-based Nigerian oil magnet Dr. Kase Lawal; lamented the death of Ibru.

According to Ezekwesili, Alex Ibru was one of the nation’s best socially responsible business leaders. She said, “He will be greatly missed by every Nigerian who seeks a rebirth of those core values that drove him to cherish reward from strenuous effort.”

Gambari said, “He was a real national asset. He was also a wonderful human being, an exceptional role model and a real national asset. His passing away would not only create an enormous hole in his immediate and extended family but makes Nigeria poorer indeed.”

Lawal said, “He set a new standard in Nigerian journalism when he brought together the founding team of The Guardian about three decades ago.”

Ogwu said, “Alex Ibru was a pioneer in the press. He started an intellectual newspaper and was able to sustain it. He died too soon.”

Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Chibuike Amaechi, said Ibru’s death was a huge loss to the nation.

Amaechi added, “He was a pacesetter who brought and stood by professionalism in our country’s media industry.”

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Godswill Akpabio, described the late publisher as a colossus.

“He touched all parts of Nigeria; that is why I flew into Lagos today to pay my respect on behalf of Akwa Ibom people who also benefitted from this industry and his contribution to nation building.”

Chief Executive Officer of Diamond Publications Limited, Lanre Idowu, said, “The story of Mr. Ibru’s exploits in business, particularly the media, has compelling lessons, which death cannot erase.”

-Punch

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