… As NUJ Mourns Late Ibru

The Abia Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has opened a condolence register in honour of the late publisher of The Guardian newspapers, Chief Alex Ibru.

Our correspondent reports that members of the union, individuals and groups eulogised Ibru in their comments in the register placed at the council secretariat at No. 1 Aba Road, Umuahia.

The Chairman of the council, Mr Hyacinth Okoli, in a glowing tribute on Thursday, stated that “Ibru made the print journalism what it is today in the country.

“NUJ cannot forget how he has taken the journalism profession to a lofty height.

“On behalf of the Abia Council of NUJ, we sympathise with the Ibru family on the death of one who has made journalism thick in Nigeria.”

NUJ Secretary Boniface Okoro remarked that the Nigerian mass media had lost “an icon”, describing Ibru as “a simple, unassuming gentleman whose economic mission made great impact on millions of Nigerians”.

Okoro said that Ibru institutionalised standards, noting that The Guardian which he established many decades ago still remained the flagship of the Nigerian print media.

Mr Ambrose Nwachukwu, the National Vice-President of NUJ, Zone C, remarked that “the media industry will miss him.

“He was a man of drive, creativity and immense potential for greatness.”

Nwachukwu noted that the establishment of The Guardian marked “a watershed in the journalism profession; the newspaper is in a class of its own with deep commitment to details and analysis of events and reports”.

In the same vein, Mr Vincent Obike, the Editor-in-Chief of the National Ambassador, the Abia Government-owned newspaper, described Ibru’s death as “sad news, especially to those who followed the track record of this rare gem.

“The Guardian newspapers, which he published, changed the face of the Nigerian press.”

Obike, a former Chairman of Abia NUJ, further noted that Ibru assembled the best professionals and attracted academics into the mainstream of journalism, pointing out that “his legacy, no doubt, will outlive him”.

The Abia Chairman of the Civil Liberties Organisation, Mr Ifeanyi Onwuneme, wrote: “We have really lost a great man whose vacuum will be hard to fill.

“We take consolation in the fact that the families you provided with the means of livelihood will never forget you and will continue to pray for those you left behind.”