| Urhobo Historical Society |
Remembering Matriarch Janet Omotogor Ibru
Matriarch
Janet Omotogor Ibru
A Letter of Condolences
|
Urhobo Historical Society Web site: http://waado.org;
E-mail: UrhoboHistory@waado.org
March 25, 2006 Olorogun
Michael
Ibru Dear
Olorogun Michael Ibru: Condolences
Mothers
are especially precious in Urhobo culture. The late
Chief Obafemi Awolowo, who was not particularly a
good friend of the Urhobo people, was quoted as
having once uttered a special word of praise of
Urhobo women. Chief Awolowo was quoted as having
told a confidant of his that Urhobo women worked
night and day so that their children would go to
school and become successful in life. That virtue of
hard work and abiding dedication to the future and
success of their children was especially important
in the case of Urhobo women who raised their
children in the difficult pioneering years of the
1930s through the 1940s. We dare to say that no
other Urhobo woman deserves greater credit for such
steadfast dedication than your blessed mother. We
believe many future Nigerian historians will venture
various deductions as to what accounts for the
unmatched and untainted successes that you and your
younger brothers have attained in so many fields. We
in Urhobo Historical Society, who study Urhobo
history and culture as our assigned responsibility,
would rush to say that the early foundation that
your mother gave you in life was most probably
critical to your achievements. In mourning the loss
of your mother, Urhobo Historical Society celebrates
those virtues of Urhobo womanhood that have churned
up so many successful men and women in our history
of the last three-quarter century. We know that the
loss of your mother will touch your core feelings
because of what she contributed to your life and the
lives of your siblings. We trust that you will mourn
your beloved mother as a prototype of Urhobo
womanhood. We mourn her loss with you in that vein.
Your mother�s loss will remind many Urhobos of the
wonderful things that our women have wrought in our
history and culture. Please accept our sympathies
and condolences for the loss of a remarkable mother
and a virtuous Urhobo woman. Urhobo
Historical
Society is currently working on its 2007 Calendar.
We intend to feature several Urhobo men and women of
significance in Urhobo history and culture. We plan
to include your mother as one of Urhobo women
personages who deserve to be celebrated in our
history. Once again, accept the
condolences of Urhobo Historical Society for the
loss of your respected mother. Sincerely
yours, Professor
Peter
Ekeh Chairman Urhobo
Historical
Society Editorial and Management Committee
Members:
Ovie Felix Ayigbe, B. Pharm.,
R. Ph.; Onoawarie Edevbie, M.A., M.Sc.;
Peter P. Ekeh, Ph.D.; Edirin Erhiaganoma, M.Sc. Joseph E. Inikori, Ph.D.;
Isaac James Mowoe, Ph.D., J.D.; Omokere
E. Odje, Ph.D.;
Aruegodore Oyiborhoro, Ed.D.;
Ajovi Scott-Emuakpor, M.D., Ph.D. Executive: Peter Ekeh, Chair and Editor;
Andrew Edevbie, Secretary; Edirin
Erhiaganoma, Treasurer. |
Mrs. Janet Omotogor Ibru at Midlife
�The
Matriarch
Extraordinaire Goes Home1
By Oghenevware Evwode
On Wednesday March 15, 2006, the cold hand of death
snatched away Chief Janet Omotogor Ibru, the matriarch of Ibru
dynasty at the age of 97 years. In fact, her death has further
showed that all creatures of God owe the debt of death and
this great Urhobo woman has just settled that debt.
The death of Chief Janet Ibru is a pointer to the
biblical injunction as it is contained in the book of
Ecclesiastes, Chapter 3: �To every thing, there is a season,
and a time to every purpose under the heaven. A time to be
born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck
up that which is planted��
Without mincing words, the entire Urhobo nation
mourns the demise of Chief Janet Ibru and by extension, other
ethnic nationalities in the country and beyond also mourn the
death of this great Urhobo woman.
Her marriage to late Chief Ibru of Agbarha-Otor in
Ughelli North local government area of
Her eldest child, Olorogun (Dr.) Michael C.O. Ibru,
OFR, was once described by his children and grand children in
these words: �You are a pillar of strength, a
visionary-guiding hand, a moulder of character, an educator, a
lover of children especially the family. You are a
humanitarian par excellence, a philanthropist without
recompence, a grassroots organiser and community leader, and a
true patriot without equal.� In one of his classical songs,
the Urhobo poet-musician, the late Ogute Ottan, described
Olorogun Michael Ibru as the
In the same vein, Chief James Onanefe Ibori,
Governor of Delta State, was reported to have said that the
Ibru organisation founded by Olorogun Michael Ibru, with 25
subsidiaries, has been rated as the largest indigenous
conglomerate in
Records have it that Ibru is pioneer in the
production of fish and animal protein, thereby not only
strengthening
Let
us look at the background of the Ibru Organization. What is
now one of the foremost groups in
The above
mentioned companies of Olorogun Michael Ibru, has showed that
the mother that gave birth to this business mogul of our time,
deserves all the tributes now that she has answered the call
of the Lord. Both Nigerians and non-Nigerians alike would
continue to pay tributes to the deceased.
The late Chief
Janet Omotogor Ibru would be remembered for the good legacies
she left for her children. In fact, this legend was a
disciplinarian par excellence, who instilled that discipline
in her children. The late matriarch of the Ibru family was a
role model and that could be the reason why her children are
today role models in their chosen careers.
Chief Janet
Omotogor Ibru was also an epitome of humility and that trait
always reflected in all her actions while she sojourned on
planet earth. Indeed, the success story of her children did
not make her to be arrogant in dealings with people and if you
were not told that she was the one that gave birth to Olorogun
Michael Ibru and his siblings, you would not know.
She was a good
counsellor, no wonder she gave good advice to her children who
are today embodiment of good things of life. Chief Janet
Omotogor Ibru must have followed the biblical injunction which
says: �Train up a child on the way of the Lord and when he
grows up, he would not depart from the way of the Lord.�
By all
standards Chief Janet Omotogor Ibru was a virtuous woman and
she possessed all the sterling qualities of the virtuous woman
as enunciated in the book of Proverbs chapter 31. The late
matriarch must have been guided by this Indian proverb: �The
nearest approach to happiness for man in the course of his
life is to possess liberty, health, and a peaceful mind,� no
wonder her children are marvels of the world.
The late
nonagenarian attached much importance to this statement of
James K. Feibleman: �Morality is a set of laws that one sets
up for oneself.�
The children
of Chief Janet Omotogor Ibru attained greatness because their
mother was a woman who had a great aim in life. One should not
be castigated to say that the children of the late
nonagenarian must have been guided by this statement of
Johnann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749-1832), the German writer:
�The important thing in life is to have a great aim, to
possess the aptitude and perseverance to attain it.� The late
Chief Janet Omotogor Ibru died in the Lord and that is why she
is being given a Christian burial.
Indeed, the
obsequies released by the family showed that on Thursday April
27, 2006 service of songs was held at the Ibru compound,
Ovwor, Ughelli North local government area of
Olorogun Felix
Ibru, another son of late Chief Janet Omotogor Ibru, is a
politician of no mean repute. He became the first civilian
governor of
Mr. Alex Ibru,
OON, another son of the late Chief Janet Ibru is a
businessman, a publisher and administrator. He founded The
Guardian newspaper in 1983 and today, that newspaper is
being described as the flagship of print journalism in the
country. He also has business interest in insurance, computer,
and other allied matters both in
Mr.
Goodie Ibru is another illustrious son of late Chief Janet
Omotogor Ibru, who has made breakthrough in the hotel and
hospitality industry. He also has business interest in
banking, stocks, insurance, as well as a member of many
professional bodies. Today, he is a force to be reckoned with
when the issue of hotel and hospitality is discussed in the
country.
In a chat with
The Urhobo Voice, Chief Patrick Atsiangbe (JP), a
chieftain of the People�s Democratic Party (PDP) in
As for Chief
Patrick Gbinije (JP), the most senior chief of
Mrs. Janet Omotogor Ibru in Her Youth
A Testimony:
�Mamma Ibru is the
Greatest Mother in
By Mr. Samson O. Eruvwavwe
�The Ibru
family is one of the greatest and foremost in
�I
worked as a Stenographer in Mitchell Farms, a subsidiary of
the Ibru Organisation, from January 25, 1985 to May 15, 1989. During my employment in the Ibru
Organisation, I came to realise that Olorogun M.C.O. Ibru is a
very, very liberal person and his liberality was reflected in
the conditions of service
applicable to all employees in the group. As a matter of
fact, the Ibru Blue Book which contained condition of
service for all junior staff in the entire Ibru
Organisation, was well-known all over
�In the �80s when I was engaged in Mitchell Farms,
there were 53 different companies in the Ibru Organisation
which cut across every sector of the economy! And the number
of Nigerians who benefited from the Ibrus through direct
employment, or sales agency, or contracts, or clientele
services ran into millions. As a matter of fact, the Ibru
Organisation, as at that time, was the greatest employer of
labour in the organised private sector (OPS) in
�Educationally, many Nigerians also benefited from the Ibrus. Many underprivileged
children were given good education through scholarships by the
Ibrus, and many workers were sponsored abroad for specialised
trainings by the various companies in the Ibru Organisation.
In Mitchell Farms alone, more than five persons were sent to
�Now,
let me talk about the late Mama Ibru. It is not an
exaggeration to say that Mama Janet Omotogor Ibru was the
greatest mother in
�Some
employees had complained that Mama Ibru was hard. But I did
not see her to be so. Such employees who complained were
either questionable or lazy. I
rendered personal services to Mama and also chatted with her
several times in the�80s. In those days, Mitchell Farms had a
tradition of giving free-of-charge (FOC) frozen chickens to
its workers every week. Every junior staff was entitled to one
chicken weekly, senior staff to two and management staff to
three. Mama Ibru was entitled to three chickens weekly and I
had to take them to her home in Ovwor-Olomu frequently, as
most of my co-workers were afraid of facing her.
�Mama
Ibru was reputed to have fought against those who embezzled
money in any of the companies in the Ibru group. She, indeed,
protected the business interests of her children and thereby
contributed to the growth and popularity of the Ibru
Organisation. That is something that every good mother in
Urhoboland should learn from. Let no mother in Urhoboland pull
down her children; rather, all mothers should build up their
children in emulation of Mama Janet Omotogor Ibru.�
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