THE Urhobo Progress Union, UPU, has described the death of Chief Alex Ibru as a great loss to the Urhobo nation in particular and the Nigeria nation in general.

The UPU in a statement on the passage of Ibru, hailed him for reshaping the print media landscape with his establishment of The Guardian Newspaper and praising him for not derailing the newspaper from the path of objectivity even while he served in government.

The statement issued by the UPU’s National Secretary, Elder John Onojakpor read in part: “The death of Chief Alex Ibru is a great loss to the Urhobo nation in particular and to the Nigeria nation in general.

The late Alex Ibru was a man of many parts. He reshaped the print media and newspaper landscape in Nigeria with the establishment of The Guardian Newspaper which became the conscience of the nation in helping to shape national discourse and moulding of opinions for the good of the nation.

“The late Alex Ibru lived a fulfilled life and devoted his life to the service of God and humanity. He built the famous Ibru Centre in Agbarha-Otor which has become an international interdenominational retreat centre for the Christian faith.” The UPU thus urged the Ibru family and Nigerians to take solace in the positive legacies left behind by Chief Alex Ibru.

In another message, Mr. Lanre Idowu, Chief Executive Officer, CEO, of Diamond Publications Limited, praised the late Ibru for his visionary effort in reshaping the media industry through the establishment of The Guardian.

In a message of condolence to The Guardian, Idowu regretted that those who perpetuated the attempted assassination on him in 1996 which crippled his health are yet to be brought to book. He said: “We learnt with regret the passing on of Mr. Alex Ibru, publisher of The Guardian last Sunday. Although we are particularly pained that the perpetrators of the 1996 attempted assassination, which placed him in dire health conditions that ultimately claimed his life, are yet to be brought to justice, we thank God for what he did through Mr. Ibru.

“His record of self discipline in public office as Internal Affairs minister where he emphasised diligence and service is certainly worthy of emulation in a land where public office is often seen as passport to self enrichment. Yet, the irony must not escape us that it was his desire to serve his country in public office that also brought him in conflict with the forces of retrogression who unleashed the violence on him that ultimately cost him his life.”