HRH Alhaji Abdulrahaman Ado Ibrahim
The only
child of his mother, Alhaji Abdulrahaman Ado Ibrahim was born on Tuesday
7th February, 1929 at Okeneba. His mother was Hajiya Hawawu
Ozianuva . He attended the Nursery and Quranic School Okene In his father’s palace In 1935, and completed this level of Western and oriental education at the age of eleven years . Between 1934 and 1940, he was registered with the then Okene NA school For his formal primary education. In 1941, he was admitted into the then Okene Middle School from where after spending two years, he moved to the famous Ondo Boy’s High School for his secondary education. This was between 1934-1946. He finally completed his secondary school at Oduduwa College, Ile –Ife in 1949 after spending three years there among the subject he studied, and in which he distinguished himself, was Latin.
Ozianuva . He attended the Nursery and Quranic School Okene In his father’s palace In 1935, and completed this level of Western and oriental education at the age of eleven years . Between 1934 and 1940, he was registered with the then Okene NA school For his formal primary education. In 1941, he was admitted into the then Okene Middle School from where after spending two years, he moved to the famous Ondo Boy’s High School for his secondary education. This was between 1934-1946. He finally completed his secondary school at Oduduwa College, Ile –Ife in 1949 after spending three years there among the subject he studied, and in which he distinguished himself, was Latin.
In 1950, He commenced his first journey in his business career when he joined
the United Africa Company (UAC) on special merit at the management –trainee
level . Alhaji Ado Ibrahim had his first promotion with the UAC in 1952 as
manager and was promoted to the prestigious Kingsway store at Kaduna. He spent
only one year as Manager when he took another challenge as a building
industrialist and inventor. Thus , in 1953 he joined the Amalgamated Tin Mines
Ltd(ATML) in Jos as its first indigenous Personnel Manager. In this capacity, he
was exposed to intensive courses in Jos and overseas in mining portfolio. This
took him to Johannesburg, South Africa .When he returned to his base in Jos, he
was promoted as Area Manager with responsibilities , among others for the
excavation of Zinc ore and lead deposits at Izom in Abuja area . he led a team
that prospected for gold and other precious minerals in the Izom
zone.
Alhaji Ado Ibrahim from his early years, had exhibited high scholastic qualities
and great philanthropic spirit towards high education within and outside the
country . Through sandwich studies he registered as an external candidate with
the London School of Economics between 1952 and 1954 . This earned him B. Sc.
degree of the University, with specialization in Statistics in 1954 . In 1955,
the Ford Foundation of America granted him a scholarship to do a six month
course in marketing strategies at the Havared School of business where his
brother, Mohammed Okatenwu Atta, had also attended. He bagged the MBA
postgraduate degree from the Havard business school in 1954. This was the year
that he married his wife, Mrs. Abimbola (nee Solomon) Ibrahim. Because of his
special interest in education, a legacy he inherited from his father. Alhaji
Ado Ibrahim has endowed many chairs and grants to Nigerian and foreign
Universities. He set up for this purpose in 1976 the Ado Ibrahim Foundation .
The awards took the form of the university scholarships at home and abroad, as
well as Faculty chairs and Donation. Among the recipient universities are those
of Lagos, Bennin, Nsukka, and Jos. He gave one million pounds donation to the
Association of common Wealth Universities in 1987. For this gesture the Queen of
England, herself a Grand Patron of the association of common wealth
Universities, granted Alhaji Ado Ibrahim and his wife a special audience on
3rd November, 1988 at the Buckingham Palace.
He has
set up many flourishing companies of his own. They include the Ado Ibrahim and
Co. (being the first indigenous oil company wholly owned by a Nigerian), the
Veritas Insurance Co. and the Bolado Co. they are all limited liability
companies. He was also Chairman and Director of many public liability companies,
including Atlas Nigeria Ltd, the Ado Ibrahim Organization of 12 Companies, the
Food Specialties Ltd, and the Kwara Manufacturing Industry.
Alhaji Ado Ibrahim a great achiever in many spheres of life, has identified
strongly and controversially with the culture and tradition of his people. He
was a great patron of many Ebira cultural organizations, clubs and festivals,
including the famous Ebira Masqurade festivals. After his initial strong support
for the late Ohinoyi of Ebira, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Omolori, this cordial
relationship suddenly went sour to a point of no reconciliation. If there was
any single Ebira person who gave the Ohinoyi of Ebira the stiffest opposition
while he was in office, it was probably Alhaji Ado Ibrahim. The reasons were
said to be both personal and cultural.
When the contest for the successor to the Ohinoyi of Ebira stool was heralded,
Alhaji Ado Ibrahim was among the first candidate to express keen interest. This
was between July 1996 and June, 1997. The Kogi State Government white Paper
42 on the Report of the Committee set up to work out the modality for
ascension to the throne of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland was released in April, 1997. He
was one of the contestants who filed their applications to the council of
Kingmakers (numbering eleven). He was among the three recommended by the
Kingmakers to Government for approval. This was in May, 1997. At the time of
going to Press, Alhaji Ado Ibrahim was officially announced as the winner of the
much coveted Ohinoyi of Ebira stool. This was on Monday 2nd June,
1997. He was appointed under Edict No. 3 of 1997 which took effect from
6th May, 1997 under the hand of His Excellency Col. Bzigu L.
Afakirya, the military Administrator of Kogi State. Hitherto, and for many
years, he had acquired and consistently used the appellation, “His Royal
Highness Prince” Ado Ibrahim as a prefix to his name in his private and official
correspondence. Soon after his appointment, he made major press statements on
his strong intention to change the title Ohinoyi of Ebira under which he was
appointed by law, to that of his late father, the Atta of Ebira. Sharp public
reactions from some Ebira educated elites closely followed his press statements.
Alhaji Ado Ibrahim has high taste for decent and dignified appearance at all
times both at work and at leisure. His lifestyle radiates glamour and dignified
royalty which are admired by both friends and foes. His multi-million naira
castle-like personal residence at Okene and is fleet of limousine cars which are
probably second to none in Nigeria, attest to his first-class taste in all
aspects of his personal life. Whatever his detractors may say, HRS Alhaji
Ado Ibrahim is every inch a successful international businessman. We wish the
new Ohinoyi of Ebira, HRM Alhaji Abdulraman Ado Ibrahim, every success
and a long reign on the Ebira throne where his activities as a Roya Father are being watched, with an eagle eye.
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