Ado Ibrahim, Ohinoyi of Ebiraland, dies aged 94

Abdul Rahman Ado Ibrahim, the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland in Okene, Kogi state, is dead.

TheCable understands that the first class king died on Sunday at the age of 94.

According to a family member, Ibrahim passed away around 2am at a hospital in Abuja.

Abubakar Ado Ibrahim, one of his sons, also confirmed his father’s demise in a telephone conversation with TheCable.

The deceased monarch assumed the office of Ohinoyi of Ebiraland in 1997 after the death of the former Ohinoyi, Sanni Omolori.

Ibrahim attended Ondo Boys High School and Oduduwa College for his secondary education.

He obtained a B.Sc in Economics from the London School of Economics in 1954 and an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1959.

In December 2022, Ibrahim was issued a query by the Kogi state government over his alleged refusal to welcome former President Muhammadu Buhari during the latter’s visit to the state.

The state government had said the late traditional ruler’s action was “deliberate” and capable of bringing Kogi to “grave disrepute”.

In response, the late monarch denied deliberately missing the event, saying he was “kept in the dark” about the arrangements.

On the day of Buhari’s visit, an explosion occurred at a mosque near the Ohinoyi’s palace.

The monarch said he was attending to the victims of the explosion when he was informed that Buhari was in town.

A palace source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said arrangements are currently being made to move the late monarch’s body to Okene where he will be laid to rest.