Oscar Ibru, business mogul and torchbearer of Ibru dynasty, dies at 67

Nigeria has lost one of its most prominent industrialists with the passing of Olorogun Oscar Eyovbirere Ibru, Chairman of the Ibru Organisation and eldest son of the late patriarch, Olorogun Michael Ibru. He was 67.

The family, in a brief statement on Wednesday, confirmed that he died after a short illness. They gave no further details, noting that funeral arrangements would be announced later.

Oscar Ibru carried the weight of a storied name, becoming the most visible custodian of the Ibru dynasty following the death of his father in 2016. The Ibru Organisation, founded more than six decades ago, remains one of Nigeria’s best-known conglomerates with interests spanning shipping, oil and gas, real estate, aviation, fishing and commerce.

Born on 11 August 1958, Oscar attended Igbobi College in Lagos before proceeding to Skidmore College, New York, for his first degree. He later earned a Master’s in Business Administration from Atlanta University.

On his return to Nigeria in 1983, he began as a management trainee at The Guardian newspaper before joining the family’s shipping business. Rising quickly through the ranks, he became Managing Director of Emsee Shipping Lines Limited in 1992, later overseeing and influencing operations across the group’s diverse portfolio.

In the wider maritime sector, he chaired the Nigerian Chamber of Shipping and was named Maritime Personality of the Year in 2006.

Oscar Ibru’s influence extended beyond boardrooms. He founded the Dream Child Foundation, an NGO dedicated to empowering African children through music, and supported numerous cultural and educational causes. In recognition, Igbinedion University conferred on him an honorary doctorate in 2017.

He was also a passionate yachtsman, becoming the first African Commodore of the Apapa Boat Club. His traditional title, Otunba Boyejo of Ijebu Kingdom, underscored his cultural standing.

Oscar Ibru was married to Chief Wanda Ibru, curator of the Ijebu National Museum and founder of Pathways Botanical Gardens. They had three children: Makashe Ibru-Awogboro, Chris Ibru, and Nenesi Ibru-Okeke.

To many, he was not only a businessman but also a bridge between tradition and modern enterprise, philanthropy and wealth creation. His passing is a major loss to Nigeria’s corporate community and a fresh blow to the Ibru family, whose name has long been synonymous with industry, service and influence.