Michael Ibru, husband of ex-Oceanic Bank MD has died + 10 Things Nigerians didn't know about him

The patriarch of the Ibru family and chairman of the Ibru organization, Olorogun Michael Ibru is dead. Mr Ibru was the ex-husband of Cecilia Ibru, the former MD of Oceanic Bank.

He died at the age of 86 years after a protracted illness in Florida in the United States of America today, Tuesday, September 7, 2016.

These are other top 10 facts about Micheal Ibru that Nigerians should know.

1. He was the head of the Ibru Organization, one of the largest conglomerates in Nigeria.

2. He was born to the family of Peter Epete and Janet Omotogor Ibru, a missionary, who also worked at Igbobi Orthopaedic Hospital, Lagos, in 1930.

3. In 1956, Ibru was just a 26-year-old young man, yet he had the vision and the boldness to leave the U.A.C (African United Company), and started a partnership with an expatriate, Jimmy Large, which he called Laibru

4.. His death is coming about 5 weeks after his brother, Senator Felix Ovuodoroye Ibru, was buried in their hometown.

5.. The successful businessman also tried his hands in politics, contesting the 1983 governorship election of the old Bendel state. However, he lost to Samuel Ogbemudia.

6 .Olorogun Michael Ibru was an international businessman, philanthropist, educator, a lover of children, grassroots organizer and community leader gained the respect, trust and love of the entire country

7. He established a transportation company, called Rutam. He also invested in palm oil production.

8. As a traditional chieftain of his homeland, Ibru bore the tribal honorific Olorogun and often used it as a pre-nominal style.

9. Chief Ibru has five wives and seventeen children, the most prominent being Olorogun Oskar Ibru (who heads Ibafon Ports) and Oboden Ibru (who is a key player in Oceanic bank International PLC)

10. He was also a member of the Liberal Convention and the New Movement, which metamorphosed to become NRC.