Tribute to HRM Alhaji (DR) Abdulrahman ado Ibrahim (1929-2023): The Prince born to be King
By Abdullahi Yahaya Bello
His Royal Majesty, Alhaji (Dr) Abdulrahman Ado Ibrahim,CON, FNMGS, FNSME, DSC, LLD , Atta III and the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland from 1997 – 2023 , who joined his illustrious ancestors a year ago was a rare breed of royalty who comes once in a lifetime.
It was the great English Poet – William Shakespeare who said “some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them.” For the late Ohinoyi, our own very special Adogu, was indeed born great because to be sired by the late Alhaji Ibrahim Onoroiza Ichogudo of blessed memory, the Atta of Ebiraland from 1917 to 1954 confers automatic greatness on anyone. Atta Ibrahim was greatness personified and it runs in the blood of descendants. If you are in doubt, check out the offspring of the great Atta and the enviable records they left behind in their various fields of endeavours.
For Adogu, beyond being born great, he achieved extra greatness through hard work, enterprise and tenacity. He carved a niche for himself in the Business world where he made a name and personal fortune which solidified his legacy as the all-time symbol of wealth in Ebira land.
He eventually achieved his ultimate greatness and lifetime ambition when he was crowned as the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland in 1997 thereby succeeding his father as Atta III and cementing the Atta legacy in Ebiraland.
His early childhood
Stories abound depicting the greatness of the late Adogu right from his childhood. It’s often said among the elderly that his mother Inya Hauwau Ozianuva of blessed memory had a prolonged labour while giving birth to him and all efforts to hasten the delivery proved abortive until the fateful visit of the famous Adogu Obanyi of Eganyi to the palace. The Atta was said to have confided in him on the situation of his wife. He went behind the compound and plucked some medicinal herbs which were squeezed for Onyai Ozianuva and pronto the child was born. In appreciation of his effort, Atta named the child Adogu to honor his friend. The Adogu Obanyi of Eganyi was a great man in his own right.
I also remembered listening to Aneku Irenuoihi of Idenku who related an incident in the life of young Adogu.
In that song Irenuoihi recounted how Adogu fell ill and was not responding to treatment despite all the efforts to treat him. It was said that a great herbalist visited the Atta and recommended that a royal wooden gong called Agidigbo should be struck in the palace and the boy will be fine. According to this story, as soon as this gong was struck, an unusual cloud gathered, thunder stroked and it started drizzling. The boy immediately came alive and the women in the palace broke into ululation and song saying the future king is here, the future has arrived,
Besides these stories, a careful look at the life of the late Ohinoyi by any discerning observer will notice that he was born to do it. I mean the Legendary Atta had 150 highly successful children but it was only Adogu who attached and insisted on being addressed as a Prince and he was famously known as Prince Ado Ibrahim all his life until he eventually became King Ado Ibrahim.
The late Ohinoyi never left anybody in doubt of his ambition to succeed his father. In fact, he purposely built a palace in anticipation of being crowned a king. He was a man with great courage, ambition and stamina. The circumstances surrounding the abdication of his father from the throne and the stiff opposition from those behind his father’s abdication never deterred Adogu from confronting everybody headlong until he ascended the throne in 1997. The late Ohinoyi has a very special leadership quality, courage and conviction.
The fearless defender of Ebira people
If there was ever a man willing and ready to go to war at any time to defend the name and honor of Anebira, it was Adogu. Just ask any Anebira resident in Lagos and old enough to know Adogu and he or she will regale you with stories of how Adogu came to the rescue of the Ebira people at some critical moments of their life in Lagos.
I was a student in Bayero University in the 90s when one of such Lagosians narrated to me how Adogu came to rescue the Ebira community in Agege when they clashed with some Yorubas in the community. The Yorubas chased the Ebiras away and even ransacked the House of the then Ebira in Chief. The Ebira Chief went into hiding and everybody ran for their safety.
The lady who narrated this story to me was among those who ran to Adogu’s house. Adogu immediately swung into action, moved to Agege in Commando style and dispersed the Yorubas and restored the Ebira Chief back to his house.
Another incident involving a very arrogant Yoruba man who was fond of mocking Ebira people by calling them Ebira Ojaja was also swiftly killed by Adogu. I don’t want to go into details here. But it was one incident that demonstrated the courage and Fearlessness of the late Ohinoyi.
In 2012 or thereabout, when some street urchins killed two soldiers in Okene, the Ohinoyi quickly ran to former President Goodluck Jonathan to appeal for clemency for his people. He feared his people may suffer the fate of Odi and Zaki-Biam. The former President graciously hear the cry of the Royal father and a calamity of monumental proportion was averted in Okene. This demonstrated the late Ohinoyis’ love for his people. He was our King in shining armour willing to defend the name and honour of his people.
The political pacesetter
Most Anebira are not aware that the late Ohinoyi was a gubernatorial aspirant in the 1978-79 transition programme. Just like everything he does, when he stormed the Kwara political scene as an aspirant in 1978, he did it with a bang!
His political campaign train was a sight to behold. His long convoy made of hundreds of cars and coaster buses scared and intimidated every politician in Kwara including the late great Oloye himself,Alhaj Abubakar Sola Saraki.
Some political pundits believed that it was his powerful entrance that paved the way for the emergence of Adamu Atta, his brother as the first Civilian Governor of Kwara because Saraki felt that Adamu was more easy going than the firebrand Adogu who May be a tough nut to crack.
Fight for Ajaokuta and dream of Kogi Governor of Ebira extraction
The late Ohinoyi was very passionate about the completion of Ajaokuta Steel Company and as well as the struggle to retain Ajaokuta as part of Ebira territory. In his last major interview in 2020 with Daily Trust Newspaper he spoke on the struggle by his late brother, Alhaji AbdulAzeez Atta to establish the Steel Company in Ebira land which became a reality in 1978. There were very strong forces opposed to the location of the Steel Company in Ebira land. The late Ohinoyi mentioned specifically the role he played in ensuring that Russia got the contract to construct the steel plant and lamented the state of the steel plant today. The Ohinoyi also fought the Igalas valiantly to retain Ajaokuta as part of our land. We appeal to our leaders to ensure the Ohinoyi efforts did not go in vain.
Politically, the late Royal father dreamt and prayed that an Ebira man will be Governor of Kogi state in his lifetime and that dream was realized in 2016 when Governor Yahaya Bello was sworn in as Kogi state Governor 25 years after the state was created. He equally prayed for Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo to take over from GYB and Allah also answered his prayers. He was a very lucky traditional ruler under whose reign, Ebira land made giant strides in the socio –political and economic life of the kingdom.
Man for all season
The late Ohinoyi was literally a man for all seasons. His star rose brightly from the beginning of his adult life until his death. His star never dimed even for a moment. Alhaji Adogu was the issue in Ebiraland from the 1970s until his passing. Adogu had a charismatic, charming and intimidating personality. He stands out everywhere he goes both locally and internationally.
Until he passed on, he remained the Ebira standard for measuring wealth and luxury. His Azad palace will stand the test of time as one of the most beautiful and imposing palaces in West Africa nay Africa.
Adogu was in a class of his own, a colorful man who exuded confidence, brilliance and style. Ado was a cosmopolitan who was at home in Okene, Lagos or California. When he appears as your king, you feel proud because he never disappoints.
In Spite of his glamorous lifestyle, he was down to earth and related very well with the downtrodden, the high and mighty. He was engaged in extensive philanthropic activities which he never publicized except to some close associates. He had a scholarship scheme for the less privileged, He sponsored the construction of many mosques across Ebira land, he gave generously to school projects and other noble courses during his lifetime.
With his passing, a giant Iroko has fallen in Ebira land and the vacuum created will be difficult to fill. We shall miss the late Ohinoyi, the last of the Mohicans, an original Anebira in all ratifications. Adogu was a man born in glory, lived in glory and died in glory.
May Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljanatu Firdausi. May Allah give his children and the Atta family the fortitude to bear this huge loss. Nyaatu, Ozi Idu, Ozi Ezu Chere Chere kame Sunava Nanweku. Aniku Ubogiri Obanyi, Onoru kakara, Azi Aragarara, Ozi Atta Ajivajauru of blessed memory.
Bello wrote this brief tribute from Dutse, Jigawa State.
