Oscar Ibru was a prominent business person across Nigeria and respected not only for his business accomplishments, but also for his quiet but effective approach to political engagement. As he aged into the later phases of his life, Ibru became increasingly engaged with politics, particularly in his home state of Delta, and became a focal point for mobilization of the grassroots.
In February 2024, Ibru ramped up mobilization of All Progressives Congress (APC) members for President Bola Tinubu and gubernatorial candidate Sheriff Oborevwori in Delta, in preparation for the forthcoming 2027 elections. He demonstrated an exceptional talent for overcoming party lines and relating to relevant key state and national actors, demonstrating both his political sensibilities and the strength of his influence among the Urhobo nation.
Ibru emerged as a distinguished figure within Delta, active in grassroots political arenas, unlike many of the business elite class that tend to keep the political realm at arm’s length. Furthermore, He established cordial relationships with community leaders, chief traditional rulers, and local party organizations. From his participation, it is clear that business leaders can make strides in asserting political influence while going beyond the suite of their boardrooms, using their network/relationships and financial resources to influence elections.
Experts who monitor the political realm have indicated that what Ibru engaged in was not necessarily self-service, but was always aimed at augmenting the political posture of Delta communities in national politics. By building mobilization, he reasserts himself as a business patriarch and elder statesman.
As a pivotal figure in Delta’s formal and informal politics, Ibru unexpectedly passed away in September 2025 at the age of 69. He left lingering questions about the fate of his mobilization networks and the void left by his political engagement in Delta. While the Ibru family will further develop their business legacy, it is not clear whether the family will have the same presence in the political realm.
Late Oscar Ibru was a key architect and actor in his later years, and he reflects a larger Nigerian narrative of combining wealth, influence, and politics, as well as potentially contributing to the concept of patronage. His trajectory serves as an illustration of how business icons often shape political landscapes, not necessarily by contesting for offices, but by mobilising support, forging alliances, and lending credibility to political causes.
His absence will surely be missed in the country and in particular Delta state, as well in business circles and grassroots politics.
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