Former Kogi Governor Ibrahim Idris is dead
From Yahaya Idris
The political arguments surrounding him, however, are very much alive.
Alhaji Ibrahim Idris (Ibro) died in the United Kingdom at the age of 77.
Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo responded by declaring three days of mourning and announcing that the former governor would receive a state burial.
Ododo later visited the Idris family in Abuja alongside former Governor Yahaya Bello and other officials.
The government has also established a 21-member committee to coordinate the burial.
That is the official position.
But outside the official statements, political conversations have begun over how Ibro was treated during his lifetime and how his political legacy should now be remembered.
Some claims circulating about alleged government actions against the late governor require documentary confirmation before they can responsibly be reported as facts.
That does not mean the questions should disappear.
They should be investigated.
If there were disputes over former governors’ entitlements, let the records speak.
If there were political confrontations, let the documents speak.
If there were disagreements over Ibro’s treatment by later administrations, let those involved explain their positions.
But a funeral should not become a courtroom. Nor should it become an electoral rally.
The late Ibrahim Idris governed Kogi for years and remains an important figure in the state’s political history.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, in his condolence message, also described his years in office as an important chapter in Kogi’s political and developmental history.
Therefore, the most dignified thing Kogi can do is simple:
Give Ibro a respectful farewell.
Allow his family to mourn.
Allow government to perform its legitimate responsibilities.
And allow historians, journalists and citizens to debate his record with evidence.
There is no need to rewrite history because somebody has died.
There is also no need to insult the dead because politics was once bitter.
The grave should not become another campaign platform.
And the obituary should not become a political manifesto.
Let Baba Ibro rest. Let Kogi govern. Let the evidence speak. Let history judge.
May Almighty Allah forgive his shortcomings and grant Alhaji Ibrahim Idris Aljannatul Firdaus.