By joshua Former Kogi Speaker, Prince Kolawole Mourns Ex-Gov Ibrahim Idris: Says His Death Came When His Counsel Was Most Needed
Former Speaker of the Kogi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Prince Mathew Kolawole, has expressed deep shock and profound sorrow over the death of former Governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, CON, Jakadan Sokoto, describing it as a devastating blow to Kogi State and a personal loss to him.
In a condolence message personally signed by him on Sunday, Prince Kolawole said he received the news of the passing of the elder statesman in the early hours of today in the United Kingdom with a heavy heart and total submission to the will of Almighty Allah.
According to him, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris was not just a former governor, he was a father, a political institution, a bridge builder and the architect of modern Kogi politics whose nine-year administration from 2003 to 2012 remains a watershed and a reference point in good governance.
“Alhaji Ibrahim Idris governed Kogi State with uncommon humility, large-heartedness and an inclusive spirit that made every tribe, religion and zone feel a sense of belonging. He built roads, he built institutions, he built people and above all, he built unity. He was the first to show that Kogi could be governed as one united family. His legacies in infrastructure, education, healthcare, civil service welfare and human capital development remain indelible and unmatched,” Kolawole stated.
The former Speaker noted that the death of the Jakadan Sokoto has come at a time when Kogi State most needs his wise counsel, fatherly guidance, political experience and stabilising voice.
“At a time when our state is in search of direction, unity and healing, when the younger generation of leaders needs the wisdom of elders to navigate the complexities of governance and politics, we have lost a reservoir of knowledge, a fountain of peace and a man whose words alone could calm storms. His death has created a vacuum too wide to fill,” he lamented.
Prince Kolawole, who served as Speaker under the administration that succeeded the late Idris, described him as a philanthropist par excellence whose generosity transcended political boundaries, a detribalised Kogite whose home was open to all, and a loyal party man who remained committed to the ideals of the Peoples Democratic Party till his last breath as a member of its Board of Trustees.
While commiserating with his wife, Hajia Aisha Ibrahim Idris, his children, the Idris family of Idah, the Government and people of Kogi State, and the PDP family nationwide, Prince Kolawole prayed Almighty Allah to forgive his shortcomings, grant him Aljanat Firdaus and grant all those he left behind the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.
“Sleep well, our leader, our father, our pathfinder. Your place in the history of Kogi State is assured and your legacy will live forever,” he added.