Former Senator Rafiu Ibrahim Dies At 57…What You Need To Know About Him…Kwara Gov Offers Condolences

A prominent politician in Kwara state, Alhaji Rafiu Ibrahim, PhD,  is dead.

Ibrahim, who was born on December 12 , 1966, has died at the age of  57.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that he had been ill for a few months now and he had not only visited hospital in Abuja but later left for London where he also had his heath attended to before returning to the country.

Sources said  Rafiu Ibrahim, a man of the people,  a suave, cool and cultured man, breathed his last at a hospital in Abuja on Wednesday.

The family had since announced his death ;

 ‘Inna lillahi wa inna ilahyi rojiun 

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of our beloved father, uncle, and brother, Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim. 

Senator Rafiu returned to his creator this morning, leaving behind a legacy of dedication, service, and profound impact.

We kindly request your prayers and support during this difficult time. His burial arrangements will be communicated in due course.

We pray Allah forgives his shortcomings and grants him Al-jannah Firdaus. Ameen’ the  family submitted in a short statement.

Salatul Janazah (Islamic funeral prayer)  will be held for him in Ilorin, today at 2pm.

‘Indeed, we belong to Allah, and indeed, to Him we shall return.

This is to inform the Muslim Ummah and the general public that the Janazah (burial rites) of our beloved distinguished Senator Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim will hold today in Ilorin, Kwara state.  

Venue: Ilorin Muslim Cemetery, Osere, behind Ilorin Eid Praying Ground, Ilorin, Kwara state.

Time: 2 pm (after solatul Zuhr).

We pray Allah (SWT) forgives him and grants him a place in Al-Jannah Firdaus. Ameen’ the family submitted in separate statement.

What You Need To Know About Late Rafiu Ibrahim

The late Alhaji Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim was one of the ardent supporters of Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and he had also showed his unwavering loyalty during one of the trying times precisely 5 years ago.

The 2019 general election outcome had triggered fear and made Saraki’s loyalists worried about the future of the political group and many had seemingly said ‘to your tents, O Israel’ but  he was the first person to grant interviews and assured supporters that Saraki would remain relevant.

He also repeatedly referred to Saraki as ‘leader’.

Like Hon Razak Atunwa, Rafiu was also one of those who were brought by late Dr Olusola Saraki but later became close to Dr Bukola Saraki.

Ibrahim, an indigene of Ojoku, Oyun local government,  at different times attended Ojoku Grammar School , Ojoku, , Kwara state Polytechnic, Ilorin,  and the University of Ado Ekiti.  He received a  PhD degree in  Business Administration from the Lead City  University in 2009.

His Foray Into Politics

As Head of FOREX Desk at the defunct Trade Bank plc, the late Dr Rafiu Ibrahim had the privilege of having contacts with prominent Nigerians , but he however  became a popular, and a well-known figure in Kwara state  following the development that was recorded in 2009.

Hon Rauf Salami Lambe had gotten the Oke-Ogun PDP House of Assembly nomination and he had eventually gotten declared as winner of the House of assembly election that was held on April 14, 2007 .

The euphoria greeting the victory of the Ojoku- born politician was however paused temporarily, due to the strange development that he  witnessed before his inauguration as a member of the house of assembly.

Rauf, we gathered, had left Ojoku for Erin-Ile in his car and he saw familiar faces, he promptly pulled over and sought  to exchange banters with them but as he was about alighting from his car,   he suddenly collapsed and lost his voice.

He was rushed to the hospital and though he could not eventually attend the inauguration ceremony , Rauf later showed up in his office only two times before his death.

Lambe’s death led to the emergence of Alhaji Rafiu Adebayo Ibrahim as his replacement.

Many would remember Rafiu Ibrahim for his meteoric rise in politics, after representing Oke-Ogun state constituency in the House of Assembly from  2009 to 2011, the Ibolo people had  argued that it should be their turn to produce the representative of Ifelodun/Offa/Oyun federal constituency in the House of Representative and  Rafiu Ibrahim was later nominated as PDP candidate.

He eventually represented the federal constituency between 2011 and 2015.

Ahead of the 2015 general election, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki and other stakeholders in the party had taken a decision that all the senators would be allowed to retain their positions but former Senator Simeon Ajibola had to their chagrin refused to defect from PDP to the APC.

Again, the situation worked in Rafiu’s favour and he earned elevation from reps to Senate .  Sources said this was done with expectations that he would be willing to spend one term and allow the senate nomination move to Igbomina axis  having earlier spent one term in the House of Representatives.

He was the Chairman , Senate Committee on Banking, Insurance, and Other Financial Institutions and he sponsored six bills and supervised eight others during the 8th Senate. .

The late Rafiu Ibrahim later earned PDP nomination for the 2019 and 2023 Kwara South senate elections which Senator Lola Ashiru however won.

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq Offers His Condolences

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara state said on Wednesday that he received with shock and profound sadness  the news of the death of former Senator Rafiu Ibrahim.

‘The governor sends his heartfelt condolences to the family of the late senator, the people of Ojoku in Oyun Local Government , and the Peoples Democratic Party on this sad development. 

This shocking development again reminds everyone of the inevitability of death for all human beings and the fact that it could come unannounced for anyone. 

Governor AbdulRazaq prays that Allaah will  admit the senator to al-Jannah Firdaus and give comfort to his family members, political associates, and followers’ AbdulRazaq submitted in a statement issued in Ilorin and made available to Team@orientactualmags.com by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you