MAIDEN IBRU'S PRIVATE WORLD

Recently, the Lagos social circuit stood still, as the family of late Alex-Ibru hosted a galaxy of personalities, who gathered to witness the traditional marriage ceremony of their daughter. The ceremony involves Omotuvie Alexia and Maxwell Herbert. The bride, Omotuvie is the daughter of the late Dr. Alexander. O. Ibru (founder, chairperson and publisher of The Guardian newspaper group) and his wife, Lady Maiden Alex-Ibru, nee Thomopulos, the current chairperson and publisher of the Guardian, who is of Nigerian-Greek parentage.

Within the Nigerian social establishment, Maiden Ibru holds the enviable position of being one of the most respected and adored matriarchs in the society. An ageless beauty by every standard, Sisi Maiden, as she is affectionately called by other society women, is affable, charismatic and gregarious. These are some of the attributes that attract other people to her. And not only is she one of the most beautiful women in the society, Maiden is also one of the most stylish women as well. 

Maiden was born in Sapele, Delta State, on November 20, 1949, to Mr. Aristotelis Thomopulos and his wife, Hannah Thomopulos, Omaghome. She was a great-great-grand-daughter of Olomu of Koko, the Governor-General of  the area in the 1880s. Maiden’s father and his brother, Sterious, were born in Neapolis, Kozanis, in the upper mountain region, near Thessasloniki, Greece, to Thomas Aristotelis and his wife, Zisoulis. The brothers, as young adults, migrated to the then Southern Protectorate of Nigeria. They settled in Sapele and set-up The Thomopulos Rubber Factory Limited. Later other factories were set-up in rubber-growing areas of the Protectorate. The brothers owned Real Estate in Lagos, Ondo town,Benin, and Sapele. Maiden’s father died on May 15, 1957, at the Military Hospital, Ikoyi, Lagos.  

 Maiden Ibru with one of her best friends, Modupe Sagoe

Maiden had her elementary education at the Children’s Home School, Ibadan, and secondary education at Queen’s School, Ede. She went on to study at the University of Ibadan, from where she got a combined honours degree in English and Theatre studies. In 1972, she went to the United States of America to further her studies. Maiden holds an M.Sc. degree, in Communications, from the American University, Washington D.C.

Her marriage to Sir Alex Ibru spanned over 35 years, and it produced five children- Anita, Ose, Toke, Tive and Uvie. 

On October 21, 2007, in Athens, President Karolos Papoulias honoured Maiden Ibru with “The Golden Cross of the Order of Welfare (GCOW) of the Hellenic Republic, Greece.