Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia: 1932- 2017

IN yet another huge loss in recent times, one of Nigeria’s most iconic elder statesmen and patriots, Brigadier-General Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, breathed his last on March 9. Among other things, the encomiums that poured in during his lying in state at the stadium which he built during his tenure as military governor but which was later renamed Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium after him, bore eloquent testimonies to the exemplary journey of this prodigious Nigerian.

Born on September 17, 1932 to a father who was both a farmer and carpenter, Ogbemudia joined the military in 1957 after watching a parade at the then Kings Square in Benin City. As Military Administrator of the old Mid West Region between 26 October 1967 and 1975, Brigadier-Ogbemudia left indelible prints on the sands of time. Knowing full well the implications of the state having been carved out of the progressive Western Region which had attained many firsts on the African continent in the area of infrastructure, he had an aggressive plan for sports, education, health and agriculture. And, pursuing his goals with unvarnished zeal, he recorded landmark achievements.

The sermon at his funeral, delivered by Bishop Oyenude Kure of the Evidence of the Gospel Church, recognised the pervasiveness of the Ogbemudia legacy: “Your work cannot be dwarfed, not even by your most formidable enemy. You will be remembered for your good work. Ogbemudia was a lover of his people. He was a phenomenon, an icon, a colossus, an enigma.’’

A greater window into the Ogbemudia persona was provided by his former boss and ex-Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon. Gowon recalled: “Between 1967 when he was appointed as governor of then Mid West Region by my government and 1975 when we were both sent out of office alongside our other colleagues, Sam exhibited good leadership qualities. He did well in office and his legacies still speak well for him today in whatever area of life that he touched; sports, culture, agriculture, transportation, industry, just name it. The old Mid West and old Bendel State bore his imprint of service; little wonder that several major landmarks bear his name, including this stadium. In word and indeed, he exemplified the concept of exemplary service to the people, in my government.”

Ogbemudia had a rigorous masterplan for sports development in the region. Many award-winning athletes, including those retired and those still serving the nation, attest to the wisdom in his strategy. In Afuze, Owan East Local Government of Edo State, the administrator par excellence built an indoor sports hall, a training centre for athletes. He built another camp at Fugar, Estako Central, for training basketball players. In those days when sports festivals were a regular feature of the nation’s calender, the then Bendel State usually carted away the highest number of medals.

Ogbemudia, who until his death was Chairman, Governing Council of the University of Abuja, built the present-day University of Benin when, according to him, his people alleged that there were acts of victimization against them in the admission policy of other universities. Aside sports and education, General Ogbemudia also built several industries which helped to activate the rapid industrialisation of the state. They included the Agbede Mechanised Farm, the Warrake Farms, the Cattle Ranch at Akoko Edo, the Rural Electrification Board, the Bendel Steel Structures, the Bendel Brewery, the Bendel Pharmaceuticals, the Bendel Boatyard, the Bendel Library, the Ethiope Publishing Corporation, Institute of Continuing Education, the Midwest Television which later morphed into the NTA Benin during the era of General Olusegun Obasanjo, and the Bendel Line, a transportation concern. Others were the Midwest Newspaper Corporation, publishers of the Nigerian Observer newspaper; the Bendel Printing Press, the Iyanomo Rubber Research Institute, the Ughelli Fish Ponds, the Bendel Food Production Company, the Asaba Textile Factory, the Ughelli Glass Factory, the Okpella Cement Company, the Bendel Boatyard and the Bendel Wood Company.

Though several of these businesses have become defunct, Ogbemudia certainly did his bit. The death of these concerns reflects corruption and dereliction of duty on the part of government officials and the colluding political class. Ogbemudia was not just a soldier, he was a politician. He was one of the founding fathers of the Peoples Democratic Party. He did not just serve as a military governor, he was also a democratically-elected governor of old Bendel State. Ogbemudia served as a Minister of Labour at the federal level and also as Sole Administrator of the Nigerian Railways Corporation (NRC). Under him, Nigerian engineers in Zaria built train coaches which were christened IBB Spirit.

General Ogbemudia was prodigious in intellect, strategy and communal impact. Adieu to the great administrator who passed through this way, leaving huge imprints.