Buhari, Okowa, Uduaghan mourn Ogbemudia

Condolence messages have continued to flow following the death of former Military Governor of the defunct Midwestern State and former Civilian Governor of old Bendel State,. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia who died at 84 years.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Delta State Governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, and Former Governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan are among the notable personalities who have expressed their condolence to the family of the late former governor. In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina in Abuja on Friday, Buhari joined the family and other admirers in mourning the elder statesman.President Buhari noted that the deceased had diligently served the country with courage and dedication at crucial moments in her history, both as military governor and a democratically elected civilian governor.

Buhari said Ogbemudia had a distinguished career as a military officer, administrator and Federal Minister, adding that he left an impressive legacy of hardwork, discipline and commitment to communal, state, regional and national development.

On his part, Governor noted that the history of the defunct Bendel State (now Edo and Delta) will certainly be incomplete without a chapter generously capturing the immense, robust and earth-shaking contributions of the late Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia to the social, political and economic development of the geo-political entity, Nigeria and indeed humanity.

He described the deceased, a one- time Minister of Labour and Productivity, as a quintessential Army General, adroit and sagacious administrator, elder statesman, an astute politician and a patriot to the core, who no doubt stamped his footprints in the sands of time by touching the lives of Nigerians, particularly the people of Edo and Delta States.

On his part, former governor of Delta State, Emmanuel Uduaghan described the death of Samuel Osagbovo Ogbemudia as a colossal loss to the nation at large.

He said, the news of the death of the late military administrator of the defunct Midwest region and Bemdel State came to him with mixed feelings of a deep sense of loss and gratitude to God for a life well-lived in the service of his fatherland, his state, and humanity.

‘’Dr Ogbemudia as a “a towering figure, and truly an elder statesman – full of wisdom, selfless, and passionately committed to the development of not just the defunct Midwest and Bendel States, but indeed Nigeria given the role he played during the civil war and the positions he held thereafter as governor, minister of labour and productivity, chairman of the national sports commission, and until his death, chairman of the governing council of the university of Abuja.

‘’The two-time governor, military and civilian, Dr. Ogbemudia left a giant and indelible foot print in the sands of time for which posterity will always remember him. He said future generation of leaders have a lot to emulate from his stewardship especially his robust vision, exemplary leadership and zeal to deliver good governance to the people.

Additional reporting by Idris Umar Momoh

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