Alexander Okere, Benin
The body of a former Governor of the defunct Mid-West State and old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, is expected to arrive in Benin, the Edo State capital, today.
A former governor of Edo State, Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor, on Sunday said the deceased had left great legacies for humanity. He narrated how the late Ogbemudia aided the success of his administration.
Ogbemudia died at the age of 84 on Thursday night at a Lagos hospital, after a long battle with diabetes.
His death came as a shock to many, especially the Edo and Delta state governments.
The two state governments have confirmed that they would give the elder statesman a state burial, which is expected to hold on Friday.
It was learnt that the early funeral date was as a result of the wish of the former military administrator that his corpse should not to be kept in a mortuary.
He was also said to have instructed his family not to expose his body in public.
In preparations for the funeral, Governor Godwin Obaseki had during his visit to the bereaved family announced that the state government would set up a burial committee led by his Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele.
He had said that the committee would meet with the Ogbemudia family on Sunday.
It was, however, not clear where and when the meeting would hold.
As of the time of filing this report, more sympathisers were seen signing the condolence register.
Osunbor, who was the state governor from May, 2007 to November, 2008, spoke shortly after signing the condolence register at the Benin residence of the deceased.
He said, “He touched me in many positive ways, particularly in my adventure in politics. He was a great tower of support for me.
“And if I achieved anything worth mentioning in governance in Edo State, and many people know one or two things we were able to do, it was due to the mentorship that we got from him and the advice he gave me.
“‘You are governor and posterity is going to judge you by what you were able to achieve. So, you must make a mark,’ he used to tell me that.”
He added, “So, if I made any mark, it was due to the encouragement, support and the advice I received from Dr. Ogbemudia. He never failed to advise me.
“He never failed to counsel me, not just in governance but even in my personal life.
“It is not easy to describe the late Samuel Ogbemudia in a few words. But what one can say is that he has left great legacies for humanity.”
Osunbor stated that the life lived by the late Ogbemudia was full of so many achievements, particularly those things he did when he was a military governor of the old Mid-West State.
According to him, many of the physical structures across what is currently Edo and Delta states were put up by the late political leader.
The former governor said, “Of course, one of his greatest legacies, the University of Benin, stands to his credit. It is easy to establish universities now. But at that time when he established it, only the Federal Government could establish universities; in fact, there was an embargo.
“But because of his charisma, because of his relationship with the Head of State at that time, Gen. (Yakubu) Gowon, and the respect which he enjoyed, even amongst people in the National Universities Commission, he was able, with great sense, to establish the first Mid-West Institute of Technology. But his eyes were on the establishment of a university.”
He added, “So, he is a great father that we have lost; I feel a great sense of loss, just like his immediate family.
“We can only pray to God Almighty to grant his soul eternal rest and also sustain the family that he has left behind. He did a lot for the children of other people. So, we pray that his own children will never suffer any lack.”
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