By Correspondent.
Nigeria has lost one of its most distinguished political leaders, Chief Audu Innocent Ogbeh — former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and respected elder statesman.
Ogbeh passed away on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the age of 78.
According to a statement from his family, he died peacefully, leaving behind “a legacy of integrity, service, and dedication to our nation and community.”
According to them his death occurred on the morning of August 9, 2025, adding that funeral arrangements will be announced in due course.
Though the family did not disclose the exact location of his passing, and did not disclose the cause of his death,
Ogbeh hailed from Otukpo in Benue State, North Central Nigeria.
Ogbeh’s passing was described as peaceful, surrounded by the legacy of service that defined his over four decades in Nigeria’s public life.
Born in Otukpo, Benue State, Ogbeh attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and later the University of Toulouse in France.
His academic career saw him rise to become Head of the Language, Arts and Social Sciences Department at Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology in 1977.
His political journey began with his election to the Benue State House of Assembly in 1979, where he served as Deputy Speaker.
He went on to hold key ministerial positions, including Federal Minister of Communications (1982–1983) and Minister of Steel Development in the Second Republic until the December 1983 coup.
After the military takeover, Ogbeh focused on agriculture, pioneering rice milling, cashew plantations, and community-based farming initiatives.
His return to national service included roles on the National Constitutional Conference Commission (1993) and the National Reconciliation Committee (1995).
A founding member of the PDP, Ogbeh served as National Chairman from 2001 to 2005, where he made history by opposing former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term agenda,a move that cost him his position but cemented his reputation as a principled leader.
In 2015, he was appointed Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development by President Muhammadu Buhari, serving until 2019.
Beyond politics, Ogbeh was a playwright, with works such as Epitaph of Simon Kisulu staged at the Muson Centre in 2002.
Messages of condolence have poured in from across Nigeria with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, describing Ogbeh as “a distinguished leader who served with honour.”
Northern governors hailed him as “a seasoned politician and scholar whose vision touched lives across the country.”
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
