LIKE other states of the federation, Midwest (Bendel) state has had a cocktail of governors and administrators, both in military gear and civilian garb. And once out of the corridors of power, the only thing that defines the space each enjoys, both in the hearts of the people and in the annals of history, is their record of service in office.In this direction, while some are only remembered as mere footnotes in history books, chapters are devoted for chronicling the giant strides made by others. Fittingly, two-time governor of Midwest (Bendel) state, Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia falls into the latter category.Decades after he left office, Ogbemudia is not hailed as primus inter pares for nothing, but he is enjoying this status because his performance in office still speak volumes of him as a development-conscious administrator.Consequently, past associates in the military turf and political chieftains were effusive in describing him as a versatile and brave soldier, resourceful statesman as well as an administrator par excellence on the day he stepped into the octogenarian's class.Deservedly, echoes of his landmark achievements once again resonated as friends, family members and well-wishers gathered to celebrate his 80th birthday in Benin City, the Edo State capital. The event had representatives of the government of Delta, Bayelsa and Osun states.At the well-attended ceremony where the Osaigbovo Ogbemudia Foundation was launched, eulogies poured in in torrents for the soldier turned politician, who strongly believes that states should be empowered in order for them to drive development in the flanks.This perhaps explains why he advocated for more autonomy to be granted to states with 'corresponding increased fiscal allocation' just as he argued that to make the states more viable in a federal government, the controversial derivation principle should be based on 50 per cent if 'confederation and zonal aggregations are favoured, there should be Midwest Zone for Edo and Delta states'.Ogbemudia's tenure as governor was a blessing to so many sectors with sports being one of those. He not only spearheaded sports development in all corners of the state, he also erected some of the best sports facilities of that era in his area of jurisdiction. Most importantly, he rewarded excellence in sports appropriately.Though the state now Edo and Delta states still manage to keep their heads above water level in this sector, the collapse of some of the facilities he put in place remains a sad commentary and a classic display of lack of maintenance culture.While lamenting the deplorable state of sports in Nigeria, the octogenarian said sports 'has the capacity to gainfully and productively engage half of our unemployed youths. Look at what Europe and America have done with sports. China has since discovered it and they are tapping its dividends. Sports should therefore find a place, a prominent place in our Constitution. Government should take the lead and encourage private sector participation and eventual take over. What I say about sports here also applies in relevant terms to agriculture.'I have always appealed even at risk of repetition, that if you want to use sports only for entertainment and recreation, then our attention to it and investment in it so far is okay. But if we want to use sports for national mobilisation and galvanisation, massive economic revival and influence foreign affairs, then our attention to it and investments in it must not just double, it should triple or even quadruple'He said he believed that 'government has not been able to effectively cross-breed various ideas for sports development and aggregate these ideas and interests for possible policy formulation, that would emancipate the Ministry of Sports from the current syndrome of abysmal failures in every international outing to that of fame and respect for sports loving Nigerians. I call on the Federal Government to take control and re-organise sports.'The chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who had always agitated for senatorial autonomy in the state to avoid undue influence from some leaders of the party, said government has not explored all avenues for employment generation in the country.'There are a lot of opportunities for employment generations that are yet to be tapped. All we need is convince ourselves that we can do it and develop the courage to match our conviction with action,' he stated.Though a staunch party man, Ogbemudia said he was yet to see the political party that is ready to really fix the country's problems when he said in an interview, 'When the military finally decided to quit and restore civil government, I sought a political party that would adopt sports, transportation, agriculture, education and health care delivery as the central theme of its government but failed. Rather, the parties would generalise everything and step out on all fronts. This seems to be falling apart today.'As Nigeria prepares to celebrate her 52nd birthday, the retired military officer said 'We must admit that mistakes have been made and we should courageously avoid such areas or mistakes for the future. We must take care to build a nation as we develop our country, otherwise, the possibility of secession would remain.'Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd), who was represented by first civilian governor of Edo State, Chief John Oyegun, lauded the professional standard Ogbemudia maintained while he was in the Nigerian Army just as he said Ogbemudia was one of his few friends, who provided for him during his days in exile after the 1975 coup that ousted him.He said the Ogbemudia's contribution was immense and pivotal to the reclaiming of Midwest region, which was subdued during the country's civil war.'Personally, I recall the acts of kindness that Dr. Ogbemudia did me after our overthrow in 1975. In spite of his own personal discomforts, he still went out of his way to ensure that my family and I enjoyed relative comfort in exile, especially after our pension was delayed and unpaid before being stopped completely.'I always like to remember Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia as a versatile and resourceful officer and gentleman. In the Congo (now Democratic Republic of Congo), where he served as a member of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force, he helped to build barges to facilitate the transportation of troops and equipment, which helped to end the resistance from the Moise Tshombe-led Katanga rebel forces.'During the Nigerian Civil War, he once more displayed bravery and resourcefulness. When rebel forces invaded the Midwest, he managed to escape, went into hiding and sent a note to me, as Head of State, through one of his relations. His mastery of military strategy was at play when he joined forces with the Second Division of the Nigerian Army, led by Col. Murtala Mohammed to rout the rebels from the Midwest'he was one of the action governors of my administration; he did his best and he got his people emotionally committed to keeping Nigeria one. I visitedhim several times and bear testimony that he is a man, who is blessed with great vision; he was (and remains) a true man of the people and he was a man who served (and still serves) with total dedication'Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, at the event revealed that Ogbemudia was among the first political leaders, who encouraged him to join politics, adding that he was a statesman that should be emulated by all leaders.Oshiomhole maintained that partisan divide should not lead to a situation, where improving the lot of the of the people of the state should be compromised.Former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Chris Ali, who delivered a paper titled, 'Reshaping the Nigerian Army in a Changing Security Environment,' called for an overhaul of the armed forces to face evolving organisational and cultural changes.He however, lamented that insufficient budget for the Defence Ministry had adversely affected its operations.Ali traced Nigeria's ethno-religious crisis to its 'multi-ethnic nation-state' added that the country has been 'trying to cope with the problem of ethnicity on the one hand and the problem of ethno-religious conflicts on the hand.'This situation he said contributed to 'incessant recurrence of ethno-religious conflicts, which have given birth to many ethnic militias.'Born September 17, 1932 in Benin City, Ogbemudia attended Benin Baptist School from (1941'1945). His secondary education was at the Western Boy's High School, Benin City (1947'1949).He joined the Nigeria Army in 1957 and trained at Teshie, Ghana and at Netheravon and Salisbury Plain in England (1957). He attended the Officer Cadet School at Aldershot, England in 1960, and was commissioned second lieutenant in 1961.He also attended the United States Army Special Welfare School at Fort Bragg, South Carolina in 1962. Ogbemudia served with the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Congo for 16 months. Ogemudia also served in Tanzania in 1964, the same year he was appointed an instructor to the Nigerian Military School, Zaria, Kaduna State.After the restoration of democracy in 1998/1999, he teamed up with like-minds to form the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State and went on to become a member of the party's Board of Trustees.In the earlier stages of the party, Ogbemudia had a seamless working relationship with PDP strongman Chief Anthony Anenih, with whom they dictated the pace in the then PDP-controlled Edo State.When on 20 March 2008, a tribunal nullified the election of Prof. Oserheimen Osunbor as Edo State governor owing to voting irregularities, and Oshiomhole was declared governor, Ogbemudia was bold enough to describe Oshiomhole as a man of strong character in an interview, even though he said he would have preferred his party man to be governor.Since Oshiomhole came on board, he has also spoken of the retired military brass hat as a great statesman and true democrat, who places the interest of the state ahead of any other mundane interest.
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