A former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, passed on on Saturday at the age of 78.
Here are some quick facts you should know about the late elder statesman:
Birth
Audu Innocent Ogbeh was born in Otukpo on July 28, 1947 to the family of late Pa Ejembi Ogbeh and Madam Egbi Ogbeh (nee Odinya), both of Efugo-Otukpa in the present day Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
Education
He attended Kings College in Lagos and obtained his Higher School Certificate (HSC) in 1968 and proceeded the following year to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Between 1969 and 1972, Ogbeh got a Bachelor of Arts degree in French. He proceeded in 1973 to the University of Toulouse in France where he graduated in 1974 with a Masters of Letters degree in French literature.
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French Teacher
After his first degree, Ogbeh was employed as a teaching assistant by the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he oversaw the teaching of French language in the northern states.
In 1977, after his Master’s degree, he was appointed as the Head of Department of Languages, Arts and Social Sciences at the Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology; up until 1979.
Deputy Speaker, Three-Time Minister
In 1979, he contested for and won the election to the Benue State House of Assembly. As a member of the House, he was elected Deputy Speaker, a position he held until February 1982.
In 1982, he was appointed as Federal Minister of Communications by President Shehu Shagari of the Second Republic.
In 1983, he was reappointed as a Minister, with a new portfolio of Steel Development. He served here until the coup d’etat on December 31st 1983.
He later returned as agriculture minister from November 2015 to May 2019 during the first term of former President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on July 13, 2025.
Farmer
A farmer all through his life, Ogbeh set up rice mills, cashew plantations, poultry farms and more.
PDP Chairman
Ogbeh, the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) between 2001 and 2005, played national politics beyond his state of origin in Benue, North Central Nigeria.
Source: Channels TV
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