Bendel State Ex-Governor Samuel Ogbemudia is dead

Former Military Governor of defunct Bendel State (now Edo and Delta states), Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia is dead.


He passed away Friday morning in Benin, the Edo State capital.

Ogbemudia was aged 85.

The retired officer, politician and sports promoter had been ill, and was said to be unable to stand on his feet.

Dr. Ogbemudia was born September 17 1932.

He was Military Governor (1967–1975) of the Mid-West State, later renamed Bendel State.

After the return to democracy in 1999, he became a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Confirming the sad incident, eldest son of the deceased, Samuel Ogbemudia Jnr., described his late father as a great man, who would be greatly missed.

Ogbemudia Jnr told newsmen that the family of the deceased was still meeting on the next step to take.

He said, “He was a wonderful man, unique and I think we learnt so much from him.

“I miss everything about him. I am going to miss him. Many people, his children, both biological and surrogate, are going to miss him.”

Among the earliest callers at the residence of the former governor was the leader of the All Progressives Congress in Edo South, Gentleman Amegor.

He eulogized the deceased for living a worthy life.

Amegor said, “He was my surrogate father. I cried in the night when they told me. I am still not myself ‎but I am consoled by the fact that he lived a worthy life.”