NIGERIA has lost one of its foremost political figures, Chief Audu Ogbeh, a former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and ex-National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Ogbeh died peacefully on Saturday, August 9, 2025, at the age of 78, according to a statement from his family.
“It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, Chief Audu Ogbeh,” the family said.
“He departed peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of integrity, service, and dedication to our nation and community.”
The family added that funeral arrangements will be announced later, while requesting privacy during this period of mourning.
Born in Otukpo, Benue State, Ogbeh attended Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Toulouse in France. His early career saw him rise from teaching assistant to head of the Language, Arts, and Social Sciences Department at Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology in 1977.
Ogbeh entered politics in 1979 as Deputy Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly and later served as Minister of Communications (1982–1983) and Minister of Steel Development before the December 1983 coup.
He later devoted himself to agriculture, establishing rice mills, cashew plantations, and rural development projects before returning to national service through roles on the National Constitutional Conference Commission (1993) and the National Reconciliation Committee (1995).
A founding member of the PDP, he chaired the party from 2001 to 2005, famously opposing President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term bid—a move that led to his resignation. He returned to government in 2015 as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development under President Muhammadu Buhari.
A man of many talents, Ogbeh was also a playwright, authoring works such as Epitaph of Simon Kisulu, staged at the Muson Centre in 2002.
