Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia (17 September 1932 – 9 March 2017)
was a Nigerian army officer
and
politician
A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...
. He was military Governor (1967–1975) of the
Mid-West State, later renamed
Bendel State, part of which in turn became
Edo State
Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controversy ...
After the return to democracy in 1999, he became a power in the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In September 2009, Governor
Adams Oshiomhole
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole (born 4 April 1952), is a Nigerian politician and the former National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress. He had previously served as the President of Nigeria Labour Congress from 1999 to 2007 and the executive gove ...
of
Edo state
Edo, commonly known as Edo State, is a state located in the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria. As of 2006 National population census, the state was ranked as the 24th populated state (3,233,366) in Nigeria, However there was controversy ...
and others attended his 77th birthday celebration in Benin. He is noted as one of the founding fathers of the very prestigious
University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH)
Early years
Osaigbovo Ogbemudia was born in
Benin City
Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of ...
on 17 September 1932, he was named after his grandfather. In
Edo language
Edo (with diacritics, ), colloquially called Bini (Benin), is a language spoken in Edo State, Nigeria. It is the native language of the Edo people and was the primary language of the Benin Empire and its predecessor, Igodomigodo. Distribution
...
, the name Ogbemudia can be inferred to mean "this family has come to stay". As a youth he lived with his elder cousin, Mr. FS Uwaifo, a
Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
-based businessman.
He attended Benin Baptist School (1941–1945), and then the government school,
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
, in the
Cameroons
British Cameroon or the British Cameroons was a British Empire, British League of Nations mandate, mandate territory in British West Africa, formed of the Northern Cameroons and Southern Cameroons. Today, the Northern Cameroons forms parts of th ...
(1945–1947). His secondary education was at the Western Boy's High School,
Benin City
Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of ...
(1947–1949).
[
He joined the Nigeria army in 1956, training at ]Teshie
Teshie is a coastal town in the Ledzokuku Municipal District, a district in the Greater Accra Region of southeastern Ghana. Teshie is the ninth most populous settlement in Ghana, with a population of 171,875 people.
Politics
Teshie is in the ...
, Ghana and at Netheravon
Netheravon is a village and civil parish on the River Avon and A345 road, about north of the town of Amesbury in Wiltshire, South West England. It is within Salisbury Plain.
The village is on the right (west) bank of the Avon, opposite Fit ...
and Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in the south western part of central southern England covering . It is part of a system of chalk downlands throughout eastern and southern England formed by the rocks of the Chalk Group and largely lies wi ...
in England (1957). He attended the Mons Officer Cadet School
Mons Officer Cadet School was a British military training establishment for officer cadets in Aldershot from 1942 to 1972, when it was closed and all officer training concentrated at Sandhurst.
Until 1960, it was known as the Mons Officer Cadet ...
at Aldershot
Aldershot () is a town in Hampshire, England. It lies on heathland in the extreme northeast corner of the county, southwest of London. The area is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council. The town has a population of 37,131, while the Alders ...
, England, in 1960, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in 1961.
He attended the United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
army special welfare school at Fort Bragg
Fort Bragg is a military installation of the United States Army in North Carolina, and is one of the largest military installations in the world by population, with around 54,000 military personnel. The military reservation is located within Cum ...
, North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
in 1962. Ogbemudia served with the United Nations
The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
peacekeeping force in the Congo for 16 months, and served in Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
in 1964. He was appointed as an instructor to the Nigerian Military School
The Nigerian Military School Zaria, popularly known as (NMS), founded as the Boys-Company of Nigeria in 1954, was established under the auspices of Nigerian Regiment Training centre of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF). The school was ...
, Zaria
Zaria is a metropolitan city in Nigeria which at the present time lies within four (4) local government areas in Kaduna state; it happens to be the capital city to the Zazzau Emirate Council, and one of the original seven Hausa city-states ...
in 1964.
Career during military rule
In January 1966, a coup d'état overthrew the civilian government of Nigeria. In July 1966, the military ruler Major General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi (3 March 1924 – 29 July 1966) was the first military head of state of Nigeria. He seized power during the ensuing chaos after the 15 January 1966 military coup, which decapitated the country's leadersh ...
was deposed and killed in the so-called Nigerian counter-coup of 1966
The 1966 Nigerian counter-coup, or the so-called "July Rematch", was the second of many military coups in Nigeria. It was masterminded by Lt. Colonel Murtala Muhammed and many northern military officers. The coup began as a mutiny at roughly midn ...
led by Lieutenant Colonel Murtala Mohammed
Murtala Ramat Muhammad (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) was a Nigerian general who led the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in overthrowing the Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi military regime and featured prominently during the Nigerian Civil War ...
. Ironsi's chief of staff Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Dan-Yumma 'Jack' Gowon (born 19 October 1934) is a retired Nigerian Army general and military leader. As Head of State of Nigeria, Gowon presided over a controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivered the famous "no victor, no vanquish ...
became head of state. As the Brigade Major of the Ist Brigade in Kaduna, Ogbemudia played an important role in the counter-coup by disarming his troops in Kaduna
Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Region, Nigeria, Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade Centre and a major transportation hub as the ...
at the suggestion of artillery commander Lt-Colonel Alex Madiebo. During the counter-coup/mutiny, an attempt on Major Ogbemudia's life was also made by then Lt Buka Suka Dimka
Lieutenant Colonel Bukar Suwa Dimka (1940 – 15 May 1976) was a Nigerian Army officer who played a leading role in the 13 February 1976 abortive military coup against the government of General Murtala Ramat Muhammed. Dimka also participated in t ...
but Major Ogbemudia escaped because of a tip from Colonel Hassan Katsina
Hassan Usman Katsina (31 March 1933 – 24 July 1995), titled Chiroman Katsina, was the last Governor of Northern Nigeria. He served as Chief of Army Staff during the Nigerian Civil War and later became the Deputy Chief of Staff, Supreme Headqua ...
and Major Abba Kyari.
In August that year he was transferred to the area command, Benin City as Quarter Master-General, 4th Area Command. Ogbemudia along with Major General Ejoor, the Military Governor of the Mid-western State and Pius Ermobor, an intelligence officer were the only three officers of the rank of Major and above who held strategic leaderships positions and who were not from the Igbo speaking communities of the Mid-west region. On 9 August 1967, Biafran troops led by Victor Banjo
Victor Adebukunola Banjo (1 April 1930 – 22 September 1967) was a colonel in the Nigerian Army. He fought in the Biafran Army during the Nigerian Civil War. Banjo was accused of being a coup plotter against Nigerian Prime Minister Abubakar Ta ...
invaded Mid-western region and its capital, Benin city with minimal resistance, a surprise attack whose success was helped in part by an arrangement between Biafran leaders and some senior officers from the 4th Area Command. Ejoor was able to escape to Lagos while Ogbemudia briefly went underground organizing a resistance movement composed of people disaffected by the invasion. He later left for Army Headquarters, Lagos and joined the Murtala Mohammed led Second Infantry Division on a counterattacking mission to Midwest. On 20 September 1967, troops led by Ogbemudia seized Benin city from Biafran forces.
Ogbemudia was appointed Military administrator of Mid-West state in September, 1967 following the liberation of state from the secessionist Biafra
Biafra, officially the Republic of Biafra, was a partially recognised secessionist state in West Africa that declared independence from Nigeria and existed from 1967 until 1970. Its territory consisted of the predominantly Igbo-populated form ...
n forces.[
Promoted to Lt. Colonel, Ogbemudia was appointed Military Governor of the state on 26 October 1967.
A populist, dedicated to reconstruction after the war, he initiated improvements in the areas of sports, urban development, education, public transportation, housing and commerce.
He built the Ogbe sports stadium, now named the ]Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium
The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Benin City, Nigeria. Originally known as Ogbe Stadium, it is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Bendel Insurance FC and Edo Queens FC.
The stadium has a c ...
, and in August 1973 he commissioned the three-story National Museum in Benin City
Benin City is the capital and largest city of Edo State, Edo State, Nigeria. It is the fourth-largest city in Nigeria according to the 2006 census, after Lagos, Kano (city), Kano, and Ibadan, with a population estimate of about 3,500,000 as of ...
.
Other projects included the Agbede Mechanized Farm, Rural Electrification Board, Bendel Steel Structures, Bendel Pharmaceuticals, Bendel Boatyard, the University of Benin and the Bendel Line.[
In later years, people looked back on his governorship as a time when much was achieved, followed by stagnation in later administrations.
Members of his cabinet included Edwin Clark, Frank Oputa-Otutu, ]T.E.A. Salubi Thompson Adogbeji Salubi was a Nigerian diarist, historian and politician who was president of the Urhobo Progress Union for twenty years. Salubi wrote manuscripts about the history of Western Niger Delta and he is an important reference for the hi ...
, and Lawrence Leo Borha.
In July 1975, when Murtala Mohammed
Murtala Ramat Muhammad (8 November 1938 – 13 February 1976) was a Nigerian general who led the 1966 Nigerian counter-coup in overthrowing the Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi military regime and featured prominently during the Nigerian Civil War ...
became head of state, he retired the twelve military governors who had served under Yakubu Gowon
Yakubu Dan-Yumma 'Jack' Gowon (born 19 October 1934) is a retired Nigerian Army general and military leader. As Head of State of Nigeria, Gowon presided over a controversial Nigerian Civil War and delivered the famous "no victor, no vanquish ...
. The retirement of governors found guilty of corruption was converted to dismissal. Among these was Brigadier General Samuel Ogbemudia, whom Murtala, then leader of the Mid-west invasion had unilaterally appointed eight years earlier, and whom he replaced by Colonel George Agbazika Innih
George Agbazika Innih (25 September 1938 – 15 August 2002) was a Nigerian Army general and statesman. He was the military governor of Bendel and Kwara States.
Early years
George Agbazika Innih was born on September 25, 1938, at Agenebode, E ...
. Ogbemudia was investigated by a panel in 1975 but felt he could not receive a fair trial because the head of the panel had been relieved of his previous position by Ogbemudia. The 1975 asset investigation panel however found him guilty of corrupt enrichment. In the second republic, he was cleared by the Bendel State House of Assembly of mis-governance.
Ogbemudia was in London during the July 1975 coup and helped with renovations of Gowon's London abode after the ex-president went into exile.
Post military career
During a brief return to civil rule, Ogbemudia was elected governor of Bendel State in October 1983 as candidate for the National Party of Nigeria
The National Party of Nigeria (NPN) was the dominant political party in Nigeria during the Second Republic (1979–1983).
History Formation
The party's beginning could be traced to private and sometimes secret meetings among key Northern Nigerian ...
, replacing Ambrose Alli of the Unity Party of Nigeria
The Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) was a Nigerian political party that was dominant in western Nigeria during the second republic (1978-1983). The party revolved around the political leadership of Obafemi Awolowo, a sometimes polemical politician ...
. However, he lost his position in December that year when Muhammadu Buhari
Muhammadu Buhari (born 17 December 1942) is a Nigerian politician and current president of Nigeria since 2015.
Buhari is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as the country's military head of state from 31 December 1983 to 27 Au ...
became military ruler after a coup d'état that overthrew civilian President Shehu Shagari
Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari (25 February 1925 – 28 December 2018), titled Turakin Sokoto from 1962, was the first democratically elected President of Nigeria, after the transfer of power by military head of state General Olusegun Obasanjo in ...
.[
Between 1987 and 1989, Ogbemudia was Chairman of the Nigerian Sports Commission, in 1989, Babangida appointed him as the Sole Administrator of the struggling ]Nigerian Railway Corporation
Nigerian Railway Corporation (commonly abbreviated as NRC) is the state-owned enterprise with exclusive rights to operate railways in Nigeria.
History and legislative background
The Nigerian Railway Corporation traces its history to the year ...
(NRC). During his administration, the operations and finances of the corporation improved before he left NRC in 1992.
General Sani Abacha
Sani Abacha (20 September 1943 – 8 June 1998) was a Nigerian military officer and politician who ruled as the military head of state of Nigeria from 1993 until his death in 1998. He seized power on 17 November 1993 in the last successful c ...
, military head of state from November 1993, until his death in June, 1998, appointed Ogbemudia as minister for Labor and Productivity.
Ogbemudia was quoted as saying he would die for Abacha.
Ogbemudia supported a move to have Abacha stand for election, saying "The nation has made wonderful progress under General Abacha ... He is, no doubt, the only answer to Nigeria's progress and development".
Fourth republic
After the restoration of democracy in 1998/1999, Ogbemudia was one of the founders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state, and a member of the party's Board of Trustees.
Ogbemudia and Chief Anthony Anenih
Anthony Akhakon "Tony" Anenih (4 August 1933 – 28 October 2018) was a Nigerian politician who was appointed Minister of Works and Housing in 1999.
Background
Anenih was born in Uzenema-Arue in Uromi. In 1933, he joined the Nigeria Police For ...
controlled PDP politics in Edo State for the next decade, at first working well together but later coming into open conflict.
In December 2004, Ogbemudia was said to have agreed that Anthony Anenih should nominate his choice of governor for Edo State. He said he did not want a situation where one senatorial district in the state had a permanent hold on the position of governor.
In November 2007, at an enlarged meeting of the PDP at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium
The Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium is a multi-use stadium in Benin City, Nigeria. Originally known as Ogbe Stadium, it is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Bendel Insurance FC and Edo Queens FC.
The stadium has a c ...
in Benin
Benin ( , ; french: Bénin , ff, Benen), officially the Republic of Benin (french: République du Bénin), and formerly Dahomey, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north ...
, Ogbemudia spoke strongly against proposals by Anthony Anenih to change existing zoning arrangement of offices, then walked out of the meeting.
In December 2006, Ogbemudia expressed support for the presidential bid of Dr Mohammed Buba Marwa
Mohammed Buba Marwa (born 9 September 1953), is a retired Nigerian army brigadier general, who has served as Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) since January 2021. He previously served as governor of Lagos State from ...
.
On 20 March 2008, a tribunal nullified the election of Oserheimen Osunbor
Oserheimen Osunbor, (born 5 October 1951), is a Nigerian lawyer and politician who was a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007 and the Governor of Edo State of Nigeria from 29 May 2007 to 11 November 2008.
E ...
(PDP) as Edo State governor due to voting irregularities, and declared comrade Adams Oshiomhole
Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole (born 4 April 1952), is a Nigerian politician and the former National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress. He had previously served as the President of Nigeria Labour Congress from 1999 to 2007 and the executive gove ...
of the Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), formerly known as Action Congress (AC), was a List of political parties in Nigeria, Nigerian political party formed via the merger of a faction of Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria), Alliance for Democracy, th ...
as the winner.
In an interview in November that year, as a prominent member of the PDP board of trustees Ogbemudia said he would have preferred a PDP member to have won. However, he accepted the tribunal result, and described Oshiomhole as a man of strong character. He spoke critically of earlier governors, such as Chief Lucky Igbinedion
Lucky Nosakhare Igbinedion (born 13 May 1957) was the governor of Edo State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Early life and education
Lucky is a son of Gabriel Igbinedion, Esama ...
.
In July 2009, Ogbemudia was leader of a PDP faction that was supporting Prof. Julius Ihonvbere
Julius O. Ihonvbere (born 25 June 1956) is a Nigerian professor and Politician born in Oyo State, Oyo in the old Western Region. He attended CMS Primary School in Oyo State, Oyo, St. John's CAC School, Warri, and Edo Boys High School in Ugbowo, ...
as candidate for the Edo State governorship in 2011. A rival faction led by Tony Anenih favoured Senator Odion Ugbesia
Magnus Odion Ugbesia (born 28 January 1949) is a Nigerian politician who was elected to the Nigerian Senate in 2007 representing the Edo Central Senatorial District of Edo State on the platform of People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Background
...
as candidate.
In October 2009, Ogbemudia failed to attend the unity rally of the party in Edo state organised by Anthony Anenih.
A month later, Ogbemudia praised Oshiomhole's accomplishments in his first year of office, leading to speculations of a possible political alliance between the two men.
Death
Sam Ogbemudia Jr Son of Ogbemudia confirmed the death of his father to journalists at the deceased’s residence on Friday in Benin 09 March 2017. He said his father died on Thursday at a private hospital in Lagos at the age of 84.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ogbemudia, Samuel
1932 births
2017 deaths
People from Benin City
Edo people
Graduates of the Mons Officer Cadet School
National Party of Nigeria politicians
Members of the Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria)
Nigerian military governors
Nigerian Army officers
Military personnel of the Nigerian Civil War
University of Benin (Nigeria) people