Former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, has passed away at the age of 78.
The Ogbeh family confirmed his death in a statement on Saturday, announcing: “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather; Chief Audu Ogbeh.”
The family’s statement added that he “passed away on the 9th of August 2025 at the fulfilled age of 78,” leaving behind a “legacy of integrity, service, and dedication to our nation and community.”
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The family added, “We are comforted by the many lives he touched and the example he set.”
It noted that details of the funeral arrangements would be communicated in due course, while expressing gratitude to friends, colleagues, and well-wishers for their prayers and support.
“We will appreciate some privacy at this time while we mourn the loss of our patriarch,” the statement concluded.
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Born in Otukpo, Benue State, Audu Ogbeh began his career in academia after attending Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and the University of Toulouse in France.
He rose from a teaching assistant to head the Language, Arts and Social Sciences Department at Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology.
His entry into public service came in 1979, when he was elected to the Benue State House of Assembly and served as Deputy Speaker.
Ogbeh was later appointed Federal Minister of Communications and Minister of Steel Development in the Second Republic, a tenure that was cut short by the 1983 coup.
After a period dedicated to agricultural projects, Ogbeh returned to national service, serving on the National Constitutional Conference Commission in 1993 and the National Reconciliation Committee in 1995.
A founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he became the party’s National Chairman from 2001 to 2005.
During this time, he famously took a principled stand against former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s third-term bid, a decision that ultimately led to his resignation.
In the later years of his career, Ogbeh served as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2015 to 2019 under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.
A multifaceted scholar, he was also an author of several plays, including Epitaph of Simon Kisulu.
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