Abuja, Nigeria — Vice President Kashim Shettima on Monday led a presidential delegation to condole with the family of the late Chief Audu Ogbeh, former Minister of Agriculture and one-time National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who died on Saturday at the age of 78.
The visit, disclosed in a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), conveyed President Bola Tinubu’s message describing Ogbeh as “one of Nigeria’s most visionary leaders.”
Ogbeh, who served in several administrations including as Minister of Communications during the Second Republic and as Minister of Agriculture under President Muhammadu Buhari was also a founding member of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Shettima, speaking on behalf of the president, described Ogbeh’s passing as “an irreparable loss to Nigeria’s agricultural transformation drive and national development trajectory.” He praised the elder statesman’s pivotal role in food security and rural development, saying his work would remain “etched in the country’s development history.”
“We have not just lost a former minister; we have lost an irreplaceable institution whose vision and pragmatic approach to agricultural development transformed the landscape of our farming communities,” Shettima said.
The vice president hailed Ogbeh as “a transformational leader whose legacy transcends political affiliations and regional boundaries,” noting that his agricultural policies provided a blueprint for sustainable development.
He further lauded Ogbeh’s integrity, dedication, and commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerian farmers, describing him as “a most committed advocate of agricultural transformation who endeared himself to many with his wisdom, pragmatism, and genuine concern for the well-being of farming families.”
Praying for the repose of Ogbeh’s soul, Shettima expressed confidence that his legacy would inspire future generations of agricultural practitioners and policymakers.
“His legacy of integrity, service, and dedication to our nation will continue to guide our agricultural transformation efforts. I pray that Almighty Allah will forgive his shortcomings and grant him Aljannah Firdaus,” he said.
Ogbeh’s death has been met with tributes across political divides, underscoring his influence as a statesman whose career bridged decades of Nigerian political and agricultural history.