Vice President Kashim Shettima has described the death of former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, as an “immeasurable loss” to Nigeria’s development and agricultural transformation agenda.
Ogbeh, a former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and one of Nigeria’s most prominent advocates for agricultural reform, died on Saturday at the age of 78.
In a condolence message issued on Sunday by his media aide, Stanley Nkwocha, the Vice President hailed Ogbeh as “one of the great public servants of our time,” praising his integrity, service, and commitment to national development.
“We have not just lost a former minister; we have lost an architect of Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance whose vision and dedication impacted our agricultural development as a nation,” Shettima said.
He recalled that Ogbeh’s tenure as minister was marked by initiatives that boosted food security, empowered farmers, and revitalised rural communities, with a vision “extending beyond the immediate to encompass generations yet unborn.”
Shettima also commended Ogbeh’s decades-long public service, including his work across various sectors, and extended condolences to his family, the government and people of Benue State, and all Nigerians touched by his legacy.
“On behalf of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, myself, and the entire government of Nigeria, I express our deepest condolences,” the Vice President said.