 |
| Chief Edwin Clark |
TO MY BOSSOM
FRIEND AND MENTOR, THE ARCHITECT OF NEW MIDWEST STATE, NOW DELTA AND EDO STATES
–
HIS EXCELLENCY, BRIG-GEN.
DR. SAMUEL OSAIGBOVO OGBEMUDIA
The passing on of His Excellency, Brig.-Gen Dr.
Samuel OsaigbovoOgbemudia on 9th March, 2017, came to me as a rude shock. This
is because only two days before his demise, I had spoken to his eldest daughter
Mrs. Dele George and I informed her that I will be going to visit her father
now that I am in Lagos. Little did I know that this plan will not materialize
as my bosom friend and mentor will go to rest with the Lord; true meaning of
“Man propose, God disposes.”
Brig-Gen S. O. Ogbemudia and I met last at his
residence in Benin City, in November, 2016, when he personally, in a hand
written letter, wrote to me inviting me to a Ceremony at his residence at No.
3, Ihieya Street, Benin City. He said he wanted me to be present at the
ceremony when the first set of students of the University of Benin, under the
auspices of the University of Benin Alumni Association, class 1970, will be
honouring him with an award of Grand Patron of the University of Benin Alumni
Association at a Luncheon.
I attended the ceremony with a large team and live
band to celebrate him at the occasion because nobody deserves such an award
more than His Excellency Brig. Gen OsaigbovoOgemudia. During the occasion, he
traced the history of how he founded the University of Benin and how he made me
a 0ne-Man Council by Edict, to carry out the setting up of the University of
Benin. Over 85 Alumni out of the 174 students admitted in September, 1970 at the
takeoff of the University, were present. Indeed it was an occasion for him to
recount how the institution was founded.
 |
| Late Ogbemudia |
Looking back now, I think that occasion was
destined by the Almighty for honour and for forgiveness. Because on that day,
the former Governor of Edo State, His Excellency, Comrade Adams Oshiomwhole,
did what I had advised him to do in 2009 for the action he took then, when he
asked that the car bought for Brig-Gen S. O. Ogbemudia,during the tenure of His
Excellency, Prof. OserheimenOsunbor as Governor, be returned. I felt that it
was an inappropriate action, and in an Open Letter addressed to Governor Adams
Oshiomwhole dated 12th March, 2009, I advised the Governor to apologise to
Brig-Gen Samuel Ogbemudia, the builder of modern Midwest; that rather than
asking him to return a car, when Governors today are getting jumbo pension
packages, he should be honoured. On that day during the occasion, which was
also his last day in Office as Governor,having served two terms, Governor Oshiomwholeopenly
rendered unreserved apologies to Brig-Gen S. O. Ogbemudia. He recalled that I
had advised him to do so, and was, therefore, happy that I was present on the
day he was rendering the apology. That was the last day I saw this great man,
my friend and mentor, who had so much trust and confidence in me as Governor of
the State and I as his Commissioner, that people called me the “Deputy
Governor.”
Many people have said so many adorable things
about Brig-Gen Ogbemudia. He deserves that and more. I recall with nostalgia
the efforts made by this great man as a young Major to reconcile the various
ethnic groups in the State. He summoned the Elders and Leaders of the then
Midwest State to Uromi on 2nd November, 1967, where the Leaders spoke frankly
on the accusations and counter accusations, during the Civil War when the
Midwest was over ran by the rebel troops who declared it the Republic of Benin.
Peace was restored that day as a result of that meeting. At the end of the
meeting, we proceeded in buses to Asaba to see the damages that were caused as
a result of the war.He defused the tension which was almost culminating to the building
of a Berlin kind of wall across Agbor in order to separate the Midwestern Ibos
from the rest of the Midwest.After the restoration of peace, he embarked on
physical development of the State such that no Governor thus far, has been able
to meet up with his records, not to talk of surpassing it. There were no tarred
roads in the State when he assumed office, except red soil routes. He built new
roads including the dualisation of some major roads, such as
IhamaRoad,Eguobasini Road, Airport Road, Forestry Road, Akpakpava Street,
Mission Road, Benin-Warri Road, Warri-Ughelli Road,Ughelli-Asaba Road,
Warri-Agbor Road,Ughelli – Patani Road, Owhoro – Bomadi Road, etc.
In education, he established the famous University
of Benin, the Head Maters’ Institute, upgraded the Auchi Technical College to
Auchi Polytechnic. He built a number of Modern Primary and Secondary Schools,
etc.
He developed water transportation for the riverine
communities by establishing the Delta Boat Yard. He provided land transportation
by taking over the famous Armel Transport which he named Midwest line.
He established a number of industries including
the Midwest Brewery.
He established the University of Benin Teaching
Hospital, Benin City and several Health Hospitals in every Local area.
He built the Ogbe Stadium, developed the Afuze
Sports Institute as a result of which Midwest State always charted away all
laurels during sporting competitions in the country. As a matter of fact, even
as a Governor, he was one of the Teachers at the Institute. He was the father
of Sports.
He built the Oba market.
He sent students, desks, chairs and other
equipment to Schools in the East, such as Queens School, Enugu, Union Secondary
School, Okwunonu, Enugu and University of Nigeria, Nsukka, which were all
ravaged during the Civil War.
He sent Primary School Teachers and Science Teachers
to both Primary and Secondary Schools in the North to assist them with science
subjects. He promoted exchange of students between Midwest State and other
States in the country, particularly in the North
Brig-Gen Samuel OsaigbovoOgemudia was a
nationalist in all ramifications.
Time and space will not permit me to record here
what this great man has done for humanity.
This great man should be immortalized. I hope my
proposal since 2009, that a statute of him be erected at the popular Ring Road,
which he built, will be carried out now.
Memories will never be forgotten.
Goodnight
my Boss!
Chief
(Dr.) Edwin Kiagbodo Clark OFR, CON
No comments:
Post a Comment