Benin Summit Group (BSG) Remembers Ogbemudia, Celebrates Enduring Legacy
By Reporter
The Benin Summit Group has commemorated the posthumous 94th birthday of the late Brigadier General Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, honouring the former military governor whose years in public service left an enduring imprint on the development history of the old Mid-West and Bendel States, now Edo and Delta States.
Ogbemudia, who was born on September 17, 1932, served as Military Governor of the old Mid-West State from 1967 to 1975 and later as Executive Governor of the old Bendel State in 1983.
In a tribute marking the anniversary, Chairman in Council of the Benin Summit Group and former Director-General of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, Earl Osaro Onaiwu, said Ogbemudia’s significance went beyond the political offices he occupied, describing him as a soldier, administrator and statesman whose vision shaped important aspects of the region’s development.
“Today, we remember Brigadier General Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia not merely for the positions he held, but for the vision of development and public service that defined his years in leadership. His name remains firmly associated with an era in which education, infrastructure, sports and economic development received sustained attention,” Onaiwu said.
He noted that several institutions and initiatives associated with Ogbemudia’s administration became important landmarks in the region’s development history, including the Mid-West Institute of Technology, which later became the University of Benin.
Ogbemudia’s legacy is also reflected in Edo State’s sporting history through the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, which bears his name and remains a major sporting facility.
According to Onaiwu, Ogbemudia’s contribution should not be measured solely by the projects executed during his tenure, but also by the enduring influence of his approach to public leadership.
“Generations will come and go, governments will change and institutions will evolve, but the true measure of public service is what remains useful to the people long after the office holder has left. In that regard, Ogbemudia occupies a distinctive place in our history,” he said.
The Benin Summit Group chairman said Ogbemudia’s contribution to the development of the old Bendel State continued to be acknowledged across Edo and Delta, adding that his public service remains an important part of the historical narrative of the two states.
He said the legacy of the late governor should be preserved as part of the region’s collective history and used to remind younger generations of the values of service, vision and responsibility.
“His legacy is not simply a matter of nostalgia. It is part of the story of where we came from, the institutions that were built and the aspirations that shaped our people. We owe it to succeeding generations to preserve that history and understand the values of service, vision and responsibility that it represents,” Onaiwu said.
The Benin Summit Group extended its thoughts to the Ogbemudia family, associates and others who continue to honour his memory, describing his life as one of service whose legacy remains woven into the history of Edo, Delta and Nigeria.
