Audu Innocent Ogbeh was born in Otukpo on July 28, 1947 to the family of late Pa OgbehEjembi and Madam EgbiOgbeh (nee Odinya), both of Efugo-Otukpa in the present day Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
His late father was a renowned farmer, community leader and disciplinarian while his mother was a commodities trader who traveled through all major markets of the central and south-eastern states of Nigeria in the course of her business.
In the following year, he gained admission at the elite Kings College in Lagos, continuing his studies for the Higher School Certificate (HSC). He obtained the HSC at the end of 1968 and proceeded the following year to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. Between 1969 and 1972, Mr Ogbeh studied for his undergraduate certificate, which he obtained at the end of his time there. Armed with a Bachelor of Arts degree in French, he proceeded in 1973 to the University of Toulouse in France. He graduated in 1974 with a Masters of Letters degree in French literature.
Teaching Career
Chief Ogbeh’s career began immediately after his first degree. He was employed as a teaching assistant by the Institute of Education, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, where he oversaw the teaching of French language in the northern states. In 1977, after his Master’s degree, he was appointed as the Head of Department of Languages, Arts and Social Sciences at the Murtala College of Arts, Science and Technology; up until 1979.
Deputy Speaker
In 1979, he contested for and won the elections to the Benue State House of Assembly. As a member of the House, he was elected Deputy Speaker, a position he held until February 1982.
In 1982, he was appointed as Federal Minister of Communications by President Shehu Shagari of the 2nd Republic.
Minister of Steel Development
At the end of the general elections of 1983, he was reappointed as a Minister, with a new portfolio of Steel Development. He served here until the coup d’etat on December 31st 1983.
Full Time Agric Practice
He returned to full time farming in December 1984 up until September 1998. During the period, he set up a number of number of personal projects including: ● Medium Scale Rice Mill ● 14,000 Tree Cashew Plantation ● Poultry Farm He also consulted for several state governments and established a number of notable projects, including a Large scale pineapple project for Cross River State and 2 rice mills – for the Family Economic Advancement Program in Abuja and for General J.T. Useni in Langtang, Plateau State.
Return to Politics
While in full time agriculture, he answered the call to serve and was appointed to the 19 member National Constitutional Conference Commission in 1993. Upon completing the assignment, he was again named member of the National Reconciliation Committee which had the difficult task of promoting national understanding in the very tense atmosphere, following the June 12th saga of 1993. In 1998, he directed the presidential campaign of Dr. Alex Ekwueme, under the PDP and became a full time member of the party; which won the elections in 1999. On November 11th 2001, he was elected National Chairman of the PDP and served in the office before resigning in 2006. Shortly after, he served as chieftain of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), which then merged into the APC, where he continued his service. On November 11, 2015, he was appointed Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development.
Honours & Fellowships
- 1987 – Fellowship of the Eisenhower Institute
- 1999 – Officer of the Federal Republic
- 2002 – Doctorate degree (HonorisCausa)
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, Permit me to introduce Chief AuduOgbeh OFR the Most Outstanding Minister of the year, for believing in what we stood for in the Cooperative Sector. He believed that Cooperative is a strong and important pillar of the agricultural sector, bearing in mind his determined effort to restore its pride as the engine of growth and diversification. With this resolve you perfectly fit into our number one Patron to support our vision and cause of promoting cooperative, the heritage of our forefathers to emancipate the socio-economic situation of the masses. Given your track records in the academics and literary world coupled with your diverse experience as a formidable farmer, your resolve regarding the critical role cooperatives plays in transforming lives and improving the economy, we are glad to have you as our GRAND PATRON.
