Samuel Ogbemudia Laid To Rest In Country Home
The late former governor of the old Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, was on Friday buried in his Iheya country home.
Ogbemudia was buried by family members at 1: 47 p.m. with a 21-gun salute by men and officers of the 4 Brigade in Benin.
The deceased had prepared his grave five years ago beside that of his mother.
Hundreds of thousands of Benin residents, including school children, had earlier besieged the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to bid the late elder statesman farewell.
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, had on Thursday declared one-day public holiday for Friday, to enable workers and students pay their last respects to the man who built the stadium as a military governor of Midwest region.
Ogbemudia’s remains arrived in the stadium at 11:04 a.m. for an interdenominational service.
Every available space in the 35,000-capacity stadium was occupied by the crowd, including students and pupils of various public primary and secondary schools in Edo.
Meanwhile, a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd), had in a tribute, described the deceased as a strong believer in “One Nigeria.”
Gowon said Ogbemudia was a fine and bold administrator, who played his part well before and during the civil war.
According to him, the former governor exhibited good leadership qualities with legacies that still speak for him even in death.
Ogbemudia died in a Lagos private hospital of March 8, aged 84.
NAN
Ogbemudia was buried by family members at 1: 47 p.m. with a 21-gun salute by men and officers of the 4 Brigade in Benin.
The deceased had prepared his grave five years ago beside that of his mother.
Hundreds of thousands of Benin residents, including school children, had earlier besieged the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium to bid the late elder statesman farewell.
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, had on Thursday declared one-day public holiday for Friday, to enable workers and students pay their last respects to the man who built the stadium as a military governor of Midwest region.
Ogbemudia’s remains arrived in the stadium at 11:04 a.m. for an interdenominational service.
Every available space in the 35,000-capacity stadium was occupied by the crowd, including students and pupils of various public primary and secondary schools in Edo.
Meanwhile, a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd), had in a tribute, described the deceased as a strong believer in “One Nigeria.”
Gowon said Ogbemudia was a fine and bold administrator, who played his part well before and during the civil war.
According to him, the former governor exhibited good leadership qualities with legacies that still speak for him even in death.
Ogbemudia died in a Lagos private hospital of March 8, aged 84.
NAN
No comments