Chief Audu Ogbeh: The New Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum ACF
The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) on Tuesday appointed a former Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbeh as its new Chairman.
The Chairman of the Leadership Selection Committee, Lt. Gen. Mohammed Wushishi and the Secretary, Malam Bukar Zarma, disclosed this in a statement in Kaduna.
Who is chief Audu Ogbe?
Chief Audu Ogbeh is a renowned horticulturist, former University don, politician, elder statesmen and distinguished Abusite.
Audu Innocent Ogbeh was born in Otukpo on the 28th of July 1947 to the family of late Pa Ogbeh Ejembi and Madam Egbi Ogbeh (nee Odinya), both of Efugo-Otukpa in the present day Ogbadibo Local Government Area of Benue State.
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His late father was a renowned farmer, community leader and disciplinarian while his mother was a commodities trader who travelled through all major markets of the central and south-eastern states of Nigeria in the course of her business.
Education
The second in a polygamous family of thirteen children, Audu Ogbeh enrolled at the St. Francis Primary School, Otukpo in 1956 to commence his quest for the Golden Fleece. In 1962, he enrolled in Mount St. Michael Secondary School Aliade.
He sat for the West African School Certificate Examination, excelling in all his subjects and obtaining a division one certificate in the process. 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.Audu 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 Audu 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 the 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.
Political career
In 1979, Chief Audu Ogbeh 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
Chief Audu Ogbeh returned to full-time farming in December 1984 up until September 1998. During the period, he set up a number of personal projects including
● Medium Scale Rice Mill
● 14,000 Tree Cashew Plantation
● Poultry Farm
Chief Audu Ogbeh 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 was appointed to the 19 member National Constitutional Conference Commission in 1993.
Upon completing the assignment, he was again named a 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.
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In 1998, Chief Audu Ogbeh 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 11th, 2015, he was appointed Honourable Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and served for four (4) years
Honours & Fellowships
- 1987 – Fellowship of the Eisenhower Institute
- 1999 – Officer of the Federal Republic
- 2002 – Doctorate degree (Honoris Causa)
Chief Audu Ogbeh is married to Mrs. Justina Obehi Ogbeh and fathers five children.
