Chief Audu Ogbeh, former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development and former People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Chairman, is dead.
Aged 78, Chief Ogbeh died on Saturday, August 9, 2025.
A statement issued by the family confirmed Ogbeh’s death, stating that, “It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather; Chief Audu Ogbeh.”
The family stated that Ogbe “departed peacefully, leaving behind a legacy of integrity, service, and dedication to our nation and community.”
The statement added that, “We are comforted by the many lives he touched and the example he set.”
It informed that details of his funeral would be released later and thanked friends, colleagues, and well-wishers for their support.
“We will appreciate some privacy at this time while we mourn the loss of our patriarch,” the statement stated.
Ogbeh was born 28 July 1947. As a prominent Nigerian farmer, playwright and politician, Ogbeh served as the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development from 2015 to 2019.
In addition, he was the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 2001 until January 2005 when another leadership took over.
During the Second Republic, he was appointed as the minister of communications. He stayed briefly in office from 1982 to 1983.
As a literary icon, Ogbeh had written five plays that have become reference points in literature.
Ogbe is from Efugo-Otukpa in Ogbadibo LGA of Benue State.
Dele Fashomi, seasoned journalist and communication teacher, is a holder of Master of Arts degree in Communication and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan in 1992/93.
Earlier, he had bagged a Bachelor degree from the same university in 1984, after which he proceeded to the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, Lagos, in 1990, for a postgraduate diploma in Journalism.
He had done many courses in communication, including the EU-BBC Editing Course in 2002.
Mr. Fashomi combines effectively the practice, research and teaching of communication. And to date, he has published two academic works in communication: Issues in Communication Technology and Policy (2010) and Economic and Social Issues in Advertising and PR (2013).
He had his first break in the Nigerian media in Concord Newspapers in 1990 and today, he has over two and half decades experience earned in several newspapers.
He has been part of many start-ups, such as The Republic (1987), The Comet (1999), The Anchor 2001 – 2002; Sun Newspapers (2003); Westerner newsmagazine (2005 – 2010) as Editor; National Life (2011) as Sunday Editor, and Newswatch Newspapers (2012- 2016) as Daily Editor.
Dele Fashomi is now the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of Newstide247.com newspaper online, which he started in July 2015. He is also into biography writing, with many books in his trail, some of which he wrote alone and one he co- authored with his mentor, Mr Dare Babarinsa, entitled: Olabiyi Durojaiye – DARE TO BE DiFFERENT. He also guided and collaborated with Pa Olatunji Odusanya in writing his autobiography – AGAINST ALL ODDS. There are many other books in the works under his pen.
