Victoria Mbangwa
The Nigerian agricultural community is mourning the loss of Chief Audu Innocent Ogbeh, a statesman whose deep-rooted passion for farming shaped national food policy for decades. The former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development passed away at the weekend, aged 78.
Widely regarded as a visionary advocate for food sovereignty, Ogbeh blended policy expertise with the grit of a hands-on farmer. His tenure as agriculture minister from 2015 to 2019 saw the launch of The Green Alternative: Agriculture Promotion Policy, which pushed for mechanization and sought to transform Nigeria’s food systems.
Ogbeh’s influence, however, extended far beyond his ministerial years. A polyglot and multitalented figure whose career spanned teaching, playwriting, politics, and governance, he remained firmly tethered to the land. He personally invested in cashew plantations, poultry farming, and rice milling, while providing consultancy for agricultural ventures across the country.
Colleagues remember him not only for his policy reforms but also for his collaborative spirit. “He did not attempt to discard the agenda of his predecessor. Instead, he built on it with vigour and commitment,” the current Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security noted in its tribute, highlighting Ogbeh’s role in shaping frameworks that inspired the current National Agricultural Technology and Innovation Policy (NATIP 2022–2027).
Through his leadership, Ogbeh pushed for solutions to Nigeria’s agricultural challenges from improving access to inputs and technology to reducing post-harvest losses, with the goal of achieving lasting food security.
The Ministry expressed deep sorrow at his passing, We are grieved by the passing of Chief Audu Ogbeh, and the nation will sorely miss his candour and formidable ideas for the country’s growth and development.
He is survived by family, friends, and a network of admirers across the globe who will remember him as both a public servant and a farmer at heart.
