Vice-President Kashim Shettima has expressed profound grief over the passing of former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh. Shettima, in a condolence message yesterday in Abuja, described the death of Ogbeh as an immeasurable loss to Nigeria’s development trajectory and agricultural transformation agenda.

He said the distinguished elder statesman, who died on Saturday at the age of 78, was one of Nigeria’s most dedicated public servants and a visionary leader in agricultural development. The Vice-President said Ogbeh’s contributions to the nation’s food security and rural development will forever remain etched in the country’s development history.

He said: “We have not just lost a former minister; we have lost an architect of Nigeria’s agricultural renaissance whose vision and dedication impacted our agricultural development as a nation. “Chief Audu Ogbeh was among the great public servants of our time, a man whose integrity, service, and unwavering commitment to national development defined his entire public life.”

He recalled that Chief Ogbeh’s tenure as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development was marked by initiatives that revolutionised Nigeria’s agricultural sector and significantly contributed to the nation’s quest for food security. “His leadership in agriculture was not just about policies and programmes; it was about touching lives, empowering farmers, and building a sustainable future for our rural communities.