By Dr. Amen Ogbemudia
As I write these words, my spirit is filled with a deep and reflective gratitude—not just for the present, but for the legacy of the past and the promise of the future.
I am the daughter of the late Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia, former Military and Civilian Governor of the then Midwestern Region—a man whose leadership shaped not just the landscape of modern-day Edo State, but also carved a historic place in the broader story of Nigeria. His legacy is one of service, strength, and visionary governance, forged in times of both war and peace.
During the Nigerian Civil War, the Midwestern Region was a key theatre of conflict. In those turbulent years, my father stood as a military officer, not only defending our people but maintaining stability in one of the most delicate periods in Nigeria’s nationhood. Appointed Military Governor by General Gowon in 1967 after the liberation of Benin from Biafran occupation, he worked to unify a deeply wounded state—restoring order, rebuilding institutions, and planting the early seeds of development that would later become the hallmark of his civilian administration.
That era laid the foundation for what many still call the golden age of development in the Midwestern Region. Roads, schools, universities, health centers, sports facilities, industrial layouts—these were not just buildings, they were visions brought to life. They reflected a leader who understood that governance is a sacred duty. That is the standard I grew up with. That is the benchmark I have carried in my heart for over 50 years.
For the past 18 years, I have watched Edo State with the eyes of both a daughter of history and a woman of deep civic concern. I looked to each new administration with cautious hope, searching for those same signs of purposeful leadership. Sometimes I saw effort; other times, I saw lost opportunities.
One season that gave me renewed hope was the tenure of Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. He rekindled the spirit of development across the state. I saw Edo awaken again. Roads were constructed. Urban renewal took shape. Schools were revived. Civil service reforms brought discipline and dignity back to public service. For a while, we believed once more. There was action. There was vision.
But as often happens in the cycle of politics, the light dimmed again. Promises stalled. Development slowed. The people began to retreat into resignation. Hope, though never fully lost, became quieter—like a candle flickering in the wind.
Today, however, I sense that flame growing stronger once more.
In Senator Monday Okpebholo, now Governor of Edo State, I see a new chapter being written. In just six months, without noise or self-promotion, he has stepped into governance with the seriousness of a man who knows the weight of what is at stake. He is not driven by showmanship, but by substance.
He has dared to touch areas long neglected. He has opened up roads once declared unfixable. He has returned to forgotten communities with practical interventions. Civil servants, market women, farmers, students, and local leaders are beginning to feel a shift—an invisible but real change that something is beginning to work again.
What touches me most is not just the projects—it is the posture. Governor Okpebholo listens. He consults. He acts with quiet resolve. In a time when leadership is often loud and shallow, he is proving that humility and competence can still lead a people to greatness.
To see Edo rise again in this way, after so much delay, awakens something deep within me. I do not write these words lightly. I carry the burden of history. I am the child of a man who helped shape this land during war and peace. I know what it looks like when a leader governs not for self, but for legacy. And I can say, without reservation, that Governor Okpebholo has started on a path worth watching—and worth supporting.
This is a call not just to applaud, but to participate. To the sons and daughters of Edo—at home and abroad—this is our time. Let us move beyond politics as usual. Let us support good governance, hold leaders accountable, and play our part in this season of restoration.
Edo is rising again. And just like in the days of our fathers, when history was written not in slogans but in action, let us ensure that this season becomes a lasting chapter of pride for generations to come.
The past gave us a name. The present gives us an opportunity. The future is waiting for us to act.
Let us rise—together.
About the Author:
Dr. Amen Ogbemudia is a writer, advocate, and daughter of the late Dr. S.O. Ogbemudia. She continues to use her voice and platform to support good governance, national unity, and legacy-driven leadership in Nigeria.
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