De-Patriot News Desk
The University of Benin’s 55th Founder’s Day on November 23 unfolded as a poignant return to roots, as the institution paid glowing tribute to one of its strongest pillars of history the late Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia. What began as an academic commemoration quickly evolved into a stirring reaffirmation of a legacy too deep, too formative, and too impactful to be overlooked.
UNIBEN, founded on the ideals of vision, sacrifice, and resilient leadership, welcomed the Ogbemudia family in a gesture that underscored a timeless truth, authentic legacies do not fade with the years. They gain depth. They gather power. They continue to shape institutions long after their architects have departed.
Delivering the highlight of the event, Dr. Amen Ogbemudia, daughter of the late statesman and Director-General of Education Quality and Accountability in Edo State, offered an emotional yet dignified tribute that drew the hall into solemn reflection.
She described her father not merely as a public figure etched in national memory, but as a man whose commitment to education, development, and service to humanity was lived daily witnessed up close by his family and felt widely across the nation.
“Many know his public history,” she said, “but growing up to see his impact shaped my admiration and responsibility. A legacy that invested so much in the future of many cannot be reduced to a picture in a programme. It must remain alive, strong, deep, and unignored.”
Her remarks also extended heartfelt appreciation to the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Edoba B. Omoregie, whom she praised for “choosing to honour truth, respect history, and uphold the foundations on which this institution stands.”
“Thank you, Sir, for not ignoring this legacy. God bless you. The verdict of history will remember you,” she told him, earning nods and applause from the audience.
The ceremony climaxed with the presentation of an appreciation plaque to Prof. Omoregie, recognizing his role in preserving institutional memory and reinforcing UNIBEN’s core values. The gesture symbolized a bridge between the university’s storied past and its evolving future.
Throughout the event, the legacy of Dr. Ogbemudia resonated powerfully not in photographs or ceremonial scripts, but in the collective acknowledgement that his vision continues to guide the university’s trajectory. His influence remains woven into its ethos, its progress, and the countless lives shaped within its walls.
As the curtains fell on the 55th Founder’s Day, one truth endured:
Dr. Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia is not merely part of UNIBEN’s history. He remains part of its heartbeat.
In honouring him, the University of Benin reaffirmed that celebrating the past is not an act of nostalgia, but a reinforcement of the future, a future still illuminated by the legacy of a man whose leadership and sacrifice helped build an institution that continues to stand tall.
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