By SALISU SANI-IDRIS

Vice-President Kashim Shettima, on Monday in Abuja, led a delegation on behalf of President Bola Tinubu to pay a condolence visit to the family of the late former Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh.

Shettima described Chief Ogbeh?s passing as an irreparable loss to Nigeria?s agricultural transformation efforts and national development trajectory.

The Vice-President noted that the late elder statesman?s contributions to food security and rural development would forever remain etched in the annals of Nigeria?s development history.

He also eulogised Chief Ogbeh, who passed away peacefully on Saturday at the age of 78, as a visionary whose legacy impacted millions of farming families across the country.

?We are here at the behest of President Bola Tinubu to convey our heartfelt condolences to the family, the government, and the people of Benue State over the sad demise of our elder statesman, Chief Audu Ogbeh.

?We have not just lost a former minister; we have lost an irreplaceable institution whose vision and pragmatic approach to agricultural development transformed the landscape of our farming communities,? Shettima said.

Describing Chief Ogbeh as a transformational leader, the Vice-President said his legacy transcended political affiliations and regional boundaries.

According to him, the late minister?s work in Nigeria?s agricultural sector serves as a blueprint for sustainable development and national food security.

?Chief Ogbeh?s approach to agricultural development was marked by integrity, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to the welfare of Nigerian farmers and rural dwellers.

?He was a committed advocate of agricultural transformation, who endeared himself to many through his wisdom, pragmatism, and genuine concern for farming families.

?His demise represents a collective loss to our entire agricultural ecosystem,? Shettima said.

While offering prayers for the repose of his soul, Shettima expressed confidence that Chief Ogbeh?s legacy would continue to inspire future generations of agricultural practitioners and policymakers.

?We are comforted by the many lives he touched and the enduring example he set. His legacy of integrity, service, and dedication to our nation will continue to guide our agricultural transformation efforts.

?I pray that Almighty Allah forgives his shortcomings and grants him Aljannah Firdaus.

?May Allah also grant the family, the government and people of Benue State, and indeed the entire nation, the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,? he said. (NAN)

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