On the evening of September 24, 2025, the air in Abuja was thick with reflection and reverence as political figures, family, and friends gathered to honor the late Chief Audu Ogbeh. The requiem mass, held in the heart of Nigeria’s capital, was not only a moment of mourning but also one of deep introspection for the nation’s leaders. Former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, a central figure at the ceremony, delivered a moving tribute that resonated far beyond the walls of the church.
According to Vanguard, Dr. Jonathan used the occasion to reaffirm a principle that has shaped both his personal and political life: forgiveness. "Chief Ogbeh was a man who did not seek revenge. He believed the past should be left behind and that we must keep moving forward," Jonathan said, his voice steady with conviction. "In that sense, he was just like me. If you hurt me today, I will forgive you. I don’t carry grudges against anybody. I believe the past is past, and I move on."
Those words, echoed in statements reported by Premium Times and Daily Post, struck a chord with many in attendance. Jonathan’s message was clear: forgiveness and reconciliation are not just personal virtues, but essential ingredients for political stability, national cohesion, and development in Nigeria. It’s a philosophy he urged all Nigerian politicians to embrace, especially in a time when the country’s political climate can often seem fraught with division and lingering resentments.
The former president’s connection to Chief Ogbeh was both personal and profound. "I didn’t know Chief Ogbeh until I became a deputy governor when he was serving as National Chairman of the PDP. At that time, deputy governors were often seen as spare tyres, but he treated me as a close friend. Whenever I visited Abuja, I would go to see him, and we always had good conversations. He was such a kind and generous person," Jonathan recalled, as reported by Daily Post. It’s a telling anecdote, one that paints Ogbeh as a bridge-builder in a political landscape often defined by hierarchy and exclusion.
Jonathan’s respect for Ogbeh didn’t fade with time or position. Their relationship, he noted, remained cordial and meaningful even after Jonathan ascended to the presidency. "Whenever he wanted to see me, he would come, and sometimes we would spend up to an hour discussing national issues," Jonathan shared. These discussions, he said, were not just about politics, but about the greater good—about how to move Nigeria forward through unity and understanding.
Chief Audu Ogbeh, who passed away on August 9, 2025, in Abuja, was no stranger to public service or the challenges of national leadership. As former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from 2001 to 2005 and later as Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development under President Muhammadu Buhari, Ogbeh championed agricultural reforms and food security initiatives that left a lasting mark on the country. His legacy, Jonathan argued, was defined not just by policy, but by the values he embodied: humility, forgiveness, and a commitment to uniting people across divides.
Jonathan’s call for forgiveness is not just about letting go of past slights; it’s about healing the broader wounds of Nigerian society. "Forgiveness and reconciliation are essential for political stability, national cohesion and development," he insisted, as quoted by Vanguard. In a political culture where old grievances can fester and fuel new conflicts, the former president’s stance is both a challenge and an invitation to his peers.
It’s easy, perhaps, for such statements to sound lofty or detached from the realities of everyday politics. But Jonathan’s own record lends his words a certain weight. Throughout his career, he has often been seen as a figure willing to put the nation’s interests above personal vendettas. His message at Ogbeh’s requiem mass was not simply a tribute to a departed friend, but a reminder of the kind of leadership Nigeria needs—leadership that prioritizes unity over division, forgiveness over retribution.
According to Premium Times, Jonathan emphasized that politicians should emulate Ogbeh’s humility and his ability to bring people together, regardless of their backgrounds or allegiances. "Such virtues are critical for the progress of the nation," he said. It’s a sentiment that resonates with Nigeria’s ongoing struggles to bridge regional, religious, and ethnic divides—a struggle that has defined the country’s political landscape since independence.
Ogbeh’s own career reflected these values. As a politician and farmer, he was known for his approachability and willingness to listen. Even during his tenure as National Chairman of the PDP, a period when deputy governors were often dismissed as "spare tyres," Ogbeh made a point of treating rising leaders like Jonathan as equals and friends. This, Jonathan noted, made a lasting impression on him and shaped his own approach to leadership.
But Jonathan’s appeal went beyond nostalgia. He urged his fellow politicians to look to the future, to see forgiveness not as a sign of weakness but as a strategy for national healing. "If you hurt me today, I will forgive you. I don’t carry grudges against people. I believe the past is past—and I move on," he reiterated. It’s a message that carries both personal and political implications, especially in a country where the wounds of past conflicts are never far from the surface.
There’s something almost radical about Jonathan’s insistence on forgiveness in the cut-and-thrust world of Nigerian politics. It’s a stance that challenges the prevailing logic of payback and score-settling, offering instead a vision of leadership grounded in empathy and reconciliation. Whether or not the country’s current crop of politicians will heed his advice remains to be seen, but the former president’s words have certainly added a new dimension to the national conversation.
As the requiem mass drew to a close, those in attendance were left with more than memories of a respected elder statesman. They were left with a call to action—a challenge to build a political culture that values humility, forgiveness, and the courage to move on from the past. In a country as complex and contested as Nigeria, that may be easier said than done. But as Jonathan’s tribute to Chief Ogbeh made clear, it’s a goal worth striving for, one conversation—and one act of forgiveness—at a time.
