Ambrose Alli: Ex-Gov Who Died On His Birthday

Posted by admin Delta, Edo, Headlines, State News Friday, September 28th, 2012

alt Last Saturday, 22 September, 2012, marked the 82nd anniversary of the birth of the first executive governor of the defunct Bendel State, now Edo and Delta States, Professor Ambrose Folorunsho Alli.

Coincidentally it was also the 22nd memorial of his death, having been born on 22 September, 1929 and died on 22 September, 1989. The life and times of the Esan-born Ambrose Alli perhaps testify to his greatness, just as the coincidence of his date of birth and date of death remains befuddling to not a few people.

However, 22 years after his death, the condition of the family compound of the Allis in Emaudo, Ekpoma, in Edo central senatorial district of Edo State, unarguably, does not befit the status of a man who had governed a state hitherto known as Mid-West, the first and the only state in Nigeria that had so far been created by an Act of Parliament. Ambrose Alli built his own house in his father’s compound, adjacent to his own father’s house.

While Ambrose Alli’s father, Pa Omokhua Alli’s house, which he reportedly built when he was an army officer, has some life, with his father’s wife and stepmother, Madam Elizabeth Alli, and his late younger brother, Mr. John Alli’s wife and children still living there, the former governor’s own house inside the same compound is desolate. Besides, the vast land mass that is the compound, has the decrepit building of Pa Omokhua Alli, his weather-beaten statue, Ambrose Alli’s house, Ambrose Alli’s mausoleum, a boys’ quarter and weed-covered earth surface.

Mrs. John Alli told Saturday Tribune that the family members at the family compound still remember both the date of birth and date of death of their illustrious son, but that they still cannot explain the coincidence. She said they still feel the absence of Ambrose Alli, a professor of morbid anatomy, who she added, used to help them.

“We feel his absence very well. He used to help us do everything. After his death, my husband, his younger brother, also died. So, nobody is helping us. We are just managing,” she said.

According to her, she cannot recall anything of consequence done in honour or memory of Ambrose Alli or as assistance for the family, either by government or any other body except the social gathering of some persons, mostly youths, in his Emaudo community over the years in his memory.

Mrs. John Alli also said that since Professor Alli died, those of them who are the family members at home have been praying to God to send them a helper. She identified the provision of scholarship for their children who are still in school and the provision of employment for job seekers among them as part of their most pressing needs.

She observed that the way the authorities seemed to have forgotten Alli’s contributions to the development of old Bendel State is surprising to him, as apart from the community’s youth activities, which she earlier mentioned, as well as some events some private individuals used to organise in Benin City, nothing of note can be said to have been done to give him a befitting honour. She further said she is not aware of any programme anywhere in honour or memory of late Ambrose Alli this year.

Ambrose Alli’s stepmother, weighed down by age could not remember when she was born but said she still remembers her step-son, Ambrose Alli and the fact that he died on a day which was supposed to be his birthday. She recalled with nostalgia her husband, Ambrose Alli’s father’s exploit in the military and how he came to build the house that is still sheltering some members of the extended family at Emaudo community in Ekpoma.

However, Madam Elizabeth Alli lamented the loss of her own son, whose wife, she said, is a foreigner. She added that her son’s wife had four children with him and that she had not seen her and her grand children for very many years. She pleaded that her daughter-in-law and her grandchildren should come and see her, just as she requested for help to locate them.

One of the legacies of late Professor Ambrose Alli in the area of education was the Bendel State University (BENSU), which metamorphosed into Edo State University and now Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma. At Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, the only known monument named in the honour of the founder, not many of the students are aware or remember that Saturday, 22 September 2012 marked the anniversary of the birth as well as the memorial of Professor Alli.

Amana Shuru Benjamin, an awaiting result graduate of the Department of Economics, told Saturday Tribune he was actually not aware of the date of birth of late Professor Alli, how much more the coincidence of his date of birth and date of death. Nevertheless, he described the founder of his university as a great man, saying his greatness is even amplified by the fact that he died on a date that was supposed to be an anniversary of his birth.

“He was a great man. Being born on 22 September and died also on 22 September is something remarkable, something that is significant. He died a hero. He is being remembered for good things. The university he founded opened up the economic fortunes of the area, created employment opportunities for people, including education opportunities for many more,” he added.

Saturday Tribune gathered that since the death of its founder, the university has not done anything of note in his honour. But the AAU Head of Public Relations, Sir Chris Adamaigbo, dismissed this position as incorrect, saying the AAU had in the past joined the Emaudo community or the local government council in marking the anniversary of his birth and death.

-Tribunewp_posts