IN MEMORY OF A PEOPLES GOVERNOR: PROFESSOR AMBROSE ALI.

Professor Ambrose Folorunsho Ali was a former Executive Governor of the defunct Bendel State, from 1979 to 1983 under the then Unity Party of Nigeria (U.P.N.) that performed exceptionally well but had all along been unsung as a true hero of our time. He would have been 83 years old had he been alive. Twenty- three years ago, on September 22nd 1989, the day he would have turned 60 years of age, Professor Ali died as a very poor man. He was so broke that he could hardly afford anything for himself and members of his immediate family. This is unthinkable in modern day Nigeria, where the philosophy of this generation is founded in the belief that one’s value, self-worth, self-esteem and self-concepts is derived not from who they are but from what they possess. Up till present times, questions are still being asked, why a man, who had the rear opportunity of governing the former Bendel state, now made up of two States, Edo and Delta for four years, could not make any provision for the raining day of his life. That was the truth about Ali’s life; he was selfless in his service to the people of old Bendel State, he kept nothing and had nothing materially after his death.
When Ambrose Alli left office in 1983, he retired to his family house. After the military government of Major-General Mohammadu Buhari took power, he was sentenced to 100 years in prison by a military tribunal for allegedly misappropriating N983,000 in funds for a road project. He was later freed when the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, paid the fine on his behalf to the government.
Professor Alli did not survive his ordeal in the hands of the military; he took ill immediately he was released from the prisons and later died on his birthday on the 22 September 1989, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital.
Although the man left no tangible wealth for his children, he had goodwill. His legacy and monumental achievements in the area of education, health, agriculture and Internally Generated Revenue and tax rebate for the people of old Bendel state will forever endear him to the heart of the masses in present day Edo and Delta States.
Just recently, I had cause to pass through Ekpoma, the then rural community, Ali cited a University in 1982. That rural setting of old has now become a big city bubbling with life. What a great legacy I murmured to self.
Also recently in Benin City, the capital of Edo State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, the man who the then National Party of Nigeria (N.P.N.) used to upstage Professor Ali as governor of old Bendel State, made a true confession while comparing the incumbent Governor Adams Oshiomole to Professor Ali. He was quoted as saying “while Ali was a silent worker who achieved a lot, Oshiomole was also working very hard, but his works were accompanied with lot of media blizzard”.
Now a cursory look at the monumental jobs done by Professor Ali, with very minimal budget, compared to what States and Local Government Councils today received from the Federation’s Account. In the area of education, which was his government priority, Professor Ali within a period of two years established 116 Primary Schools with 1,247 classrooms, with a total enrolment of 138,340 pupils and 7,743 teachers, on assumption of office on October 1, 1979. He therefore, achieved an incredible increase in all facets of the state primary school educational system in two years from 1979 to 1981 in the following range of 7.2%, 7.1%, 17.4% and 34.8% respectively.
In the area of post-primary institutions, Ali established 493 Post-primary institutions, with 4,779 classrooms, 166,989 students and 5,981 Teachers. Percentage increase in the period in question stood at 258%, 159.3%, 136.2% and 128% respectively.
He established five new Colleges of Education at Benin City, Warri, Agbor, Igueben and Afuze, and upgraded the College of Education, Abraka to a University College of Education, with effect from October 1, 1979. The combined Student in-take in the six Colleges of Education within the period under review rose to over 12,000.
The former Bendel State University now Ambrose Ali University, Ekpoma took off on January 4, 1982 with 300 students. The Ali government within the period of 1979 to 1981 disbursed a total sum of 26,616,784.50 million naira as bursaries to 15,261 students in Nigerian institutions of higher learning. The sum of 12,024,810 million naira was paid out as bursaries to Bendel State students in institutions of higher learning abroad.
In the same vein, a total sum of 12,045,513.41 million naira was spent on the purchase of books and writing materials for distribution free of charge to 1,220,872 pupils in primary and post-primary schools.
While the sum of N5.671 million was spent on the renovation, rehabilitation and repairs of existing primary schools.
N23.52 million was also spent on the construction of new classrooms for existing secondary schools. The sum of N1.311 million was utilized for the provision of classroom furniture made up of 8,071 three-seaters, 5,407 single-seaters, 363 tables and chairs.
His government made sure that 24,021 teachers were sent on training from 501 classrooms across the state, while another 786 teachers were trained in 13 teacher training colleges as at October 1, 1981. Corresponding percentage increase are 99.8% and 52.03% respectively.
Ambrose Ali’s government disbursed the sum of N1.617 million on the construction of 231 new classrooms for teacher training colleges across the old Bendel State.
His government also made sure that the sum of N.445 million was spent on the purchase of furniture for teacher training colleges.
The sum of N7.574 million was approved by his government for the construction of seven new teachers’ colleges located at Ibillo, Isiokolo, Abavo, Obiaruku, Sapele and Usugbenu-Irrua.
The Ali government made sure that 37 new workshops valued at N11.464 million were constructed in five technical colleges in the old Bendel State.
His government spent N2.8 million then on the provision of science equipment for post primary institutions.
Late Professor Ambrose Ali established 2 new Polytechnics at Ozoro and Ogwashi-Uku and 3 new institutes of Industrial Technology at Igarra, Kwale and Patani. From the above picture, it was no surprise to anybody that the old Bendel State years after Professor Ali left office became exporter of manpower to other states of the Federation.
In the area of rural development, Professor Ali’s government made sure that the sum of N36 million debts incurred by the military regime that handed over power to him, on road development projects were settled by February, 1981.
He now went on to build 30 Kilometres of roads inherited from the preceding government, and completed 2,060 Kilometres of roads constructed at a cost of N761 million naira.
A total of 352 Kilometres of roads were built in Benin City, the State Capital and 18 other Local Government Headquarters at a cost of N83.8 million naira.
A breakdown of these roads were as follows, 150 Kilometres in Benin City, 40 Kilometres in Warri, 6 Kilometres in each of the other 17 Local government Headquarters in the old Bendel State.
His government completed the Phase One of Benin Drainage Scheme, 60% of Phase Two of Benin Drainage Scheme also completed as at the time he was removed from office.
The Auchi and Agbor drainage schemes were also nearing completion as at that time. In the same vein, the designs for Effurun, Warri and Asaba drainage schemes were already completed.
The Ali government left nothing to chance as it ensured that sewage scheme design for Benin City was completed, while the sum of N.4 million dredging and cutting of Odube Creek – Forcados River Canal was completed.
Health
In the area of health, his government ensured that 41 General Hospitals in the old Bendel State were functional. 11 more hospitals were nearing completion, while 300 Health Centres were in operational.
The then Bendel State government under Ali provided 17 Mobile Hospitals for the rural areas in the state. While 4 Mobile Boat Clinics were constructed in Western Germany for the Riverine Local Government Areas of Warri, Bomadi, Burutu, Isoko and Ughelli.
Within the same period, N2.1 million naira was spent on the construction of two new 500-bed Specialist Hospitals at Warri and Benin City.
The sum of N1 million was also spent on expansion of existing Specialist Hospital in Benin City, while the sum of N1.1 million was also spent on the expansion of the Specialist Hospital in Warri.
I have only taken time to dwell on three areas of Ali’s administration under the Unity Party of Nigeria in the former Bendel State.
As far as I must commend the incumbent governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomole, for doing an excellent job in the area of infrastructural provision in the state since on assumption into office, I am, however, worried about his administration’s approach to Edo state indigenes, who are studying in and outside the country. None that I know of presently, is enjoying any form of bursary award or scholarship. There is need for qualified teachers to man the ultra modern schools the Comrade Governor are presently constructing all over Edo State. We will also require the services of professionals to man other specialized areas in the state now and in the future.
Presently, states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Osun and Lagos just to mention a few, are laying lot of emphasis on skill acquisitions, these states are busy awarding bursary and scholarship and sponsoring their brightest students for PhD programmes in specialized areas in and out of the country. There is no evidence on ground to show, that Edo State government is planning for the future manpower of the state.
One only hopes that the Comrade Governor during the commencement of his second term of four years, will look at this area and address it.
The late Professor Ambrose Folorunsho Ali, will forever remain my hero, because of his pragmatic approach to the development of education and other areas in the former Bendel Sate. May his soul find peace with God.
Mr. Omohinmin is a Lagos based Media Consultant.