Residents of Ihieya area in Benin, Edo where the late Dr Samuel Ogbemudia lived before his death and the adjourning streets, on Friday lamented the death of a man they described as a good neighbour.

Ogbemudia’s eldest Son, Samuel Jr, had earlier confirmed his father’s death at a Lagos hospital on Thursday at 84 years.

Some of the residents who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), at Ishieya on condolence visit,also described Ogbemudia’s death as a big loss to the community.

They said Ogbemudia represented everything good to them.

Mr Ehigie Aigbiremolle, a neigbour to the Ogbemudias’ and who said he had has lived in the area for over 25 years, described the late Ogbemudia as a man with good heart.

“He did not only attract infrastructure to the area through his influence.”

Another resident, who identifies himself as Gabriel, described Ogbemudia’s death as shocking and called on other influential Nigerians to emulate what the late Ogbemudia represented to the people.

“He was a good man who will be remembered for a very long time to come.Nobody around here has anything bad to say about him,” he said.

He said t was through the initiative of the late former two-time Governor of old Midwest and Bendel that the area and the entire state witnessed infrastructure development.

Samuel Ogbemudia was born in Benin City in 1933 and attended Benin Baptist School (1941–1945), Government school, Victoria in the Cameroons (1945–1947) and the Western Boy’s High School, Benin City (1947–1949).

He joined the Nigerian army in 1957 and had a brilliant career and training, culminating in being appointed as the Military Administrator of the defunct Mid-West in September, 1967 among others.

His administration was associated with various achievements in the social, economic and social life of the people of both the old Bendel and Edo.