Taking a look back at history, we see persons who by today's assessment, can be considered to be african legends. One of such person is PROFESSOR AMBROSE FOLORUNSHO AIGBOKHAEBHO ALLI (1929-1989)
BACKGROUND
Ambrose Folorunsho Alli was born in Idoani, Ondo state on 22 September 1929 but his father hailed from Emuado quarters of Ekpoma, Edo state. In his childhood he moved between Oka-Odo, Ekpoma, Owo, Efon-Alaye, Benin City and Asaba, where he completed his secondary education in 1948. He attended the School of Agriculture Ibadan (1948) and the School of Medical Technology, Adeoyo Hospital Ibadan (1953–1960) where he gained an MBBS. He served as a house office at the Adeoyo hospital from 1960 to 1961. He went to the United Kingdom for a post-graduate course in neuropathology at the University of London (1961–1966), gaining a D.C. Pathology degree. Later he studied at the University of Birmingham from 1971 to 1974.
He was a lecturer at the University of Ibadan (1966–1969) and was senior lecturer at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (1969–1974). From 1974 to 1979 Professor Alli was head of the department of pathology at the University of Benin, Benin City
POLITICAL CAREER
Ambrose Alli was a member of the constituent assembly that drafted the 1978 Nigeria constitution. He joined the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) and ran successfully as UPN candidate in the Bendel State governorship election of 1979. His main thrust as governor was to increase educational opportunities. He established over 600 new secondary schools, and abolished secondary school fees. He also established four teachers training colleges to supply staff to the new schools, as well as several other higher educational institutions. In 1981 he laid the foundation of the Bendel State University, which is now named the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. Other reforms included abolishing charges for services and drugs at state-owned hospitals and eliminating the flat-rate tax. His administration carried out massive construction of roads to open up the rural areas.
As Governor, he always wore sandals, joking that he was so busy working in Government House that he never had time to buy shoes for himself.
LATER CAREER
When Ambrose Alli was rigged out of office by NPN in 1983, he retired to his family house where he rendered free medical services to students and other natives. After the military government of Major-General Muhammadu Buhari took power, he was sentenced to 100 years in prison by a military tribunal on a bogus charge of allegedly misappropriating N983,000 in funds for a road project. He was later freed when the Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion, paid a fine to the government.
Ambrose Folorunsho Alli died on his birthday on 22 September 1989, at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital in Lagos. An annual Distinguished Leadership Lecture was later established in his honour
Professor Alli passed away at LUTH on 22/09/89 his 60th birthday. He was married to Rosemary Alli, a Briton and had four children. But for the vision of this notable son of Edo many Edolites nay Nigerians would not have been educated today.
Little wonder the Hon. Rev Father Theophilus Uwaifo summed it up in his funeral oration for Prof. Alli in 1989 that "ONLY TWO GOVERNORS HAVE RULED BENDEL STATE, PROFESSOR ALLI HERE LYING DEAD AND OTHERS".
[Source Unknown]
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