The death has occurred in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital, of Mr. Otaki Mijinyawa Oyigbenu, mni, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources.

Mr. Oyigbenu who hails from Agwatashi in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State died at the National Hospital Abuja after a brief illness on 5th December 2009.

A statement issued in Lafia by the Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government, Mr. Timothy Anjide, conveyed the sense of deep loss of the Executive Governor, Alhaji (Dr.) Aliyu Akwe Doma over the death of Mr. Oyigbenu.

Mr. Oyigbenu served variously in the civil service of the former Plateau and Nasarawa States where he rose to the position of Director-General and Permanent Secretary respectively. He became Secretary to the Government of Nasarawa State in 1998 and later joined the Federal Civil Service where he rose to the position of Federal Permanent Secretary.

Nasarawa State, and indeed the nation, will remember the late Mr. Oyigbenu as a resourceful and astute administrator.

He is survived by a wife and five children.

He will be buried at Agwatashi on Wednesday, 9th December, 2009.