Death has struck again, this time taking away Benue born Historian, broadcaster, university administrator, businessman and patriarch of the Abah family in Ajide-Eke in Okpokwu LGA of the state, Mr. Augustine Abah. The late Abah passed on in a Jos hospital. Born March 24th, 1948, he turned 70 last March. Though he ended up not being a priest of the Roman Catholic, the late Mr Abah was a Knight 4th Grade of St Lumumba as well as a JP, (Jerusalem Pilgrim).
From St. Mary’s Primary School, Otukpo between 1954 and 1960, he went to St. James Junior Seminary, Keffi from 1961 to 1965, obtaining the General Certificate of Education, (GCE) at the Ordinary Level. In 1967, he obtained the Advanced level through private tuition, entering the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria in 1968 and graduating with Bachelors of Arts Degree in History.
His world of work started from being a banker from 1972 to 1973; then as Senior Producer in Current Affairs in the then Benue Plateau Broadcasting Corporation from mid 1973 to July 1975 before joining the Registry Department of ABU, Zaria from August 1975 till his retirement in May 1981 as Acting Establishment Secretary/Deputy Registrar. He died as private business man.
The late Abah, reported to be such a quiet and unassuming man, was a member of Board of Benue Sports Council during the Reverend Fr. Moses Adasu governorship in the early 1990s just as he was also on the Board of Directors of Taraku Oil Mills ltd.
He is leaving behind Madam Christiania Abah, his widow who is mother of all his nine children and 14 grandchildren, the eldest of the nine children being Mrs Angela Odah, wife of Comrade John Odah, former General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), who works at the West Africa Office of the Rosa Luxembourg Foundation, based in Dakar, Senegal. She is followed by the Pretoria based Dr (Mrs) Constance Agbo. Emmanuella Abah, the youngest would have been an undergraduate by now if the system did not fail her in spite of UME and post-UME result described to be brilliant. The family has yet to announce the burial arrangement.
