Reverend Uwague Clement Aigbogun
Reverend Uwague Aigbogun
Uwague was born in Igueben, Mid West (now Edo) State on 1st October 1944.
He attended St Joseph’s Primary School, operated by the catholic missionaries in Igueben. He attended St Paul Modern School, a catholic secondary school and later moved to a private modern school , Zik Academy Secondary School to complete his secondary education. This was paid for by his senior brother Patrick, who was very keen for him to gain good qualifications. However, Uwague’s interest lay in business and theology. He later attended the Ambassador Theological Seminary which meant he became qualified to preach the gospel and open his own church.
Uwague has very good business acumen and has opened a number of very successful businesses which through his generous giving and donations has helped improve life for lots of people.
The George Hunters Security Limited, which had branches in Lagos, Benin and Igueben. The company provide security services for a number of companies including banks and industries.
Uwa Projects & Commodities Produce Marketing, popularly known as UPC. This very successful company provided jobs for local farmers and labourers by buying local produce like Cocoa and Palm Kernels to sell to government agents for export to foreign countries. He made his brother , Chief Ebenzer, his Project Manager, this had the advantage of securing good quality products at reasonable prices. The company boasts a state of the arts, guest house, where visitors from abroad and other states across the country can stay whilst in Edo state for business. At other times, family members use it for ceremonies like marriage and for overnight or weekend boarding.
Christ Royal Heritage Church with branches in Lagos and Bendel State, aimed at enlightening people on the life of Christ and good news of the kingdom. It had a growing congregational until the emergence of the Pentecostal churches when attendance started to dwindle. The church continues to be well attended to date.
Evergreen Royal Private School, Lagos. A joint nursery and Primary School set up to provide top standard education to children outside of government primary schools. The school provides scholarships to bright children whose parents are not able to pay and for children of parents who have contributed well to the local community in recognition of their good works. The school also provides work experience opportunities for undergraduates who need to experience an official work situation in order to secure their first job opportunity. The school is managed by his wife Mrs Julie Aigbogun.
Crown Ages Herbs has recently being set up in accordance with government standards on Herbal Medicines practices protocol. The chemist, provides remedies for treatment of conditions like tuberculosis, Sickle Cells, Piles, eczema, asthma and uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes disorders. The herbal chemist provides free treatment to widows in Igueben village yearly. Uwague set up Crown Ages Herbs Chemist following the footsteps of his father Prince Aigbogun Omeike a renowned Traditional Doctor who offered free treatment to those who could not pay. As a last son he worked alongside his father learning the skills of using traditional medicine to cure various illnesses.
Uwague is a very benevolent person who has always provided help with university tuition fees for poor undergraduates from his home town of Igueben and elsewhere. In earlier times, he provided accommodation on his school premises to undergraduates from his village who wanted to visit Lagos for the first time and had nowhere else to stay; in effect he housed the homeless students who were trying to get a leg up on the education ladder.
His financial help and support to members of his family and others in the community is very well known and remembered by a great many people.
© Igueben Notables 2009
Uwague was born in Igueben, Mid West (now Edo) State on 1st October 1944.
He attended St Joseph’s Primary School, operated by the catholic missionaries in Igueben. He attended St Paul Modern School, a catholic secondary school and later moved to a private modern school , Zik Academy Secondary School to complete his secondary education. This was paid for by his senior brother Patrick, who was very keen for him to gain good qualifications. However, Uwague’s interest lay in business and theology. He later attended the Ambassador Theological Seminary which meant he became qualified to preach the gospel and open his own church.
Uwague has very good business acumen and has opened a number of very successful businesses which through his generous giving and donations has helped improve life for lots of people.
The George Hunters Security Limited, which had branches in Lagos, Benin and Igueben. The company provide security services for a number of companies including banks and industries.
Uwa Projects & Commodities Produce Marketing, popularly known as UPC. This very successful company provided jobs for local farmers and labourers by buying local produce like Cocoa and Palm Kernels to sell to government agents for export to foreign countries. He made his brother , Chief Ebenzer, his Project Manager, this had the advantage of securing good quality products at reasonable prices. The company boasts a state of the arts, guest house, where visitors from abroad and other states across the country can stay whilst in Edo state for business. At other times, family members use it for ceremonies like marriage and for overnight or weekend boarding.
Christ Royal Heritage Church with branches in Lagos and Bendel State, aimed at enlightening people on the life of Christ and good news of the kingdom. It had a growing congregational until the emergence of the Pentecostal churches when attendance started to dwindle. The church continues to be well attended to date.
Evergreen Royal Private School, Lagos. A joint nursery and Primary School set up to provide top standard education to children outside of government primary schools. The school provides scholarships to bright children whose parents are not able to pay and for children of parents who have contributed well to the local community in recognition of their good works. The school also provides work experience opportunities for undergraduates who need to experience an official work situation in order to secure their first job opportunity. The school is managed by his wife Mrs Julie Aigbogun.
Crown Ages Herbs has recently being set up in accordance with government standards on Herbal Medicines practices protocol. The chemist, provides remedies for treatment of conditions like tuberculosis, Sickle Cells, Piles, eczema, asthma and uterus, ovaries and fallopian tubes disorders. The herbal chemist provides free treatment to widows in Igueben village yearly. Uwague set up Crown Ages Herbs Chemist following the footsteps of his father Prince Aigbogun Omeike a renowned Traditional Doctor who offered free treatment to those who could not pay. As a last son he worked alongside his father learning the skills of using traditional medicine to cure various illnesses.
Uwague is a very benevolent person who has always provided help with university tuition fees for poor undergraduates from his home town of Igueben and elsewhere. In earlier times, he provided accommodation on his school premises to undergraduates from his village who wanted to visit Lagos for the first time and had nowhere else to stay; in effect he housed the homeless students who were trying to get a leg up on the education ladder.
His financial help and support to members of his family and others in the community is very well known and remembered by a great many people.
© Igueben Notables 2009
Reverend Uwague Aigbogun died in hospital on 8th November 2019 after a long illness. He was aged 75 years.
Eulogy by Ozin Aigbogun
9 November 2019
A great Iroko has fallen.
Small daddy Uwagwe Aigbogun.
Kindnesss epitomized. A man who lived ahead of his generation.
At an age when some of his compatriots were still living with their parents, he had quickly founded a company for the export of Cocoa and palm produce and named it the Uwa Palm Company (U.P.C). From there far ahead of his peers he had built a modern edifice in his hometown. The aesthetics and horticulture still awes even till this day.
Yet such was his humility that when his brothers had to spend the night in the house, he will happily vacate the masters bedroom and yet would be first to come greet the next morning 'Good morning sir'. I used to wonder as to wetin na. For ya own house again!!?
He instructed his own children to call his elder brother 'Big Daddy' and himself 'Small Daddy'.
He was also one of the pioneers of the Private Uniformed Security oufits in Nigeria. George Hunters Security at its peak bestrode the lenght and breadth of the country and was first in demand for with several big coorporations then like NNPC and Union Bank Branches to mention but a few.
Of course his legendary kindness was what was exploited by many he magnanimously employed and trusted to run the company but who only used it to help themselves. That is why the company may not outlive him now.
But his little contribution to Education, the Evergreen Private School would. At the time he built it, there were very few schools that had the space and facilities that he equipped it with. Thank GOD it wasn't left for friends and families to run but was left to the more dexterious management of his wife who has a passion for education. Inspite of the many scholarships he granted to about anyone who cared to ask, that made the school look more like a foundation than an enterprise at a time, they managed to pull that one through the decades.
His house in Lagos at a time when Lagos looked to people back home like Newyork was home to anyone who managed to make it there. Many were sure that space (even if on a corner of the rug)would be made available to sleep and for as long as necessary till you could find your feet in Lagos. Your ticket for this bed and free breakfast arrangement: just mention that your father or Uncle referred you from Igueben back home.
I still recall the advise he gave me when i made his home my home and i had had my first taste of 'Lagos Landlords'. I didnt complety see reason with him then but i took the advise anyway. However years later i was able to appreciate the wisdom therein and have even repeated it to many when they had experienced similar setbacks in their life.
He wasn't a perfect man, but then who is. He had had his ups and his downs and defied them all until now!
Adios Uncle. We can only pray now that our GOD Almighty father will remember all your acts of kindness and input them to you as righteousness.
May you find perperual rest in the bossom of the Lord Jesus Christ. And may His Light continue to shine on you until we meet again in his kingdom where infirmities and death would have been put under the feet of Lord JESUS CHRIST.
Rest in Peace Uncle. You would be sorely missed!!
© Igueben Notables 2019.