In the political history of Nigeria, some names are written in the sands of time. Ambrose Ali, the first civilian govern in Nigeria and also the Executive governor of the no longer existing Bendel State. A midwestern region (Benin and Delta Provinces) before it was divided among 27 August 1991.
Ambrose Alli was born on 22 September 1929 in Indoani Ondo State. He completed his secondary school Education in Asaba in 1948. In 1960, he received his MBBS at the School of Medical Technology, Adeoyo Hospital Ibadan. Also, he received a D.C Pathology degree in a neuropathology course at the University of London in 1966. He later travelled to study at the University of Birmingham in 1971.
He was a lecturer at the University of Ibadan, a senior lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University and also a Professor of Morbid Anatomy and head of the department of pathology at the University of Benin. As the then Executive governor, his major thrust was to leave his impact on the educational sector of Bendel State, to make available educational opportunities for his people.
Ambrose Ali put an end to secondary school feel in Bendel State, made available 600 secondary schools, established several post-primary schools, built tertiary institutions, polytechnics and colleges of Education in Ozoro and Agbor, Warri and in Ekiadolor close to Benin City.
To ensure the proper running of the schools built, he created teacher training colleges to train and make available teachers for the new school. He was named after Ambrose Ali University formally known as Bendel State University. Ambrose was the founding father of the University in 1981.
He also left his impact in the Infrastructure section of Bendel state, he constructed roads and housings. Low housing Estates in several parts of Benin City like the Bendel Estates he constructed in Warri.
Throughout his tenure as the Governor, Ambrose wore Sandals around and he joked about no time to buy shoes for himself since he spends his whole time working in the Government House. In 1983, he was sentenced to serve 100 years in prison for alleged misappropriation of ₦983,000 for road projects after Major General Muhammadu Buhari came into power. Ambrose was eventually released from Prison after One million Naira was paid by Esama of Benin, Chief Gabriel Igbinedion.
Not long after he was freed from the shackles of Prison, Ambrose Ali died at the Lagos State Teaching Hospital in Lagos on his 60th birthday. After his death, an annual distinguished lecture was held in honour of him. 37 years after he was sentenced to prison by Muhammadu Buhari who is coincidentally now the President of Nigeria, he was granted clemency and ‘pardoned’ by the president yesterday. President Buhari granted Ambrose Ali alongside some other political stalwarts posthumous state pardon.