When the history of Edo State the heartbeat of the Nigeria nation is written, mention will be made of men whose careers read like long, steady climbs no sudden leaps, no shortcuts, just years of consistent motion towards purpose. Rt.Hon. Samson Raphael Osagie,PhD is one of them.
A Lawyer, Legislator, Lecturer, Political Economist,CorporateExecutive and unassuming politicial gladiator, yet thses titles doesn’t quite capture the quiet intensity of the man. Those who have followed Edo politics and public service over the past two decades would recognize his name easily, though they might disagree on what defines him most, his calm yet assertive disposition, intellectual fecundity, and his avid love for politics without bitterness but conviction.
Born on November 11, 1967, in Egba, Uhunmwode Local Government Area of Edo State, Osagie grew up with the values of discipline, hardwork, respect for others, community service and love for education, values which were deeply imprinted on him from the cradle .
He began at Aguebor Primary School, Egba ,proceeded mto Egba Grammar School, now Iyayi Efianayi Grammar School Egba and then to the prestigious Edo College, Benin City, for higher school diploma.
His academic record was stellar, but he wasn’t content with just passing through school; he wanted to master knowledge. That drive led him to Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he earned a Bachelor’ of Laws degree with a Second Class Honours Upper Division. At the Nigerian Law School Lagos, Osagie defended stoutly his academic feat by passing the Bar Finals Examinations with yet again another Second Class Honours Upper Division and subsequently called to the Nigerian Bar as Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria on March 22nd, 1995.
But Samson Osagie’s thirst for learning didn’t stop there. He subsequently obtained a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Benin, a Master of Laws from Ambrose Alli University, a Master in International Relations and Diplomacy and eventually a Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) in Political Economy and Development Studies from the University of Abuja. Though a mouthful, it paints a picture of a man for whom education is not just a means to a career, but a lifelong craft. Besides formal academic training Dr Samson Osagie attended specialized trainings in High Performance Leadership program at Sa’ad Business School, Oxford University, London, Strategic Business Management at Harvard University Extension School, Cambridge Massachusetts, Executive Education at University of Pretoria, South Africa, Strategic Legislative Management Course at International Law Institute, Washington DC, USA, to mention only a few.
After a short stint in private legal practice in Benin City, Edo State, Dr Osagie responded to the clarion call by his people to represent them in politics first in 1996 before he got elected into the Edo State House of Assembly in 1999 to represent Uhunmwode State Constituency
when Nigeria returned to democracy. This was after the Abacha transition came to a halt in June 1998 under which Dr Samson Osagie also contested and won ame election.
These political experiences was the beginning of what would become a long and eventful public service areer. For eight years in the State Assembly, he mastered and practiced to the admiration of many particularly his constituents the nuances of Legislative activism and public administration and effectively deployed his knowledge and experience to participate actively in translating policies into and understood clearly how laws can fail when politics gets in the way. His colleagues remember him as one articulate, courageous, competent and a dogged fighter for Justice, good governance and the rule of law. These are hallmarks which still define this eminent Nigerian till date
By 2007, his growing poltical stature, fired by by his robust performance saw him elected rge wider Constituency to represent Orhionmwon/Uhunmwode Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
He chaired and was a member of several committees and was appointed the Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, a role that saw him attain national stardom through his oratory prowess exhibited during debates on national issues on the floor of the green chambers.
Osagie took pride in being the bridge between his people and the National Assembly. He was visible, active, and often outspoken on national issues.
As with all things in life, whatever has a beginning must have a end. When the curtain on his representation in the House of Representatives was drawing close, his attempt to represent the Edo South Senatorial District in the Senate was unsuccessful owing to forces of sabotage, envy and the popular “pull him diwn” syndrome which has become the unenviable trademark of politics in the district.
Fate and destiny saw him return to government in 2017 when he was appointed by President Buhari as Executive Director in Charge of Business Development and Marketing at the Nigerian Communications Satellite Company Limited, a position he quited for full time legal practice in 2019.
Nevertheless, Dr Osagie had continued to participate in the politics of the nation and Edo State. He held several positions in both the APC Presidential Campaign Councils of President Buhari and Tinaubu and also in the Governorship Campaign Councils of Comrade Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Godwin Obaseki, Osagie Ize-Iyamu and Governor Monday Okpebholo at various times in the dialectics of Edo State politics from 2012 till 2024.
Still on the xecutive side of governance, in November 2024, when the newly elected Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo assumed the mantle of leadership Edo State, Dr Samson Osagie was appointed as the Honourable ttorney General and Commissioner for Justice.
His choice was hailed by many who saw Osagie’s blend of legal expertise and legislative experience as remarkably fitting for the role. What followed in the months ahead would define his tenure and, perhaps, his legacy.
From the first weeks in office, Dr. Samson Osagie made it clear that his ministry would not be just another bureaucratic outfit. He started by strengthening the departments of the ministry and gave additional impetus to the Citizens’ Rights Department and the Citizens’ Mediation Centre, two departments that had long existed but were struggling for relevance.
Under his direction, these units became the face of accessible justice for ordinary citizens. Through mediation and alternative dispute resolution, hundreds of civil cases from landlord-tenant conflicts to inheritance feuds were settled out of court.
He also threw weight behind the Police Duty Solicitors Scheme (PDSS), a project that sought to ensure that suspects in police custody are immediately provided with legal representation. It sounds simple, but in a system notorious for prolonged detention without trial, it was a big step. “Justice must not be the privilege of those who can afford it,” Osagie said at one of the scheme’s events. “It must be a right available to all, at all times.”
To his credit, Samson Osagie approached the office like a reformer balancing firmness with empathy. He partnered with civil society organizations like the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) to advance protection for women and children, especially in cases of domestic abuse and sexual violence. He visited correctional centres, met with rights groups, and spoke often about restoring public faith in the justice ystem.
Yet, in February 2025, his tenure hit turbulence as the state government suspended him alongside the Chairman of the Local Government Service Commission over what it called alleged “grave official and financial infractions.”
The headlines came fast and furious, and the political rumour mill went into overdrive. Samson Osagie, for his part, denied the allegations outright, saying he had neither been confronted with evidence nor given a fair hearing. To many, it looked like a political crossfire.
Barely a month later, precisely on March 13, 2025, the Edo State Government announced his reinstatement. A panel of inquiry had found him innocent of all charges. He returned to office vindicated but visibly changed perhaps more cautious, but also more determined. Those close to him say the episode deepened his appreciation of how fragile integrity can be in public life.
Still, he went back to work. And work he did. He pursued the expansion of mediation centres beyond Benin City, advocated for digital case management systems in state ministry of Justice and the courts, and continued his quiet push for a justice ministry that was not just about prosecutions but about fairness. For a man with both legal precision and political survival instincts, it was familiar terrain.
A talk with people in Benin’ legal circles today, would reveal varied opinions about Osagie :- but few question his intellect or diligence. Some call him the “professor in politics.” Others say he is too reserved for a politician. But those who have sat across from him describe him as a man who listens before he speaks a rare thing amongst Nigeria’s political class.
Samson Osagie’s shelf is crowded with awards, Distinguished Service Award by SSAUBTH, Africa Public Service Award (Voice of Magazine, Netherlands, 2015), Benin Achievers Award by the Oba of Benin, and more.
But for him, the real reward has always been impact. Even his academic works on terrorism, legislative powers, and Nigeria’s development politics reveal a man obsessed with how institutions work, and how they fail when people stop caring.
Now back in active private Legal practice as Managing Partner at Samson Ima-Osagie & Associates( Law & Justice Chambers) in Abuja, Lagos and Benin City, he is a Member and Fellow of several professional like the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators, Nigeria Bar Association, African Bar Association and a consultant to both government and private clients. He used to lecture at the National Institute for Legislative and Democratic Studies, and sits on the Governing Council of the University of Benin shaping the next generation of leaders. In other words, he hasn’t slowed down.
And there’s something quietly instructive about his journey. Not many Nigerian politicians move between academia, legislature, and executive with ease. Fewer still do so without scandal or bluster. Osagie’s time as Attorney General may have been short, but it left a trail of reforms and a model for citizen-focused justice.
And maybe that’s what stands out most. In an era when public office is often about control, he approached it as stewardship. He believed perhaps naively, perhaps wisely that government can still serve, and that justice can still be humane.
So when people ask, “Who is Samson Osagie?” the answer might simply be this: a scholar who took justice beyond the courtroom, a public servant who carried intellect into politics, and a man who, even when shaken by controversy, chose to stand by principle.
The man may have left office, but he hasn’t left the fight for the rule of law and justice, good governance and development. For a system that actually works for the people!
At 58, he has just become a Senior Lecturer in one of Nigeria’s premier citadel of Learning and excellence
Dr. Samson Osagie, More grease to your elbows!
By: Patrick Ese Ochoga writes from Benin.
