Opinion
Benue at 46: Like Winston Churchill, like Samuel Ortom
By Yemi Itodo
When Benue State was created by the military administration of General Murtala Mohammed, on 3rd February 1976, it was a dream come true for Benue people, especially for the founding fathers, like the Late Joseph Tarka, who led the struggle for the creation of a state for the Middle Belt minorities for so many years.
At creation, Benue was like a finely built rocket waiting to be launched into the space. Hopes for the new state was high. But little did anyone know that the state would become the epicenter of Fulani herdsmen terrorism in few decades.
After the many years of military juntas and military interruptions of civil rules that slowed the development of Benue, like every other state in the country, power was finally returned to civilians in 1999. And the hope of the people was once again reignited.
But unfortunately, all that hope was dashed by the egregious corruption that characterized the civilian administration that took over from the military in the state.
Benue people were once again marooned!
Even more threatening, was the rejuvenated Fulani jihad sweeping across North Central Nigeria. Benue people were being targeted for extermination.
The people could no longer go to farms, Fulani herders were encroaching on their lands and destroying their farm produces. Their leaders were afraid to speak. Politicians were playing politics with their (Benue people) lives. The people were in a state of helplessness.
Then came a ‘Messiah’!
When His Excellency, Governor Samuel Ioraer Ortom, came into office as the 5th civilian Governor of Benue State in 2015, the state was facing an existential threat; marauding Fulani militias were killing farmers and ransacking villages. Communities in Agatu were razed down in a manner that could not be salvaged, in February, 2016.
Like the heroic former UK Prime Minister, orator and leader, Winston Churchill, who led Britain to victory in the Second World War, Governor Ortom swung into action immediately by declaring a state of emergency on insecurity.
His action earned him a lot of apathy from Abuja and the Fulani oligarchy, but he was firm on his stance not to compromise or play politics with the lives of Benue people. At the same time he was fast becoming the ‘Face’ of the fight against Fulani bellicosity in Nigeria.
After all, the basis for the existence of any government, and the only role assigned to any responsible and responsive government by the Nigerian constitution, is the protection of lives and properties of its citizenry.
Bearing that in mind, in May, 2017, Governor Ortom signed the Benue Anti-Open Grazing Law which prohibits open grazing of cattle and other livestock and provides for establishment of ranches, in order to stop Fulani herdsmen militia from junketing farm settlements and killing villagers and destroying crops.
The Fulani herdsmen under the umbrella of Miyetti Allah Hautal Kore, did not make secret their threat to “deal” with Governor Ortom and Benue State, despite the fact that the law also provided stiff penalties for those found guilty of cattle rustling. It was therefore, clear that the herdsmen have an ulterior motive.
On the 1st January 2018, the Fulani herdsmen made good their threat, by murdering over 73 villagers in Guma local government area of Benue state. And again, Governor Ortom, like Churchill, used his great oratory to call the attention of the world to the genocide and the constant terror attacks on Benue State by Fulani herdsmen.
This further deteriorated the sour relationship between him (Governor Ortom) and the Presidency, vis-a-vis the Fulani oligarchy, who made no secret of their apathy for the Governor of the once robust food basket of the nation.
But the good people of Benue who know and value the great battle their leader, the ‘Defender of the Benue Valley’, Samuel Ortom is fighting for them, overwhelmingly reelected him in 2019, to continue the good work; after he was issued a “red card” by the agents of the enemies of Benue State.
Interestingly, Governor Ortom soon became the darling of most peace loving Nigerians, who would often make statement: “I wish he (Ortom) was my Governor”, anytime there is a Fulani herdsmen attack on their states. And other state governors started copying Governor Ortom’s model of enacting anti-open grazing laws to quash herdsmen attacks.
This too angered the leadership of the Fulani marauders and they again threatened to “deal” with Governor Ortom and Benue State for starting the anti-open grazing law trend.
In April, 2021, the convoy of Governor Samuel Ortom was attacked on his farm at Tyo-mu, along Makurdi-Gboko road. The Governor narrowly escaped. What an effrontery!!
A group called Fulani Nationality Movement, FUNAM, claimed responsibility for the attack. But till today, the police authorities, neither the secret agents of the state, did not make any arrest in connection with the attack.
Despite all these, the Governor refused to be discouraged. Today, he is a hero, not just to Benue State but to all the states in Nigeria where his wisdom of anti-open grazing law was borrowed.
As Benue celebrates her 46th anniversary today, let’s not forget that the state is existing peacefully today because of the love and courage of Governor Samuel Ortom, the Winston Churchill of Benue State.
At a special thanksgiving and prayer session organized to commemorate the 46th anniversary of Benue, at the Chapel in People’s House, Makurdi, on Thursday, the Governor told whoever that cared to listen that he was not fighting a personal fight, as some erroneously construed.
Rather, he said it was a fight for equity, justice and fairness.
“I challenge anyone that feels that I have said anything outside these 3 things (equity, justice and fairness) to come out, and I will apologize. But when there is none of these 3 things, God will rise by Himself from the throne and do justice and I think the time is ripe”, Ortom said Thursday morning during the service.
The visibly elated Governor testified to the fact that Benue is now low in reported cases of banditry, armed robbery and local crimes; attributing it to the grace of God and strong political will to tackle them.
He believed that “this session of prayers we have made here today, will turn things around for Benue”.
Also, during the service on Thursday, the Governor reiterated his allegiance to the people of Benue State, whose mandate he has sworn to defend.
He said, “I’m committed to stand by truth and say the truth. I will stand and defend the people who voted for me. My allegiance is to Benue people and not to any other group or persons”.
For the doubting Thomases and the unending Naysayers, Governor Ortom assured that he would do all within his powers and God given time, to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people, not minding the many distractions within and outside Benue.
“I want to assure you that, better is the end of everything than the beginning thereof. It doesn’t matter even if it is one year remaining. All the programs that God has ordained me to do, I will do them before leaving”, he told the congregation.
As the Governor goes about doing his constitutionally assigned duties of security and safety of Benue people and by also delivering quality governance to the people, as promised, it is therefore incumbent on Benue sons and daughters, including lovers of Benue, to commit him in their prayers.
We must, as a people, acknowledge that we must first have to be alive, before we talk about material things. Thus, if we are opportune to have a selfless man who puts his life on line for us to live; the least that is expected of us, is to support him with prayers and wish him well. For if we wish him otherwise, we are inadvertently scuttling our chances of corporate existence, as a people.
But that will not be possible in totality. After all, our Lord and saviour, Jesus Christ who laid his life for mankind, was never appreciated by his people. Even as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, who stood for his people during the Second World War, Winston Churchill was not loved by all.
But like the Bible posited, after his brothers sold him out and a serious famine hit the land, Joseph’s worth became glaring and unparalleled. You don’t know the worth of a thing, until you have lost it. Only time shall tell!!
Happy 46th anniversary to our dear Benue State!!!
(Itodo is the Senior Special Assistant on New Media to Governor Samuel Ortom).
By Adamu Muhd Usman.
“If you can think of it, you can plan it; if you can plan it, you can dream it; if you can dream it, you can achieve it.”
—Unknown author
Farming and livestock are Jigawa’s main occupations. The Jigawa people and its government are always interested in farming. So talking about farming, farmers, commodities and livestock prices are interesting issues for Jigawa people.
The prices of cash crops, grains, etc., are recording a steady drop in Jigawa State occasioned by the yearning and interest of the people of the state and also some state government commitment for both farming of animals and farm produce.
A check and investigations by yours sincerely showed and proved that the prices of many things had dropped by 20-30 per cent in the last four weeks and thereabouts in Jigawa state.
A 10 kg local rice farm (produced) in Jigawa State was sold at ₦9,000 as against the previous price of almost ₦12,000. Millet, sorghum, beans, wheat, Benny seeds, etc., indicated a similar price decrease.
People are of the opinion that the situation of a high supply of the produce from farms in Jigawa State has committed itself to producing a large quantity of farm produce and livestock to meet the demand in the region or the country at large. Surely, the increase in the supply of the produce from the farms or farmers had forced prices down in the recent past.
Others still attributed this price drop to the fear of Allah instilled in the hearts of hoarders because the clerics kept preaching against hoarding, which is seriously frown upon by God Almighty.
While some political critics viewed it as the bad economic policies of the President Tinubu administration, in which Allah used it to bring relief to the common man.
Quite obviously, Jigawa is amongst the three states in the federation that produce and supply the nation and some neighbouring counties with grains, livestock, fish and frogs. Jigawa state is also first in Hibiscus, sesame, gum Arabic, datefarm and also Jigawa is not left behind in the farming of cotton and Siemens. —-Jigawa is blessed.
But at the overround investigations, findings and outcomes, it was largely concluded that all these results and achievements were attributed to the people’s interest and passion for farming, but it is mostly because of the government’s commitments to assist, promote and enhance agricultural production in the state to make it a priority in Jigawa as a means of livelihood, occupation and income for the Jigawa populace and to be a source of internally generated revenue (IGR) for the state and also make the state feed the nation formula. Thank God, the airport (cargo) built by the former governor, Dr Sule Lamido, will now be very functional and useful.
The big question now is, can the state government sustain its support for the agricultural sector and continue to pay more attention and also sustain the package and gesture?
We hope that farmers in the state will continue to enjoy maximum support in crop production, including the use of mechanised farming. This will encourage livestock farming, which will go a long way to reduce or stop farmers’/herders’ clashes.
Also, the issue of soil erosion should be given due attention, and more roads should be constructed across the state in order to facilitate bringing out farm produce from villages and rural areas to urban areas.
As the saying goes, Success is getting what you want, and happiness is wanting what you get.
Adamu writes from Kafin-Hausa, Jigawa State.
By Abiodun KOMOLAFE
The concepts of power, privilege and governance are complex and multifaceted. Power refers to the ability to influence others, while privilege denotes unearned advantages.
Governance encompasses institutions, structures and processes that regulate these dynamics. Together, these concepts raise fundamental questions about justice, equality and resource distribution.
It emphasizes the importance of considering marginalized groups’ experiences and perspectives. The main problem in Nigeria today is its political economy, which is rooted in rent-seeking and fosters a mindset that prioritizes patronage over production.
The country’s politics are characterized by a patron-client relationship, where everything revolves around government handouts rather than effective governance. This has led to a situation where “politics” in Nigeria is essentially a scramble for resources in a country with severely limited opportunities for self-improvement.
When French agronomist René Dumont wrote ‘False Starts in Africa’ in 1962, he inadvertently described Nigeria’s current state in 2025. Nigeria’s missteps have magnified themselves in the theatre of the absurd, such as the construction of a new vice presidential residence and Governor Chukwuemeka Soludo’s boasts about the lavish official residence for the governor of Anambra State, currently under construction.
It is to be noted in contradistinction that the newly sworn-in Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, is looking for somewhere to live. The official residence of the prime minister, 24 Sussex Drive, the Canadian equivalent of 10 Downing Street, is in disrepair and uninhabitable. No Canadian government can dare ask the parliament to appropriate the $40m needed to refurbish the residence.
Canada’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) exceeds $2 trillion, while Nigeria’s GDP is less than $400 billion. Still, Nigeria claims to be a giant! With an electricity generation capacity of less than 6,000 megawatts, Nigeria’s proclamation seems absurd, especially when compared to cities like Johannesburg, Singapore, Hong Kong and Mumbai. Even Lagos State alone should be generating, transmitting and distributing at least 15,000 megawatts, which would be a basic expectation rather than an achievement.
Nigeria today needs a comprehensive overhaul of its governance crisis to build a new political economy and social services that are fit for purpose. Although the government is on the right path in some ways, a root-and-branch transformation is still necessary.
A notable breakthrough is the decision to recapitalize development finance institutions, such as the Bank of Industry and, crucially, the Bank of Agriculture. This move is significant in a rent-seeking state, as it addresses the need for long-term capital – a prerequisite for achieving meaningful progress.
The development finance institutions require annual recapitalization of at least N500 billion, ideally N1 trillion. Achieving this necessitates a thorough cost evaluation of the government’s machinery, starting with the full implementation of the Oronsaye Committee’s recommendations.
The resulting cost savings can then be redirected to development finance institutions and essential social services like primary healthcare. Furthermore, the government should be bolder, if it can afford to be so, especially since there’s no discernible opposition on offer At the moment, the Nigerian political establishment across the board appears to be enamored by the position put forward by the leader of the Russian revolution, Vladimir Lenin, after the failed putsch. Lenin wrote the classic, ‘What is to be done?’
His observation is that revolutions do not take place at times of grinding poverty. They do so during periods of relatively rising prosperity. Significant sections of the Nigerian establishment believe that relatively rising prosperity could trigger off social discontent.
In their own interest, they had better be right. The caveat is that Lenin wrote ‘What’s to be Done’ in 1905. The world has moved on and changed since the conditions that led to the failure of the attempted takeover of government in Russia in 1905. Therefore, the Nigerian political establishment, for reasons of self-preservation, had better put on its thinking cap. Addressing power and privilege in governance requires collective action, institutional reforms and a commitment to promoting social justice. Nigeria currently lacks a leadership recruitment process, which can only be established if political parties are willing to develop a cadre. Unfortunately, the country is dealing with Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) instead. It’s rare to find leadership in Nigeria operating political boot camps to recruit and groom youths for future leadership roles.
This might be why many young people have a misguided understanding of politics, viewing it as merely a means of sharing the nation’s commonwealth. Mhairi Black was elected to the British House of Commons at 20 years old.
However, the key point is that Black had started becoming involved in politics at a young age. By the time she was elected, she had already gained significant experience, effectively becoming a veteran in the field. In Nigeria, politics is often seen as one of the few avenues for self-fulfillment. However, the economy is stagnant, with few jobs created in the public sector and limited investment opportunities.
This is a far cry from the 1950s and 1960s, when political parties were more substantial. Today, it’s worth asking how many Nigerian political parties have functional Research Departments. Besides, what socialization into any philosophy or ideology do our politicians have? Similarly to former Governor Rotimi Amaechi, many of those who currently hold power are motivated to stay in politics due to concerns about economic stability.
Of course, that’s why the Lagos State House of Assembly has had to revert itself. It is the same challenge that has reduced the traditional institution to victims of Nigeria’s ever-changing political temperature. It is the reason an Ogbomoso indigene is not interested in what happened between Obafemi Awolowo and Ladoke Akintola.
It is also the reason an Ijebuman sees an Ogbomoso man as his enemy without bothering to dig up the bitter politics that ultimately succeeded in putting the two families on the path of permanent acrimony. Of course, that’s why we have crises all over the place! May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!
KOMOLAFE wrote from Ijebu-Jesa, Osun State, Nigeria (ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk; 08033614419)
Byabiodun KOMOLAFE
Rivers State is now under emergency rule, and it’s likely to remain so for the next six months, unless a drastic change occurs.
If not managed carefully, this could mark the beginning of a prolonged crisis.
In situations like this, opinions tend to be divergent. For instance, some people hold the notion that the security situation and the need to protect the law and public order justified President Bola Tinubu’s proclamation of a state of emergency in, and the appointment of a sole administrator for Rivers State.
However, others view this act as ‘unconstitutional’, ‘reckless’, ‘an affront on democracy’, and ‘a political tool to intimidate the opposition’. When we criticize governments for unmet expectations, we often rely on our own perspectives and biases.
Our individual identities and prejudices shape our criticism. However, it’s essential to recognize that not all criticism is equal. Protesting within the law is fundamentally different from protests that descend into illegality. Once illegality creeps in, the legitimacy of the protest is lost.
As John Donne wrote in ‘Devotions Upon Emergent Occasions’, “Never send to know for whom the bell tolls.” A protest is legitimate when it aligns with societal norms, values and laws. But when protests are marred by violence or sabotage, they lose credibility. Without credibility, protests become ineffective.
Regarding the validity or otherwise of the emergency rule in Rivers State, it is imperative that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors approach the Supreme Court immediately. They should seek a definitive clarification on whether the proclamation is ultra vires or constitutional.
For whatever it’s worth, they owe Nigerians that responsibility!May the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, grant us peace in Nigeria!
Abiodun KOMOLAFE,ijebujesa@yahoo.co.uk; 08033614419 – SMS only.
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