The National Cord and the Expectations of the Benue People
Nigeria as a state, and especially that it is one with more than 200 ethnic groups co existing, has never been a nation where competition for national political relevance is underrated. The “national cake”, “federal power”, “national connections” and so many such other phrases designed for the purpose of highlighting the importance of the central government never has been scarce in the public domain. Our constitution by the virtue of S 14 sub 3 has recognized the need for a fair and just distribution of positions of power and resources among the various sub divisions of the federation. That this constitutional provision is rightly obeyed is a matter of serious debate, hence the constant struggle for positions at the national.
When the news of the appointment of Sen. George Akume as the Secretary of the Government of the Federation by President Bola Tinubu found its way to the public, it literary caused an end for many political enmities and the struggles between political feudal lords. The fact Benue State and the electorates were still making preparations to get over the effects of the win or loss of the just concluded 2023 general elections was a testament that there were more to divide the people than it could unite. However the news rolled away the landscape of all forms of divisions and in its place, a red carpet of celebration was spread. The social media went agog with messages of congratulations. The radio stations within and outside the state were unflinching in messages of congratulations. In the end, “from the APC to PDP, Labour Party to the SDP, the common declaration was that it is a win for the state” so it was declared by Enenche Adakole, a 500L student in the department of Civil Engineering, J.S Tarka University of Agriculture, Makurdi.
As the tides of the celebration have begun to ebb away, critical minds are asking questions as to the true interpretation of the appointment and what it means to have a Benue Man occupying such an exalted office in an administration that has promised Nigerians a fresh breath.
When contacted by the Transmitter, Eng. Ramson Tivfa, spoke of the appointment “as a square peg in a square hole”, owing to the huge wealth of experience the person of Sen. George Akume has in matters of public administration and governance. He continued that “as a governor for eight years, a Senator in the republic for twelve years and as the immediate past Minister of the federal republic of Nigeria, the office of the SGF, though an office with enormous duties, he hardly will be overwhelmed”.
In another contact with a renowned historian and a lecturer in the Department of General Studies, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Dr G.T Tyungu while feeding questions from the reporter expressed optimism and happiness over the appointment saying that “to every history loving Benue son and or daughter, it will be just to see and say that the struggles of the pathfinder of the Middle Belt politics, Late J.S Tarka to connect the Tiv nation and indeed the entire Middle Belt on the national grid of politics and governance have found a remarkable fulfillment in the appointment of the current SGF. He added that “ the office of the SGF as a clearing house for the government of the federation is that which has overwhelming potentials of affording a person occupying it the opportunities of having first hand information about the daily drive of the central government. It is also one with many opportunities to make both national and international connections”. Asked whether he sees the appointment as an opportunity for Benue State to right a strategic position at the table for the sharing of the national cake, the seasoned scholar stated that, “as a university lecturer who should be the one holding and expressing universal concepts of politics and governance as in this case, I cannot see the appointment from that clannish and narrow perspective. I only can see that appointment as a mirror which will help show the image of Benue State at the national level and afford us a space on the corridors of power where our contributions will bring about the overall progress of the nation”.
The hopes are many and different. To Tersoo Tyovenda, an artisan based in Akpehe, Logo II, Makurdi, he sees the appointment as “God’s divine intervention”, to rescue the Benue people from the pit of hell the previous administrations threw the state into. He stated that, “when I heard the news about the appointment, I went on my knees and gave thanks to God. Yes, I did that because I saw it as a way God has decided to visit Benue state and also as an approval of the yearnings of the YES FATHER movement. We the people on the street and those in the villages, we have a lot to expectation from the current administration and it is our hopes that with Akume as the secretary to the government of the federation, the state government will enjoy a rancor free relationship with the federal, thereby making a smooth way for dividends of democracy to flow unhindered to the people at the state level”. It is the further opinion of the artisan who specializes in furniture making that, “ the experience we had in the past administration have taught one to know that by and large, for there to be purposeful development in the state, there has to be some form of harmonious, developmental and a covenanted synergy between the three federating units in the nation”. Despite the huge investment by the Buhari led administration in the areas of social investment and agriculture, it is the opinion that the gates of the federal government were seemingly locked against the state because of the endless feuds between the state governor and the federal power brokers. “it is a new beginning for the state in that the odds are now favourable as the state is likely to be closer to the seat of central power” says Mrs Mary Ogboji.
Beginning from 1999 down to the immediate past administration, every past governor has one bitter tale or the other to tell. However, the difference in the plot of these tales, there thematic preoccupation has never been different from the issue of king and kingmaker feud. Commenting on this, Mr Ahile said that,” it has been the observation that various administrations in the state were found investing more time and resources for the prosecution of ravaging wars between godfather and godson”. Asked whether the current office of George Akume who is unarguably the driver of Benue politics will deprive him of the luxury of time for feudal wars of politics, Mrs Asemapenda responded that, “the appointment certainly means something to the state and the administration of Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia. I am not too conversant with the workload of the office of the SGF. However, the much I have heard and read about the office give me the reason to conclude that it is one with a lot of responsibilities that is capable to deprive the holder of it the luxury of engaging in political bickering, except where there is an indifference to the demands of the office”. Some administrations took pretentious covers under these godfather and godson fights to deprive that state of its desired developmental strides. The start of a new chapter of the state is promising and that much of the impediments are likely to be absent such that,” the Fr., Alia administration will be free from these distractions. Should it in the end, come to fail on its campaign promises, there will not be an excuse for it” she concluded.
The path of hope, though clearly marked, it is the warning that there are other slippery grounds which all major players in the Benue politics must guide against. Intra state divisions manifesting in ethic sentimentality, communal clashes, partisan politics, and religious differences must be eliminated in the state to pave way for smooth administration and even distribution of the dividends of democracy. Until and unless such is done, the state will continue to wallow in the anguish of bad leadership and the perpetual hope for national relevance.
