Brief History Of Benue State From It's Creation In 1976 And The Names Of The Military Administrators Down To The Civilian Governors That Have Enjoyed Our Collective Heritage And The Total Marginalization Of Zone C Senatorial Axis!
By: slimsmixta blog
Benue State the Food Basket of the Nation is located in north-central geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Benue State was created out of the old Benue-Plateau State in 1976 with its headquarter is Makurdi. The state is divided into twenty three local government areas which include Ado, Agatu, Apa, Buruku, Gboko, Guma, Gwer-East, Gwer-West, Katsina-Ala, Konshisha, Kwande, Logo, Makurdi, Obi, Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Oju, Okpokwu, Otukpo, Tarka, Ukum, Ushongo Vandeikya.
BRIEF HISTORY:
Benue State was created on February 3, 1976 from the former Benue-Plateau State in which the Igala and Bassa people were brought from Kwara State. the desire of the Igala people to rejoin their Kith and Kin led to the creation of Kogi State in 1991 leaving Benue State with its present boundaries. The State derives its name from River Benue, the second largest in the country and the most prominent geographical feature in the state.
PEOPLE & CULTURE
With a population of 4,780,389 (2006 census), the State is made of several ethnic groups: Tiv, Idoma, Igede, Etulo, Abakpa, Jukun andAkweya. The Tiv are the dominant ethnic group, occupying 14 local government areas, while the Idoma and Igede occupy the remaining nine local government areas.
Most of the people are farmers while the inhabitants of the riverine areas engage in fishing as their primary occupation. The people of the state are famous for their cheerful and hospitable disposition as well as rich cultural heritage.
The following are the numbers of people that have govern the State from the day of it's creation 1976 to date.
1. Abdullahi Shelleng: Military Governor from March 1976 to July 1978 .
2. Adebayo Lawal: Military Governor from July 1978 October to 1979.
3. Aper Aku: First Executive Governor from October 1979 to December 1983.
4. John Atom Kpera: Military Governor from January 1984 to August 1985.
5. Jonah David Jang: Military Governor from August 1985 to August 1986.
6. Yohanna Madaki: Military Governor from August 1986 to September 1986.
7. Ishaya Bakut: Military Governor from September 1986 to 1987.
8. Idris Garba: Military Governor from 1987 to 1987.
9. Fidelis Makka: Military Governor from December 1987 to January 1992.
10. Rev.Moses Adasu: 2nd Executive Governor from January 1992 to November 1993.
11. Joshua O. Obademi: Military Admini from 9 December 1993 to 22 August 1996.
12. Aminu Isa Kontagora: Military Admin from 22 August 1996 to August 1998.
13. Dominic Oneya: Military Admin from August 1998 to May 1999.
14. George Akume: 3rd Executive Governor from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007.
15. Gabriel Suswam: 4th Executive Governor from 29 May 2007 to 29 May 2015.
16. Samuel Ortom: 5th Executive Governor from 29 May 2015 to date.
From the above, my friends who are not from the Zone C axis where the Idomas come from often ask me why there is so much anger in the Zone and among the Idomas. Some wonder why, despite the famed, wealth and enterprises the Idoma people acquired all over Nigeria, the people still complain that Benue is still unfair to them. They wonder why Idoma as a nation did not come together to fight a common course. The common course is to become the Executive Governor of Benue State for just one day!
The Idoma elite called it marginalization while their TIV's brothers and sisters who were privileged and also getting enough since the creation of Benue State countered it by saying no part of Nigeria was getting enough. Marginalization was universal. But they forgot something. The Idoma cry of marginalization was official policy. It was expected. It was programmed since the State was Created in 1976. And occasionally, key government officials let it slip that Idoma should not complain. After all, they have been getting key positions from the Federal Government. They have been given Ministerial Slot, Senate President, DG and other juicy appointment as compared to their Tiv counterpart.
Conclusively, for any Idoma origin to become the Executive Governor of Benue State in the nearest future, we should shun gangsterism, shun hypocrisy and favoritism. We have to be united and distance ourselves from maligned, and character assassination. United we stand, divided we fall" is a phrase that has been used in mottos, from nations and states to songs. The basic concept is that unless the people are united, they will be defeated. We be ready to always shun the back seat like Senator Comrade Patrick Abba Moro did in 2007 during a charade PDP primaries in Makurdi. Let us come together and speak as one.
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