17/09/2020
"The flaws of giants’’Our Benue our pride.
OCHEPO FOR BENUE GOVERNOR 2023
As prepared by: Akatu onum( Media Aide) to Hon Ochepo Entonu
Benue State is one of the north central area states in Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in 2006 census. It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv, Idoma and Igede peoples, who speak Tiv, Idoma, and Igede languages respectively. Its capital is Makurdi.
Benue state does not belong only to the Tivs alone, Unfortunately, these three so-called ‘’major ethnic groups’’ have defined the political and economic actualities of the state since independence close to 60yrs ago by 1/10/2020.
Even among the ‘’big three’’, there are splinter groups of distinct cosmology.
Again, Benue does not belong only to the Tivs alone, It belongs to every group subsisting in the entity irrespective of population size. But sadly, these other ethnic nationalities have not been allowed the participatory chance of defining their destiny.
Their voices are minimized by the cacophony of the louder Tiv group in the state.
When it comes to power-sharing and distribution of the common wealth, the ‘’big one’’ come into contest, featuring prominently on the table. It is always about what the Tiv want; but never about what other Benue people whose voices are attenuated want. This is not how to achieve real Benue.
Remember Ordinary Edy Alechenu asked what the other two major ethnic groups want? I know the argument could be that they have representatives in parliament who speak for them.
But how tenable is that argument when the political distribution is already ponderously skewed against them? And the arrogant assumption is that their interest is a good already sheltered in the larger interest of the dominant groups.
‘’The flaws of giants’’ – this is the abstraction of the Nigerian situation. The perception that all will be well with the state as long as the ‘’big three’’ are catered to, ignoring the composite whole.
We once witnessed the upris
