By Ben Atonko
In the countdown to 2027 general elections, the electorate in Benue State are seriously weighing the choices they are to make especially on who to be made governor of the Food Basket state.
There is a huge concern owing to the existential threat facing the people. The continual attacks on villages and massacre of defenceless folks is incredibly dire and distressing.
These attacks have undoubtedly caused immense suffering, fear and anguish among the people in rural communities.
Many family members are wiped out on the face of the earth, displaced or maimed. Survivors have run to squat with relatives in cities or are in what has been designated Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camps.
According to government, Benue State hosts 500,182 IDPs who have been forced to leave their villages due to persistent attacks.
They are located in 26 camps and camp-like settings managed by the Benue State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) in collaboration with the IOM Nigeria.
In these camps, women and children starve. They are vulnerable to the elements and health issues are daily on the rise.
Benue State faces a significant humanitarian crisis with attendant disruption of agrarian livelihoods central to the state’s economy.
They live at the mercy of philanthropists and the good-natured people.
The trauma, loss and displacement caused by these attacks have had a long-lasting effects, making it challenging for many communities to rebuild for meaningful living.
The people have consistently yearned for a leadership that would chase away the purveyors of the mass atrocities, create a peaceful environment for the resettlement of the displaced persons and return of order and economic activities.
Things have degenerated so badly that the people now yearn for a Renaissance. In fact, it is now a thing of life and death. No more toying with governance.
Benue State people are no more oblivious of the fact that their survival is hinged on a purposeful, focused, and people-centred leadership. They need someone who is humane, compassionate, selfless and loving to lead them.
People oriented leadership question has become more critical now due to the reality of the times.
The Fulani jihadists who are the purveyors of the woes know the strength of the Benue State people and precisely how and where to knock them down.
That is to kill agricultural practices which are the mainstay of the Benue State economy. By chasing away the rural folks from their farming communities by acts of terror and occupying the desolate lands, they might have gone for the jugular of Benue State.
The government of Benue State might have failed in its responsibility. Even though Governor Hyacinth Alia clearly stated in his manifesto that agriculture would be a priority, there is no concrete action to match that.
For instance, basic farm inputs like fertiliser came after farmers had started harvesting their crops. And it was at a very high cost. A bag costs N85,000 and is hardly available.
It is therefore very important for the people of Benue State to put aside clannish and religious sentiments and bring on board a thoroughbred administrator who is ready to give his life for the people.
The people must avoid the diversionary and unnecessary debate about zoning and give serious consideration for competence and good character.
After all, who has zoning helped? It has only enabled mediocre, unscrupulous power hungry individuals to ascend and mismanage affairs of the state.
It must be one passionate for the liberation of his people — someone who has been in the struggle with the people over the decades — one who knows and feels the pangs of the Fulani terrorists appalling savagery.
Any leader who does not have a clear picture of what the Fulani terrorists are up to, or simply does not care is on cruise control and doesn’t deserve a day in Government House Makurdi after May 29, 2027.
A governor who genuinely yearns to serve would truly prioritise security and agriculture, not indulge in inanities like the cockeyed distribution of palm seedlings without a proper projection for planting and offtaking of palm fruits.
Leadership question has become more complex and challenging owing to the fast-paced socio-economic changes in Benue State.
Current discussions have always referenced the struggles of the late Chief Joseph Sarwuan Tarka who through the Middle Belt Congress (MBC) fought the oppression of his people by the northern Nigeria political oligarchs. This was a man who saw tomorrow.
The people now seek a leader like Tarka, a leader who will look beyond his personal interest and fight for the good of the Benue State people.
They need someone who would not align with the enemies of the people and treat serious security threats as “mere skirmishes”.
In 2027, the people want a governor who will not only mouth it but initiate a practical rehabilitation and resettlement process that will return dignity, decency and peace to the Benue State woman and child. Not threats to the already traumatised citizens.
It is important to stress that countless communities especially on the north-eastern flank of Benue State have been deserted. Schools and clinics have been closed for many years.
Many children are born and raised in IDP camps without any plan for their future.
What becomes of such children in the next decades? What manner of citizens will they be? Will they love or hate Nigeria?
Choosing a leader at a time like this can be tough because the interests are always big. A critical decision must be made. But it is a surmountable challenge.
More than ever before, Benue State now needs a governor who can engender unity, stability and a sense of direction.
The state needs one who can empathize with the people’s sufferings, communicate effectively and take decisive and concrete actions.
The state needs someone with a clear vision and strategy to tackle the Fulani terrorists and put an end to the woes of the people.
Such a person must build trust, credibility, unity, listen to diverse perspectives and promote inclusivity.
More importantly, Benue State needs a governor who is broad minded. A leader that can reach out to the neighbouring states of Nasarawa and Taraba where many of the attacks on Benue State communities are plotted. This means someone who is friendly and approachable.
It is beyond building an underpass. It is more than building a new university or a brewery that may be run down by civil/evil servants in a twinkle of an eye.
Yes, a governor who will not call it a mere skirmishes but really what it is — acts of terror because this is no joke. It is about the people’s survival.
The Benue Valley needs a leader in the mould of Shaka Zulu, Kur u tya, an Aare Kakanfo who is strong, strategic, courageous, resilient and visionary. The people yearn for a humble leader.
Above all, the state needs someone who will judiciously utilise donations and support from people of goodwill for the good of Benue State.
He should be one who will disclose and give proper account of the material and non material support to the beleaguered people of Benue State.
Foreign bodies, local groups and government have made donations running into billions of naira. The people need to know how this is utilised.
Atonko is a political analyst (benaton2000@yahoo.com)
