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By Paul Utser
Certain events unravel some realities. The 2023 Benue State gubernatorial racehas unveiled a Tower of Babel scenario, with ugly implications that can hardly be ignored. From the original Biblical story ofthe Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9) we have a key lessonthat man is not God. Accordingly, the intended project of building a tower to the highest heavens was shattered by the confusion oflanguages. A united peopleworking togethersuddenly foundthemselves caged in a disastrousincapacityto understand one another.More specifically, the collapse of the Babel project representedthe agelessinabilityof a divided community to excel.
In our context, the obvious task that should unite the people of our state is the building of a better Benue. Thus, the concept of a state that we can all be delighted withisthe “tower”of our dream. Its realization has for long been evasive. Yet, the expectation of its fulfilmentremains the basis of politicalcampaign promises,faith-filled religiousproclamations, as well astraditional invocations of ancestral intercessions.With undying anticipation,Benue indigenes patiently await the dawning of a brighter tomorrow.
As indicated by His Majesty, Orcivirigh Professor James O. I. Ayatse, Tor Tiv V, in his inaugural speech in March 2017, Benue State is not where it ought to be, and the dignity of its indigenes is wounded.With special focus on Tiv society, His Majesty alluded to certain factors behind Benuemisfortune.Foremost amongthe issues heemphasizedwas the marginalization of Benue citizens by the Nigerian government.Herecalled the historic 2001 Zaki-Biam massacre in which hundreds of unarmed Tiv civilians were executed by the Nigerian Army, a crime for which there hasbeen no compensation.
The Tor Tiv also noted the absence of a Tiv representative in the current Federal Executive Council, or at the level of chief executive officer of any federal parastatal. Besides, thenonexistence of a federal government empowerment scheme in the Food Basket of Nigeria to “enhance food production and value addition in agriculture” receivedno royal compliment.The royal father furthermoredenounced the deplorable condition of federal roads in Benue, which creates a hellish transportation experience for travelers.
Not least in the causes of Benue misfortune, Ochivirigh Professor Ayatsehighlighted contemporaryinternal challenges facing the Tiv Nation. These include lack of unity and oneness, poor education, erosion of cultural values and tradition,leadership crises, and unwholesome political practices. To an extent, this fatherly lamentation gave the coronation ceremony some element of a crowning with thorns, revealing the passionate pains of a king for his people.
More than five years since the royal speech was delivered, these highlighted challenges have remained unabated. Anguish has been the outstanding reality of thousands of local farmers displaced by the Fulani herdsmen in Benue. Alas, alack of unity and oneness in Tiv Nation is steadily becoming embedded in our civil society, local traditional communities, and even in the church. Improper educationhas fostered a generation of Tiv society with no idea of Tiv cultural values. Our leadership crisesinclude a gradual suppression of the spirit of communality by some of our leaders whosemanipulationsadvanceselfish fascinationsandclannish sentimentalism.The fraternal principle of ya na anmgbian, which nourished considerateness in Tivland is being mischievously replaced byan egomaniac creed of saa ka hi mo.
Some of the distasteful rhetoric being served in the current political campaigns in Benue confirm the appalling level of ourunwholesome political practices.The plethora of charactertainting and blackmails are impotent of any responsible end-result. At best, this kind of babbling revealsa blatant disconnect between the interests of our political stakeholders and the sufferings of Benue people. Yet, in defence of such obnoxious political practices, it is predictableto get the responsethat “politics is a dirty game.”Unfortunately, this lopsided understandingof politics has overwritten its noble meaning which concerns the provision of public services through the governance of persons and effective administration of social institutions.It is by a lame “dirty game” idea of politics that we currently have a Benue Babelin which everyone appears to be talking without anybody understanding what everyone else is saying.
No doubt, strong disagreements and stark criticisms are part of political debates and conversations. And a swipe at an opponent sometimes may be deemed necessary to induce support for a particular candidate.But since no single political aspirant can claim supreme ability to solve every societal problem, engaging in campaigns with a decorum of respect for opponentsis the most reasonable thing to embrace.This has the advantage of creating an open room for subsequent collaborations with opposition groups towards the realization of the common good. It ismyopic to not understand that in dealing with a difficult problem an assessment of reality must accept the possibility of truth on eachside of the spectrum.
The attitude of respect for an adversary can even draw lessons from the Bible.For example, when the people of a Samaritan village refused to welcome Jesus on his journey to Jerusalem, two of his disciples, James and John, asked him if they should call down fire from heaven to destroy those Samaritans. But Jesus refused to grant their request (Luke 9:51-56).This indicates that our situation does not become better when we destroy a fellow human being who is unwelcoming to us or is perceived to be an enemy.
In the same chapter of the Gospel of Luke (9:49-51), as well as in Mark (9:38-40), one of the disciples, John, reported to Jesus that they saw a man using the name of Jesus to cast demons out of people and they stopped him since he was not one of the disciples. In response, Jesus said, “Don’t stop him! Anyone who is not against you is for you.”This underscores the fact that goodness is not an exclusive virtue of those we consider as members of our camp. We cannot pitch against each other and expect to be successful in the fight against evil or struggle for success.In other words, when we spend all our energy destroying others, we become useless in the noble project of building a better society.
In view of the complex emergency situation of Benue State, it is unappealing to be witnessing the ongoing political babbling that is fueling a departure from the most important political questions that should inform our conversation and subsequent decision. Contemporary Benue political players must not forget that it is easy to get lost by forgetting where you come from. We are a people with some historic experience and, unpleasant memories.
While Benue may rightly complain of external marginalization, we must not forget thedeadlyinjuries we have continued to cause ourselves. We sold out Benue Cement Company to Dangote, without the requisite benefits of the deal ever fully disclosed. We initiated a commercial airport project to ship out agricultural products without motorable access roads to our villages where many farms are located. Like many other brothers and sisters, we lost a brilliant young pharmacist, Ternenge Cletus Labe, who was brutally murdered in 2015 inthe very heart of Tiv Nation by his fellow Tiv brothers.The unfortunate communal conflict destroying houses,farms and displacing hundreds of residents around Ikpayongo speaks loudly of nothing but ouravid determination for self-destruction.
Whatever may be the interests at stake, it is no badge of honour forthe people of Benue to continue to mutilate and destroy themselves in order to find a treasure behind the ruins.
Paul Utser writes from Ottawa Ontario, Canada.
