August 22, (THEWILL) – Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has showered encomiums on the late Tor Jechira, HRH Chief Clement Uganden, admonishing Nigerians to live an impactful life by emulating his sterling qualities of honesty and integrity.
The Governor spoke after the burial of Chief Uganden at the traditional cemetery in the Vandeikya Local Government Area of the State.
Alia attributed his choice and victory at the polls to the late Tor Jechira who encouraged him to contest the 2023 governorship election in the state which he won by a wide margin.
“It is unfortunate that my royal father could not live long to enjoy the fruits of his labour. This is the man who pays school fees for many children he did not know,” he said.
Governor Alia stated that due to his passion for community service, the late Uganden decided to establish some of his businesses at home rather than in Abuja where it would have attracted better financial interest.
Alia also warned enemies of the state and economic saboteurs to desist or face the wrath of the law. “Let me warn saboteurs and enemies of the state. I will cast out demons from them as I was doing during my priesthood,” he stated.
The Governor, who said some traditional rulers were neck deep in collaboration with criminal elements in their domain, described those who sponsored a publication in The Nation Newspaper over his cordial relationship with Senator Gabriel Suswam as people of doubtful birth status.
He pointed out that a first-class chief has to be a person who likes development and investment. He also called on the Mdzough-U-Tiv and Kunav United Development Association (KUDA) to identify young farmers for proper planning and interventions to boost food security in the state.
“I’m fighting both away and home internal forces in the state. I won’t surrender and allow Benue State and Tiv land in particular to collapse during my years in office as Governor.
“The more they insult me in Abuja, the more I will be paying their brother’s salary, pension and gratuity. They will come home and drive on good tarred roads I am doing,” he added.
Governor Alia informed Benue people that the next Tor Jechira and Sankera, as well as the Ter Sankera, must be peace-loving people with proven integrity and honesty who can predict the future.
He, therefore, called on all meaningful Benue residents to sustain their support for his administration to provide more dividends of democracy them.
The Governor also announced that he has granted approval for the recruitment of 9,700 teachers to close the gaps in the education sector.
In his remarks, the Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Hyacinth Aondona Dajo, identified the refusal of the Alia administration to share state funds to stakeholders as one of the factors that has pitched him against them.
Dajo equally listed early payment of salaries and pensions to deserving beneficiaries as one of the factors Abuja politicians are working against the Alia administration.
While calling on Benue citizens to support the Alia administration for a second term in office, Dajo advised them to vote out some National Assembly members in 2027 due to their uncooperative attitude.
Speaking, the wife of the Tor Tiv, Prof. Felicia Ayatse, said traditional rulers were shocked by the death of Tor Jechira, saying they thought he would recover from his illness.
While commiserating with his family over the loss, she advised against traumatising his widow by tempering with values her husband left behind for the family.
