by Jacob Dickson
Benue State since its creation in 1976 has been under the firm control of the Tiv nation.
The Tiv have always been in control of the Executive, Legislative and Judiciary arms of government at the state level.
The Tiv dominance did not just start of recent, but even when Idoma neighbours, the Igalas were part of the state before they were moved to Kogi State where they have since fared better, the Tiv people had greedily taken all, leaving remnants for the Igala, Idoma and Etulo.
But at the national level, Nigerians have never hidden their preference to associate with the Idoma people, being naturally attracted to them by their humility, openness, friendliness and fairness, even at the detriment of their kinsman.
But to the glory of God who is righteous and just, history is now been re-written with the emergence of Idoma’s true representative, Senator David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark to once again represent them at the upper legislative chamber, where he was in-charge for two full terms, to the envy of fellow senator from Benue, and a two-term governor of the state, Senator George Akume who wanted the Senate Presidency and made futile efforts at becoming the Chairman of the National Assembly.
Mark did not just contest against the APC candidate former NANS President Daniel Onjeh, another son who had made Idoma proud at the national level, but was contesting against all the Tiv politicians who were hell bent on ensuring that Mark’s popularity in the scheme of things in Nigeria is rubbished.
It was so glaring for all that cared to notice to see that even on the February 20, 2016 morning, confident that Onjeh was going to beat Mark, the Governor of Benue State, Sam Ortom who was a beneficiary of the Senate President in the past, boasted that the Tiv people were going to get back what was stolen from them at the national level in terms of appointments, recruitment and employments.
It is unfortunate though, that some gullible Idoma people especially the Igede part of the Idoma nation were fraudulently brainwashed into thinking that if Mark were to be done away with, they would get better representation at the Senate.
Without looking down on Onjeh who is equally an asset to the Idoma nation, patriotic Idoma people from the day the election of Senator Mark was annulled, could read between the lines that some powerful forces in Benue State who felt threatened by his acceptance nationally, ganged up to send him out of the hallowed Upper Chambers.
But what did the Idoma race do to deserve such a conspiracy from their brothers; the Tiv? Is it the fault of the Idoma that the Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Berom, Jukun, Ijaw, Efik, Igala, Jaba, Ibibio, Angas, Fulani, Nupe, Okun, Gbayi, Ikulu, Koro, Kadara, Kuteb and all the other ethnic nationalities prefer to deal with the Idoma than the Tiv?
Taking a closer look at the build-up to the re-run, one would think that the election was going to be held in Gboko, Konshisha, Katsina-Ala, Tarkum, Aliade or even Markurdi. There were heated arguments from Tiv brothers of the Idomas from such places, telling people what Mark did wrong and failed to do right.
The Social Media space was filled with praises of Daniel Onjeh which are acknowledged, while they were demonizing Mark, who had built the capacity of several of his constituents more than all the Tiv senators combined since 1999.
They kept displaying pictures of ‘Mark’s primary school’ forgetting even if it were really true, it is not a legislative duty to refurbish primary schools, further showing their desperation to rubbish the reputation that Mark had built over the years.
If it were some years back when from afar I observed political developments in Benue Zone C, their dummy would have been completely sold to me. But now that I understand the game in Benue, I know better and can predict better what the political map would look like in 2019.
With Mark’s victory, the Idoma people have finally woken up and would be politically respected by their Tiv brothers, who now understand that they must listen very attentively to the Idoma people when it comes to choosing who would be in charge of affairs at the state in 2019.
If the Idoma consolidate on their collective zeal to be politically independent as demonstrated by Mark’s victory, an Idoma governor in the person of Comrade Abba Moro may just be possible in 2019.
Jacob Onjewu Dickson is a journalist.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
