In the heart of Nigeria’s food basket, the cries of the people of Benue State are growing louder—not for wealth or luxury, but for the simple right to live safely in their homeland.
While roads, bridges, and development projects are commendable, they serve little purpose when insecurity continues to claim innocent lives. The most urgent need in Benue today is security, not politics.
Governor Hyacinth Alia, a Catholic priest turned politician, was expected to bring spiritual wisdom and integrity to governance.
Like many Reverend Fathers, he is known to be smart and intelligent, and many had hoped that his unique background would translate into compassionate leadership. But recent actions and inactions are beginning to raise serious concerns.
When a leader surrounds himself with individuals whose sole interest lies in personal gain—money, contracts, and material benefits—the people's needs are often pushed to the back burner.
Worse still, when that leader adopts a know-it-all attitude, with the power to hire and fire at will, he risks alienating the very voices that could guide him rightly. In such a setup, even delivering 50% of the people's expectations becomes an uphill task.
Most recently, the state witnessed a disturbing move: Peter Obi, the Labour Party leader and former governor of Anambra State, was allegedly blocked from visiting internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Benue.
Obi, known for his philanthropic outreach, intended to visit and offer support to thousands of people who have been living in camps for years due to insurgency and armed herdsmen attacks. But instead of welcoming support for the suffering, the visit was allegedly restricted.
This raises an important question: Who truly benefits from political posturing while the masses suffer?
Governor Alia had promised, during his first 100 days in office, to return IDPs to their homes and restore normalcy. That promise remains largely unfulfilled. While development projects are ongoing, how can the people enjoy these projects when their lives are under constant threat?
Security should not be politicized. If anyone, be it Peter Obi or any other individual, wants to help the less privileged, such efforts should be welcomed—not hindered.
Dear Governor, Benue does not need distractions; Benue needs direction. Benue needs you to act swiftly and decisively on the insecurity plaguing the state.
You have the spiritual background, the political power, and the support of the people—please use it for the right reasons.
Let the world see a Governor who stands for his people, not one who plays politics with their pain.