In an event that is evident to be unprecedented in the history of our dear State, The Ochi’Ikpali l’ogwabò G’Idoma His Excellency Chief Dr. Samuel Ortom Executive Governor of Benue State stormed the Palace of the Och’Idoma in Otukpo today.
His Excellency came with his top cabinet members, that can simply be qualified as a ‘brigade of the guards’. They came to bid the Idoma Area Traditional Council farewell.
The August visitor was received in the Council Chamber by the Chairman of the Idoma Area Traditional Council and the Chancellor Federal University of Otuoke, Bayelsa State, Agaba-Idu HRM Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John alongside all graded chiefs of the IATC.
The Governor spoke to the gathering in high spirits and intimated to His Majesty and Highnesses that today’s visit would be the last from him as a governor, hence he needed to come and thank them for their frontal support for not just his administration but for the overall good of Benue people during the last eight years, which would culminate on May 29th, 2023.
The Governor graciously thanked God for not only using him to serve the people of Benue state in a time such as this but also described his ascendancy as the crafted will of God to use the obscured as a vessel of honor.
Och’Idoma remarked that His Excellency shall be remembered as the man who was courageous enough to use the instrument of democracy in laying the legal framework and foundation of the Benue Area Traditional Council.
Recall that within the last three years of the Ortom administration, the Benue Area Traditional Council saw the remodeling, completion, and handing over of two incredibly benefiting palaces for Tor Tiv and Och’Idoma in Gboko and Otukpo, respectively.
Agaba-Idu similarly scored the governor 100% on the issue of securing the state. His Majesty stated that though the hands of state governors are tied as it relates to security, the Governor in his wisdom was able to use the instrumentality of the law and the will of the people through the BSHA to create ANTI-OPEN GRAZING LAW, which has proven helpful to mitigate the farmer/herders clashes in the state. That itself is a national precedence and an act of courage worthy of an international dance salute.
Onuminya Samuel Odoba
Chief Palace Scribe & Media Aide to
HRM OCH’IDOMA
25/5/2023.