Why Benue is committed to promoting culture – Gov. Ortom

Governor Samuel Ortom has stated that Benue State under his leadership is committed to promoting its cultural heritage to the outside world.

He stated this yesterday during a dinner organised by his wife and First Lady of the state, Dr. Mrs. Eunice Ortom, held at the lawn tennis Court of the Benue Peoples House Makurdi.

The Governor noted that it was a great honour for people of the state to have their troupe performing at the national level, even as he expressed appreciation to the Artistic Director National Troupe of Nigeria, Mr. Tar Uko, for partnering with the state to harness talents towards promoting culture.

While commending his wife, Dr. Mrs. Ortom for putting the event together to celebrate and interact with those the first family values so much, the Governor prayed God to make year 2020 more memorable for people of the state.

Earlier in a welcome address, Dr. Mrs. Ortom said the dinner was put together to acknowledge how special the invitees are to the first family, stressing that it was a recognition for their various roles in support of the Governor’s administration.

At the dinner, awards were presented to winners of the Swange Music anf Dance Festival, organised by the ministry of information, culture and tourism in collaboration with the National Troupe of Nigeria.

Artistic Director of the National Troupe, Mr. Tar Uko in a remark said the overall winners of the competition, Takuruku Troupe, had been inducted as honorary members of the national troupe. Second and third positions went to Heritage and Viashima Troupes respectively.

Representatives of Zones A, B and C, Professor Terhemba Shija, Dr. Tivlumun Nyitse and Mrs. Lydia Okorie, all commended the first family for finding time out of their very tight schedule to celebrate with the people, even as they all pledged their support to the administration of Governor Ortom.

Deputy Governor of the state, Engr. Benson Abounu and his wife, Justice Mary Abounu, also assisted the first family in presenting certificates of awards to winners of the Swange Dance Competition while the Governor also presented cash prices ranging from two hundred thousand to one million naira.