By Dan-Morgan Ihomun
Rev. Orshio Adasu quietly left his position as an ecclesiastical official and accepted a position as a Lecturer at the College of Education Akwanga with the then-Benue Plateau state after he observed that there was some tension between him and his superior, the Catholic Bishop of Makurdi Diocese, Rt Rev. Athanasius Usuh. He continued to be obedient to the Church, routinely celebrating masses and carrying out all of his obligations.
At the creation of Benue State, Fr Adasu transferred his services to the Benue State Ministry of Education and was deployed to the College of Education Katsina-Ala and later back to the Ministry of Education Headquarters in Makurdi. Father Adasu was able to interact with other social and political groups and the secular community due to this posting. When the Constitutional conference was convened for the drafting of the constitution in anticipation of the return to civilian rule in Nigeria, his people had known him well enough by then to have him as a member of the Constitutional Assembly. Rev. Adasu was able to learn about the principles of political discipline and the hierarchical structure that occurs inside the political sphere by interacting with party members.
It is commonly known that Fr. Adasu’s stay at the constitutional conference gave him the necessary preparation for public office, and he went on to serve as the governor of Benue State for a total of one year and eleven months. Despite having a brief term in office, the late Rev. Fr. Adasu is remembered today as one of the state’s governors who served with distinction.
Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, the second Priest to govern the State, was solely recognized as a healing mass priest in the Catholic church. Some contend, however, that none of the people he is said to have healed during his many healing masses is known sufficiently for anyone to ascertain the claim. Similar to Father Adasu, he also had disagreements with Rt Rev Wilfred Anagbe, the Catholic Bishop of the Makurdi Diocese, his boss. No one has been able to provide convincing explanations for why they fell apart. Some attribute the rift to insubordination, while others offer other inadequate explanations. Nevertheless, it is reported that Bishop Anagbe eventually sent him to his native Diocese of Gboko, from where he was ultimately sent to his hometown, Vandeikya Deanery.
Unlike Rev Fr Adasu who worked his way into the party, Rev Fr Alia ‘stole’ his way and became the Governorship flag bearer of the APC in a manner that nearly tore the party into fragments, but for the timely intervention of the leader, Senator George Akume CON, the present Secretary to the Government of the Federation. Everyone in the hierarchy of the APC knows how hard Senator George Akume worked unwaveringly for Alia to become the Benue state Governor, beginning with nominations to litigations and lastly, the general election.
It might be important to recall that Adasu had a lot of “Godfathers” when he entered government. There was Abu King Shuluwa, the chairman of the party (SDP), who was the Sole Administrator(He later became Tor-Shankara), Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, the Senate President at that time, Wantaregh Paul Unongu who pitted a candidate in the person of Engr. Joseph Iorhemen Igbetar against Rev Fr Adasu and many others that surrounded him in the Social Democratic Party (SDP) at the time. Suffice it to say that, Rev. Fr. Adasu, managed all these godfathers for the one year and eleven months he presided as the governor of Benue state with minimal friendly fire and confrontations.
In the case of Rev Fr Hyacinth Iormem Alia, the very day he was sworn in, saying “so help my God,” he “sacked” the leader of the party, Senator George Akume CON, Comrade Austin Agada, the State Chairman of APC Benue State, both of whom worked assiduously for his victory, and all the aspirants that contested the governorship nomination with him. It is still well known that the party’s leader, Senator George Akume, a prominent Catholic Knight of St. John, has maintained his composure and asked for prayers for the success of the Czar in Government House Makurdi in spite of these needless and deliberate annoyances, and provocations.
Many well-intentioned individuals and leaders of thought, have attempted to correct the Governor, but their attempts have been in vain and have fallen on deaf ears. Prominent amongst them have counseled Fr. Alia include the APC National Working Committee, the Conference of Catholic Archbishops of Nigeria, Tor Tiv V, Orchivirigh Professor James Iorrzua Ayatse, and His Excellency Bola Ahmed Tinibu GCFR, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
To wrap up, it could be beneficial to restate the speech given by His Lordship Bishop Isaac Duguh, the Bishop of the Katsina-Ala Diocese, at Senator George Akume’s 70th birthday Thanksgiving ceremony, which was held at Wannune, Tarka Local Government. The Bishop counseled Governor Alia never to appear to be undermining the vehicle and platform that brought him to power. In defiance of the Bishop’s counsel, the Governor is not merely undermining the vehicle of his election but is actively attempting to “destroy” it.
Nearly five months have passed since the Bishop’s counsel, but the Governor’s recent declaration during a Thanksgiving service in Tse Agberagba, Konshisha Local Government, where he averred that: “if anyone points a finger at me, I will bite it or the hand might not return complete,” is a clear indication that he has turned into a bull in a china shop who, if left untamed, will destroy both the store and himself.
