Saturday September 4, 2004, will continue to remain in the memory of the thousands of Idoma people and their well-wishers that attended the occasion of the celebration of Idoma Day at the Convocation Square of Benue State University, Makurdi.
ORGANISED by Idoma students of the university, the occasion attracted dignitaries like the institution’s vice chancellor, Professor David Ker; Chairman of the Benue State Chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Comrade Abba Moro; Chief John Antenyi who represented the Och’Idoma, Agabaidu Elias Ikoyi Obekpa; patron of the National Association of Idoma Students (NAIS) and one time member of the Constituent Assembly, Agbo Madaki; the permanent secretary in the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Dr. Jerry Gada; the director of training at the headquarters of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Abuja, and the former president, National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), Comrade Daniel Onjeh.
First to speak at the occasion, which also attracted the entire university community, was Ker who holds the chieftaincy title of Oyaje I of Idogodo in Okpokwu local government area where he married Professor (Mrs.) Ker from. He said the celebration of Idoma Day coincided with the silver jubilee of his marriage and traced the history of his association with Idoma nation back to 1964. According to him, two of his Idoma friends, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Audu Ogbeh and a senior lecturer in the University, Mr Andrew Aba, were his role models at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
The vice-chancellor equally spoke on the awards given to him and five others at the event, describing the recognition of their contributions to the growth of the society as a source of encouragement to all of them. “Within the past four years, there has been increase in the number of students admitted into the university because this is one sure way of eradicating poverty.” As a vice-chancellor, I am always happy when students meet in the day time. Over time, some students have decided to meet in the night. Open meetings produce heroes and great people but night meetings produce cultists and drug addicts. This event is like a convocation of the Benue State University (BSU)”, he remarked.
In what appeared to be an advice to Idoma people, the Odejo k’Apa, Chief John Antenyi, who represented His Royal Highness, Och’Idoma IV, Agabaidu Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, said Idomas should not look at themselves as a minority because they are found in Benue, Kogi, Nasarawa, Taraba, Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. “Idomas are proud people, they are clean and honest. Do not see yourselves as second class citizens because you are regarded in high esteem wherever you are. I must advise that you should not allow your language and culture to die. When you greet an Idoma man in a high position, he will say how are you?, Are you ashamed of your language?, he asked.
Antenyi called on those who are guilty of the offence of being alien in behaviour to have a change of heart and counselled that acts of betrayal should be replaced by mutual co-existence. The high point of his address was his lamentation over what he described as the “sinking of the bridge between the rich and the poor in Idomaland”.
As a way of rebuilding the bridge, he said the privileged ones should help the less-privileged to grow.
To Idoma students at the university, Antenyi said they should not involve themselves in cultism and other secret activities.
“I am proud of you. From the occasion of today, it is clear that Idomas have woken up from slumber”, he added. Antenyi’s speech was followed by that of Mr. Ogwuche Adimanyi who spoke on the need for the promotion of Idoma language. He advised that children who grow outside Idomaland should be thought how to read and write in Idoma language. Adimanyi further stressed the need for more people to write books in Idoma language and commended writers like Dr. Jerry Agada for blazing the trail. Staged by various cultural groups at the occasion included the display by the popular Idoma masquerade called Ibo.
In his address, Abba Moro, the three-time chairman of Okpokwu LGA and chairman of the occasion, said he was overwhelmed by the organisational ability of the students. According to him, the students swill go beyond the sky if they continue to show such ability in other activities.
Like most gatherings attended by politicians, the Idoma Day celebration was not devoid of comments on the issue of power shift in Benue State.
The Patron of the National Association of Idoma Students (NAIS), Agbo Madaki, who is a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), commented first, saying “we are not asking for governor for Idoma people but for the entire people of Benue State. Madaki also said section 14(3) of the Nigerian Constitution unequivocally states that there should be no domination of any group in the sharing of positions.
He maintained that since the creation of the state in 1976, the Tiv people of Zone A had produced the late Aper Aku and Rev. Fr. Moses Adasu as governors while the Tiv people of Zone B have produced Governor George Akume who is enjoying his second term, leaving the Idoma people of Zone C who are saying it is their turn to produce governor in 2007.
He said in the spirit of the Tiv adage which says “eat and allow your brother to eat”, the Tivs in Zones A and B should allow Idoma people to have a taste of the governorship position in 2007.
Immediate past President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NAS), Comrade Daniel One, in his remark, said Idoma students in higher institutions of learning across the country had never performed poorly. Onje, who is gunning for the position of President of the West African Students Union (WASU), concluded his remark thus: “Today, we have seen the great aspect of our rich culture. We hope that one day, we will enjoy the privilege of having the leadership position of this great state being led by a great man known as Mr George Akume.”
