…Ban on Church Thanksgivings Condemnable

By Peter Awunah, PhD
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Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State is behaving like Saul who, in 35AD, began to persecute the followers of Jesus Christ in foreign cities. One day, Saul, armed with the Jewish Sanhedrin’s authority to persecute followers of ‘The Way of Salvation’ (an early name for Christianity), set off from Jerusalem to Damascus, and just before reaching Damascus, the risen Lord Jesus appeared to Saul – who fell to the ground and instantly became blind.

The only difference between Saul and Governor Alia is that the governor was ordained a priest 34 years ago before he began the persecution of the same church of Jesus Christ that ordained him, while Saul only met Christ during his atrocities against Christians. Aside from that, the two men are similar in their acts of viciousness and hatred towards the church. The two men are the same in their draconian style of operation. They both do not want to see worshippers congregate in God’s name! Alia has threatened to cut off the fingers of his opponents and critics, and he means no joke. Already, many who dare the Benue tyrant are in jail while some have been brutalized and hospitalized!

Benue people are facing security challenges with hundreds already killed since Alia took over as governor, but he is not bothered about that. He has refused to buy even a single patrol vehicle for security agencies despite receiving huge allocations and increasing his monthly security votes. The internally displaced people who have been chased away from their ancestral homes are still languishing in IDP camps after Alia promised to return them to their homes in the first 100 days when he was sworn in. He is more interested in stopping church events.

For almost a year now, Governor Alia has declared his opponents as persona non grata. He has issued a stern ban on public gatherings and thanksgiving in churches in particular. His foot soldiers are the Local Government Chairmen whom he handpicks for his mundane activities.

The governor has given the council chairmen one strict task – disrupt any activity organized by his political opponents, particularly church thanksgivings. Alia knows the power of things that are said in churches because he used the same church congregations during campaigns to get power. He is therefore afraid that allowing his opponents to stand before the same congregations to speak can cause him monumental damage ahead of the 2027 elections.

Today being Sunday, the 10th of November 2024, Christians in Gwer West Local Government Area will witness an interesting scenario as Governor Alia’s team led by the council chairman, Ormin Torsar Victor are set to clash with supporters of Senator Titus Zam over a thanksgiving service organized in honour of the Zone B Senator. Governor Alia, through the council chairman had earlier made announcements in the media warning members of the public to stay away from the thanksgiving service or face dire consequences.

During Easter in April this year, the Deputy spokesperson for the House of Representatives, Hon. Philip Agbese, escaped an assassination attempt. Agbese, who represents Ado/Okpokwu/Ogbadibo Federal Constituency of Benue State, was attacked in Igumale, the headquarters of his local government area of Ado, during a constituency outreach organized to mark the Easter celebration.

In July this year, the Caretaker Chairman of Vandeikya Local Government Council, Dennis Guda, acting on the directive of Governor Alia, mobilized thugs, invaded and violently disrupted proceedings at the 40th Priestly Anniversary/Church Building and Celebration of Papal Award Of Monsignor for Rev. Monsignor Michael Nyitor Buter held at the Divine Providence Rectory, Bebe in Vandeikya Local Government of the state. The target of Governor Alia and his team was to stop the event which was to be attended by a delegation of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.

On the 12th May, 2024, the Caretaker Chairman of Konshisha, Philip Achua, with thugs had invaded and disrupted a thanksgiving mass at Annunciation Catholic Rectory, in Tsuwe Daka, Shangev Tiev of Konshisha Local Government Area of the state attended by House of Representatives Member for Vandeikya/ Konshisha Federal Constituency, Hon. Sesoo Ikpagher.

The Reps member was violently assaulted in the process and a head injury inflicted on him right in the presence and supervision of the Caretaker Chairman Achua and the Commissioner for Humanitarian and Disaster Management in the state, Aondowase Kunde.

On the 21st June, 2024, the Caretaker Chairman of Ushongo Local Government Area of the state, Mvendaga Atetan, ordered the police in Lessel to arrest and detain 6 officials of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for Mbagba Council Ward of the area.

The arrest came on the heels of the same Caretaker Chairman having sent security agents some days earlier to lay siege on Atekombo, the headquarters of Mbagba Council Ward under the guise of enforcing a ban on public gatherings.

On 30th June, 2024, the Caretaker Chairman for Guma Local Government Area of the state, Unongo Simon, attempted to stop a Thanksgiving/ Church Building Fund Raising Service at the NKST Church, Daudu in Guma LGA where SGF Senator George Akume was the Special Guest.

The Caretaker Chairman had cited security reasons, but on the provision of sufficient security guaranteed from the teeming supporters of the APC and community leaders of the host community, the event held, and the sinister intentions of Governor Alia and the Guma local council caretaker chairman towards stopping it were averted

On the 3rd of October 2024, the Benue State chapter of PDP had scheduled its State Congress in Makurdi, but a few hours to the event, Governor Alia tried to use the state commissioner of police to disrupt the gathering. The PDP leaders were however smarter than the despot, so they went ahead with their state congress as planned and Alia and his gang lost out.

Hyacinth Alia, the Benue Saul is acting like he will be governor forever! The despotic fangs he has bared on the same people who voted for him have shocked even his supporters.

The only area Alia becomes soft and develops instant amnesia is whenever he is reminded that there is a new national minimum wage of N70,000 and all other state governors have started implementing the new wage. He is a dove when it comes to that discussion, but wears the wings of an eagle and the claws of a lion the moment he hears that his political opponents are to assemble in any part of the state. Shameful! May God capture this Saul!

* Dr. Awunah writes from Durumi, Abuja.