Och’Idoma, HRM Elaigwu John Visits SGF Akume, Pushes For Idoma Governor In Benue [FULL TEXT]

HRM Agaba-Idu Elaigwu Odogbo Obagaji John, Och’Idoma of the Idoma Kingdom and Vice Chairman Benue State Council of Chiefs and Traditional Council on Monday paid a courtesy call to His Excellency Senator George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) in Abuja.

Agaba-Idu John who led the Idoma Council of Chiefs and traditional rulers to the SGF congratulated the Benue son and appealed to him to consider supporting Idoma governorship project in the next electioneering season in the state.

Full speech below:

1. Your Excellency, permit me to use this medium to on behalf of myself, my family and the entire good people of the Idoma Kingdom congratulate you once more on your well-deserved appointment as Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) by the Hope Renewal administration of His Excellency Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. An appointment has been nationally adjudged to be one of the most squared since the resumption of office of this administration on May 29th, 2023.
2. Without trying to sound patronizing, Your Excellency, I am sure you are well aware that you are a blessing to Benue State, and as Royal fathers before you today, we take unquantifiable pride to call you a son of Benue. It is also a matter of national honor and prestige to have one of the most experienced and most decorated politicians in Nigeria – with an administrative prowess that spans your civil service years, where you rose to the pinnacle as Permanent Secretary, before retiring and venturing into political leadership in 1999 which have seen you succeed as a two-term governor, three-term senator, a federal minister, to now man the elevated position as the 21st Secretary to the Government of the Federation. The highest administrative position any Benue son has attained in our democratic history

I have further nicknamed you, GSM-SFG.

3. Your personality best depicts the selfless nature of a River, a Tree, the Sun, and a Flower; for you have lived a life of selflessness, giving and continuously pouring into others, to the extent of delivering three successive governors of Benue state after your stint as governor, among other noteworthy leadership placement both within and outside Benue state by the grace of God enabled you.

4. As a river, we all have drunk of your water, as a tree we ate your fruits and rested under your shed, as a Sun, your light has continued to shine brightly from Benue to the admiration of all

Nigerians, so is it that your flowery fragrance has spread its scent to the lives of all you have come in contact with both as a private individual and public official. As a true leader, you have distinguished yourself to be the most unifying political leader in the history of our dear state; mentoring, grooming, and working with all the tribes/dialects and people of the state, which

gives us all the certainty that you would proffer lasting solutions to the immediate problems of not just your home state but also the entire country in areas of unity, peace-building, rural development, diversifying the economy to provide jobs for our teeming youths, and equitably distribution of appointments and developmental indices among all the people of

Nigeria. This will be possible as the government takes on the security challenges headlong.

5. You are an exceptional individual who consistently exhibits intelligence, dedication, and an unwavering commitment to achieving your goals and that of your community.  Demonstrating a remarkable drive and focus, you consistently seek opportunities for helping others to grow by displaying a genuine passion for continuous learning, acquisition, and development in character reformation. Your deemed determination for knowledge-sharing positively impacts those fortunate to be around you. Indeed your profound influence on the lives of those around  you is truly remarkable.

6. The Hope of the people of Nigeria and Benue in the RENEWED HOPE AGENDA of the PBAT-led FG. With the assemblage of well-experienced leaders and technocrats presently in the immediate cabinet of MR President, Nigerians are indeed hopeful of an administration that has come to include all Nigerians, not minding tribe, religion, creed, ethnicity, or political divides. Nigerians are more than ever hopeful of an improved participatory opportunity for all, starting from the Local, State, and Federal governments. I do not doubt that your current position as SGF would indeed once more present to Nigerians the opportunity to

leverage your tested and trusted experience in both local and international correspondences and relations to help Mr. President in the selection of seasoned and competent cabinet members, as well as other relevant appointments that would drive this administration of renewed hope and place our dear nation in an envious position among the comity of nations.

7. As traditional rulers and leaders that are closest to the people, we are happy at the prospect and commitment of the PBAT-led federal government to the inclusion of traditional leaders and institutions as one major nucleus of our development as a nation. A very much welcomed Development.
8. It is in this vein that I, as Paramount Ruler of the Idoma people, on behalf of all my children at home and in the diaspora offer our unalloyed support and loyalty to your leadership as the leader of modern Benue and, the federal government who has found a sagacious Benue son to man this plum office. Always count on us to work with you to better the lot of our people.
9. Let me also use this opportunity to appeal to Your Excellency, former Governor, former Distinguished Senator, former Minister, and now the Secretary to the Government of the Federation  (GSM-SGF), that have orchestrated the emergence of three (3) successive Governors after your tenure, from our most beloved Tiv brothers of destiny, that it is now our profound belief that when the term(s) of the present Reverend Governor elapses, Your Excellency’s Idoma siblings would be considerably favored and wholly supported to produce the next Governor of the State. I am of the utmost optimism that you can and will make it happen considering your proven dexterity in poaching for the best from every tribe, dialect, religion, and zone.
10. This gesture of sharing and equitable rotation of power between the Senatorial zones, if and when made possible by the

actionable support of Your Excellency would furthermore go a long way to cement a unanimous consensus among all of the Benue people and Middle Belt Nigeria, that the GSM-SFG is the ultimate unifier of the Benue people and a leader that promotes the democratic principles of fairness, equity, and minority considerations, plus inclusivity.

11. With due respect to the Chairman, Benue State Council of Chiefs and the Paramount Ruler of Tiv Nation, HRM Begha U Tiv, Orchivirigh, Prof Ortese lorzua James Ayatse, I solicit His Majesty’s permit to resort to this legendary Tiv Creed; YA NA ANGBIAN ( loosely translated to mean, A BROTHER SHARES HIS  SPOILS/MEAT WITH HIS BROTHER). God has not made a mistake by putting us together in the same state.
12. I bless you both as a priest of God and Paramount Ruler of the Idoma people; that in running the affairs of your new position and managing the secretariat affairs of our great nation, you will exceed the expectations of your immediate principal and all Nigerians, I pray for divine wisdom, sound health, long life, and a godly heritage now and always.

“That their hearts might be comforted, being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance

of understanding, to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father, and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2-3) It is my earnest prayers that in times of pressing challenges, the wisdom you never sought will be supplied and provided by God in Jesus’s name. Amen.

Once again, congratulations, and have the best of time in performing this all-important call to the National Service.

HRM AGABA-IDU ELAIGWU ODOGBO OBAGAJI JOHN OCH’IDOMA OF IDOMA KINGDOM AND VICE CHAIRMAN BENUE STATE COUNCIL OF CHIEFS.

24/7/2023