By Amos Aar
BENUE State Governor, Samuel Ortom allegedly felt offended and unceremoniously left the funeral ceremonies of the late Chief (Dr) Terkula Suswam last Saturday when the Catholic Bishop of Gboko Diocese, His Lordship, Most Reverend Williams Avenya, who presided over the Requiem (Funeral) Mass, out rightly denied the governor and Senator Gabriel Suswam speaking opportunities, which usually happen before a funeral service.
The late Chief (Dr) Suswam, the immediate elder brother to Senator Gabriel Suswam, who was assassinated along with his aide, the late Mr Solomon Utanor, at Dr Suswam’s residence in his home town of Anyiin, Logo LGA of Benue State were buried on Saturday.
At the Requiem Mass, as funeral service is called in the Catholic Church, Bishop Williams Avenya, refused to give speaking opportunity to the state governor, a privilege which is given in most funeral services attended by the state’s Chief Executive and other high profile personalities, on the ground that in line with Catholic tradition, it was not proper for politicians to give funeral orations or vote of thanks.
The Bishop, who while concluding his sermon during the Mass, called for peace in Sankera and urged the Benue State Government to reconsider the ban it placed on commercial motorcyclists and Duck Nyash commercial vehicles because of the hardship people were undergoing in the area, however granted the first son of the deceased the chance to speak while he directed others who had kind words for the deceased or the mourners to speak to do so at funeral reception and refreshment venue.
Hurt by the Bishop’s directive, Governor Ortom was said to have left the arena with his entourage, a reaction which later dominated discourse in the course of the burial rites subsequently.
While some stated that the governor was not happy with the Bishop’s decision, others were of the opinion that he left for the burial ceremony of the late Ter Kwande, HRH Chief Hilary Ikima, whose internment coincided with that of Dr Suswam.
National Record however found out after some hours that Governor Ortom went straight to Makurdi without attending Chief Ikima’s burial where he was represented by his Deputy, Engr. Benson Abounu.
Hours after the funeral rites, there were reports on different media platforms that Governor Ortom had stated at Dr Suswam’s burial that there will be no more amnesty for criminals in the state.
It is believed that the governor may have granted interview or given his prepared address to his media crew after he zoomed off from the venue. The media reports seem to corroborate the speculation soon after he left that the governor was not happy with Bishop Avenya’s gag order on him and decided to leave to avert a clash or joining issues with the Catholic Clergy.
Apart from the intense discussion that the Bishop’s action generated at the venue, it sparked intensive reactions on social media where one of SSA on New Media, Mr Jimin Geoffrey, accused the Bishop of disrespecting constituted authority.
Mr Geoffrey’s comment on Facebook reads: “As a man of God and Bishop of his standing, Bishop William Avenya in September 2020, obstructed movement of the Governor’s convoy while the Governor was on his way to attend the funeral mass of late Dr. Aker Gajir. He even came down from his vehicle and was walking majestically on the middle of the road thereby preventing the convoy from moving ahead. This practically means he blocked the convoy of the Chief Security Officer of the State. Mind you this was on the road and not in the Church where he has authority. Is this not disrespect for constituted authority as ordained in the Bible? Even the Bible says give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar.
“My worry is that Bishop William Avenya, who has consistently embarrassed the Governor, who’s recognised even in the Bible, should not talk at any Gboko Diocese Church services, especially at thanksgivings and funeral mass. This same Bishop gave the Governor unlimited time to speak during his birthday and commissioning of the hospital he (Bishop) built at St. John the Baptist Cathedral Gboko. Or was he not yet ordained a Bishop? Is this not some form of double standard?”
While some Christian fateful, especially Catholics, argue that what the Bishop did was in line with the Liturgy of the Catholic Church, National Record could recall that this was not the first time that Governor Ortom was denied an opportunity to speak at a Catholic Church programme.
The first Catholic priest known to have done that was the Late Reverend Father Titus Ashawe, who reportedly collected microphone from Governor Ortom at Saint Christopher’s Parish Wannune, Tarka LGA at a Church Service marking the 64th birthday anniversary of Senator George Akume when the Governor wanted to explain why workers’ were being owed salaries.
