By Amos Aar
FOURTEEN days to his inauguration into office as the 6th democratically elected governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, has encouraged people of the state to be patient and endure the hardship they are passing through as it will soon be over when he is sworn in on May 29, 2023.
The governor-elect stated this Monday at St Thomas Catholic Church, Anum, a suburb of Makurdi, Benue State capital, during a thanksgiving service organised in honour of his 57th birthday anniversary.
Represented by Mrs Regina Akume, wife of former Benue governor and current Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affair, Senator George Akume, who is now a House of Representatives member-elect for Gboko/Tarka federal constituency, Fr. Alia solicited prayers from Benue people to enable him to rescue them from abject poverty when he takes over leadership of the state.
Earlier in a homily, Rev. Fr. Daniel Ugande charged leaders to always address needs of the people rather than inflict pains on them. He admonished that the challenges leaders encounter in trying to actualise their destinies are not meant for them to subject their followers to pains but to prepare them for the task ahead.
Fr. Ugande who prayed God to grant Fr. Alia the wisdom to reposition Benue State on the path to prosperity urged him not to be distracted but focused on redeeming Benue’s image.
In his goodwill message at a reception held at City Bay Park, Makurdi, Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, expressed hope that Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia will collaborate with his Nasarawa State counterpart to return Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) to their ancestral homes.
Akabe, who was represented by senior special assistant to Nasarawa State governor on Culture and Hospitality, Solomon Pevkyaa, appreciated Benue people for making Fr. Alia their governor and also thanked God for granting him the grace to attain the present age of his life and prayed that the governor-elect be guided to success.
Highlights of the event was the presentation of birthday cake to Fr Alia by a delegation from New Canaan Land Secondary School, Katsina-Ala and cutting of the cake by Mrs Regina Akume.
