Gov Alia: Did you prepare for condolence visit or banquet? Is this Sycophancy or what?,
How do you console a man like Michael Ajah, who lost 20 family members in the recent brutal attack by Killer herdsmen in Yelwata, Benue state? How do you console another indigene of Benue state, this time, a woman whose five children and mother were brutally massacred by the murderous herders in one night?
And how do you console many others who also lost loved ones numbering over one hundred, in that attack in Benue State?
That exquisitely decorated government house where Benue state welcomed Mr President, suggested nothing short of a venue for a wedding or party banquet. And, that is not a good way to mourn or console victims of that massacre.
Michael Ajah, who said he narrowly escaped, shared his distressing account of the horrific attack that left over 200 people dead in the area. Consumed by grief, Ajah showed viewers the charred ruins that have become his home.
Struggling to ‘be a man’, Ajah explained “I lost 20 family members in one day- eleven in this house and eight in the other… all gone.”
A heartbreaking trending video showed the woman who lost her mother and her five children during the recent attack. You could see how shattered that woman was while sharing her predicament.
As one X user posted, “…The pain is deep and piercing. How do you console someone like this? How do you tell her to ‘reconcile’ with those who wiped out her family?”
As of Wednesday, some Non-governmental Organisations were seen trying to settle the displaced in IDP camps. According to one of the women helping out, a little girl had already been raped in the camp. That’s trauma upon trauma! It is so hard to reconcile the depth of pain people feel for victims of the brutal attack and that ‘Owambe’ prepared by the Benue State government for the president’s visit.
Following the deadly attack, Governor Hyacinth Alia declared June 18 a public holiday ”to allow residents to welcome the president warmly during his visit”, In the widely circulated statement from the government, “All Benue residents are enjoined to come out en masse to give Mr President a rousing welcome.”
So disappointing that after Governor Alia declared, “This is indeed another black day in the history of our state. What has happened in this community is a clear case of genocide. Innocent people were killed in their homes, while some were burnt beyond recognition. We are tired of these attacks. This must stop”, he went on to organise a ‘jamboree’ instead of preparing for the president’s condolence visit.
Many have been wondering why the public holiday. Why? First of all, families were mourning. Looking at the number of people that have been murdered by the ravaging killers in the last spate of attacks, it is in thousands. This means that almost every family in Benue state has been affected. Why didn’t the governor declare a day or two off to mourn his people, before the president’s visit? Why were support groups, others encouraged to come out in colourful attires instead of black to signify mourning? There is indeed, something fundamentally wrong with this country. Read Adekunle Oderinde’s post on X which was read out during the Arise News programme. “There is something fundamentally wrong with our society. Unfortunately, it affects both the leaders and those appointed to work with them. How on earth will anyone endorse such a memo of funfair to welcome the president when it ought to be a gathering of sober reflection and action to prevent further massacre of Nigerians.”
Livid, Ojy Okpe commented, “Have you heard of anything this absurd? This is quite ridiculous. I mean, I believe that this memo, the reason I brought up this story, is for the Benue State government to either debunk it or withdraw that absolute nonsense.”
Rufai Oseni fired on. “If the color of blood is red and the color of blood is everywhere in Benue because of the killing, isn’t that enough need to introspect before the sycophancy that I see coming out of the state government. These are lives that you will never get back. Look at that man that said he lost 20 people in his family, do you know the emotional trauma and pain he will live with for the rest of his life? Do you know the nightmare? Do you even care how he sleeps? Yet, some people have the nerve to start a jamboree because the president is coming for a day of mourning? The president, please, is not coming to commission laudable projects of the Benue state government. The president is there to see the blood of the Benue people that washed their land because of the failure of their government and their country.
“The president is coming because a country they pledged their allegiance to has failed them not one, not two times. In the space of two years, over a thousand people have been killed and millions, thousands have been displaced in that area. It is a day of sorrow. The blood of the people of Benue washes that ground they will be stepping on. But people are more concerned about the Jamboree.”
Oseni continues, “For what they have done to even think and attempt to do like a jamboree, they have allowed the people in that area to die again. When are we going to stop this madness we do in our country? When are we going to stop this over subservience to power when we need to solve the problem and speak truth to power?
The reason for the problems in Benue can also be attributed to the sycophancy that we are seeing by these people. This same government that allegedly wrote that letter has not been able to tell us if they’ve gathered any intelligence as regards the people that perpetrated that heinous act. They are so quick to roll out the drum and declare a public holiday. Did they declare a public holiday to mourn the people of Benue when they were killed? Did they declare a public holiday to mourn the people when they came out to protest? Didn’t the security agents stop the people from protesting by shooting them with tear gas? What country are we running? When will this level of sycophancy stop?”
Why was it that the government also thought it was necessary to clear grasses along the major road, because of the presidential visit? If not as an act of eye service. Was the president not visiting to condole with victims or was he on a state visit? Nigerians thought that was eye service and reacted this way.
@doniboyibo wrote, “Lol this one Na eye service.”
@cryptic: Interpretation reacted, “Out of all days, it is this night that the governor remembered that he has to clear town (grass) because the president is coming tomorrow”.
@primadon commented, “This is proof that he is not a working governor but an eye service man.” @fobecyril stated, “Unserious elements, governor wan do eye service.”
Perhaps, warning the government against taking the sycophancy further, Betty Abah wrote, “Perhaps someone close to Benue State government officials with a higher emotional IQ should advise them not to organise cultural dancers and local women’s groups in uniforms to welcome Mr. President today. This is a state in mourning.”
In spite of all the outrage over the colourful preparation for the president’s visit, the Benue government capped it all with thank you billboards- “Mr. President, thank you for condolence with the Benue State people.” Were those billboards necessary except for campaign purposes ahead of 2027? If not, what’s the rationale behind such absurdity? It’s truly the highest level of madness as the poster stated in the video.
President Eniola Daniel shared the trending video showing campaign billboards on the streets of Benue state., and wrote, “…Campaigning on the blood of 200 people killed in Benue State. They made billboards, put on beautiful colors, campaigning and celebrating after the massacre of 200 people in Benue. How can our leaders be this insensitive? A priest this insensitive”! He followed his write up with too many weeping emoji.
More netizens lend their voices.
Benibo Gifted reacted, “My brother I dey cry since this mobilization circular was released. Nigeria otilo!”
Okwujweka Ojukwu wrote, “If you agree to be mobilised to welcome your oppressors, just remember that the victims of today were once the survivors of yesterday, e go soon reach everybody o, make Una de play Benue people , de play .”
ID Gabriel reacted, “A man that could jettison priesthood to join Agbero political congress ….why are we surprised about his politicking.”
Sylvester Ukpong wrote, “A politician remains a politician my brother, leave seminary out of this.”
Anyanebechi commented, “The country has been sweared for.”
Kenneth John wrote, “See as this father come shame us finish, him shame dey shame me sef.”
Rep
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How do you console a man like Michael Ajah, who lost 20 family members in the recent brutal attack by Killer herdsmen in Yelwata, Benue state? How do you console another indigene of Benue state, this time, a woman whose five children and mother were brutally massacred by the murderous herders in one night? And […]
The post Gov Alia: Did you prepare for condolence visit or banquet? Is this Sycophancy or what? appeared first on Vanguard News.
, , Idowu Bankole, {authorlink},, , Vanguard News, June 21, 2025, 2:12 am
