By Esther Akaa
The Tiv socio-cultural organisation, Mdzough U Tiv (MUT) has dissociated itself from one Rev Solomon Semaka for allegedly conferring an award on the President of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, Alhaji Bodeji on behalf of the Tiv people.
Rev Semaka, under the aegis of Tiv Unity Forum recently presented an award of Peace to Alhaji Bodeji, a development which has generated mixed reactions from the general public.
But reacting to the development, the leader of the Tiv group, CP Iorbee Ihagh (Rtd) distanced the organisation from what it said was “devilish, ungodly and unscrupulous agenda” of the organisers of the award who he described as “sycophantic and self seeking”and not known to the Tiv nation.
According to CP Iorbee, the visit and subsequent conferment of the peace award on the leader of Miyetti Allah Kauta Hore, Alhaji Bodejo was nefarious, unwarranted and mischievous as the so called group does not have the power to speak, act and conduct any activity of such for or on behalf of the Tiv people.
“We view the conferment of award by this group on the leadership of Miyetti Allah as scandalous and mischievous. It is also an act of blasphemy, mockery to the Tiv nation and blunt disregard over the uncountable deaths of innocent and defenseless Benue citizens in the wicked hands of blood thirsty Fulani herdsmen over the years.
“The confession made by the said Rev. Solomon Semakaa on his long standing relationship with the Fulani killer group leader as ‘a brother and long standing friend’ exposes the evil of betrayal perpetrated on the Tiv nation for the past many years by such a deadly and inhuman group.
“It is also clear that the said group has been the facilitators of the wanton killings in Benue state through their long standing relationship with Miyetti Allah and their heinous activities in the state,” he said.
He stated that the activities of the Tiv Unity Forum were not a true reflection of the feelings and aspirations of the Tiv people, noting that Rev. Semaka was acting out of his own initiative and projecting himself as an egocentric element.
“It also beats ones imagination to hear Rev. Solomon insisted that ‘we can not reduce our relationship with other ethnic groups to an Ortom affairs.’ Let Rev. Semakaa know that Governor Samuel Ortom was duly elected as the Executive Governor of the state and doubles as the political leader of Benue people.
“He must know that the anti-open grazing law is not a personal law of Governor Ortom but a law that was well thought and well conceived through unrestricted public hearing by Benue people and enacted as the Benue peoples’ law. We wonder how a common man would insist that the issues be reduced to himself, rather than to the leader and people of the state.
“We wish to state in unequivocal terms that the said Rev. Solomon Semakaa and his group are not in any way representing the collective interest of the Tiv nation but a selfish political interest of their group and the interest they represent.
“The purported award is merely a calculated attempt to jeopardise and scuttle the collective determination of the Benue people to protect and defend themselves from the orchestrated agenda to Fulanize and Islamize them as perpetrated by the Fulani herdsmen,” he said.
The MUT leader therefore, called on all well meaning Tiv sons and daughters and Benue people to disregard the misdemeanor of Rev. Solomon Semakaa and consider him and his group as paid agents of the Fulani, due to his public statement which has indicated and exposed himself as one who has obtained deep commitment from the Miyetti Allah leadership.
He equally appealed to Tiv people world wide to remain calm and anticipate the final verdict of the supreme Traditional Council of the Tiv people under the leadership of His Royal Majesty, Prof. James Ayatse.
