Your Royal Majesty, I find your recent order prohibiting the traditional rulers in Tivland from appearing at political rallies and receptions to be a wise decision and I must applaud you for that. I totally agree with you that traditional rulers should only be have interactions with all the political aspirants or candidates and give their fatherly blessings to all of them within their respective palaces or chambers and that should always be done without discrimination.
However, before now, the traditional rulers in Tivland and Benue State at large were known to be political errand boys for the politicians in the state, thereby allowing politicians to use them to advance their political ambitions in order to win elections by all means. Because of that many of the traditional rulers were nicknamed “Ter Party” meaning: father of party or fathers for parties. These traditional rulers abandoned their traditional role and became full time political boys serving the interest of the politicians in the state.
Nevertheless, their engagement in politics brought shame and calamity in the Tiv Nation and Benue State in general. These things happened prior to your ascension to the throne of the Tor Tiv. Traditional rulers were bribed severally by politicians to influence youths to vote for them and even rig elections for. They desecrated their thrones with politics and lost their respect. As I write now, many of them are still trying to regain their respect from people but it is very difficult for them because of the unclean roles they played in previous elections in the state.
Therefore, you decision banning them came at the right time and it strongly hoped that it prohibit them from engaging in partisan politics and help them to regain their respect if the ban is sustained and enforced. It may also help in rebuilding the Tiv Nation and Benue State as a whole.
I want to call the king of Idoma, Dr. Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, to emulate the Tor Tiv, by placing the same ban on the traditional rulers in Idoma land in order to ensure the uniformity and unity of traditional rulers in Benue State towards rebuilding the state and reuniting the people. If that happens, it will be a total cleansing and it will give room for better development.
► Pius Terwase Awunah wrote from Abuja.