Some weeks ago, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party(LP) in the 2023 general elections, was scheduled to visit Benue State for humanitarian purposes. But the trip was botched when the Benue State government informed him that they could not guarantee his safety during the visit.
Recently, Benue state has had the unenviable distinction of being one of Nigeria’s most troubled states. One devastating attack after the other has left the state which is known for its food production very much on the edge.
Successive governments in Benue State have been unable to stem the tide, failing to lift the state out of its doldrums, and there is no sign that the current government will be able to quench the fire that has been burning in the state for many years now.
In saying the state is not safe to accommodate Mr. Obi, the State government invariably admitted that it is failing to secure the lives and properties of the good and long-suffering people of Benue State.
It also appears that the Benue State government is packed full of career politicians who know how to deploy philanthropy only when it can be milked for political capital. Like many politicians in Nigeria, they presume to meet the needs of people only when there are gains to be made now or in the future.
The question to be asked must be what is the Benue State Government truly afraid of in Peter Obi’s visit? Why is the visit of a man renowned for his philanthropy who has visited many states without incident suddenly petrifying them? Why should the state government which has been receiving other dignitaries suddenly decide that it cannot guarantee Peter Obi’s safety?
Is someone within the government suddenly terrified that their touted popularity will collapse like a house of cards under the mighty headwinds of Peter Obi’s wild popularity?
Since Alia was sworn in as government, the government has worked hard to give the impression that it is open to opportunities, investment, partnerships and collaboration to drive the state forward. In this wise, it must be careful not to tear down a house it has been painstakingly building because it wants to score cheap political points.
Genuine Philanthropists like Peter Obi who contribute to infrastructure are strategic, impact investors with a lot of social capital and no matter the political difference, partnering with them can yield tangible results, especially in a state like Benue where IDP camps lie in squalid ruins.
Nigerian politicians must come off their debilitating inferiority complex which sees them threatened by high networth and high-impact individuals and allow those who need it most to benefit from philanthropy or a blend of finance and philanthropy.
The Benue State government must be told in no uncertain terms that the people in the state who symbolize the devastating insecurity that has plagued the state for years now deserve all the help they can get. Politics cannot be seen to be standing in the way of genuine efforts to alleviate the suffering of people anywhere in Nigeria.
The Benue State government should even be eager for renewed efforts to be channelled towards helping the many refugees in the state. In these days when criminal attacks against innocent people are increasing in the state, it is imperative that attention is beamed on the state so that the whole world will know what is happening there.
Kene Obiezu,
