Benue State deputy governor, Chief Steven Lawani has frowned at the absence of local government council chairmen from Idoma-speaking areas from the annual Eje-Aje K’Idoma celebration, which was held at the palace of the Och’Idoma, Agaba Idu Elias Ekoyi Obekpa in Otukpo last Friday.
Chief Lawani, who represented the state governor, Dr Gabriel Suswam at the event, wondered why the council chairmen, who should awaken the consciousness of the rural dwellers to their tradition, chose instead to stay away from the event and urged them to turn a new leaf.
The deputy governor also appealed to the organisers of the event to adequately sensitise the people to protect economic trees, particularly locust beans, which he said has enormous economic benefits for the people.
Similarly, the Minister of Interior, Comrade Abba Moro, who attended the occasion, lamented the absence of the council chairmen, state as well as federal representatives and said the event was important and should, therefore, be attended by all.
On his part, the Och’Idoma, Agaba-Idu Elias Ekoyi Obekpa reiterated his call for the sustenance of peace in Idoma land, stressing that there can be no development in the midst of chaos.
The Och’Idoma, whose remark was delivered by Odejo K’Apa, Chief John Antenyi, also urged Idoma people not to allow ethnic or sectional interest becloud their collective interest of developing their land.