The Orgy of the Benue Killings and the Possibility of “Stand Alone” Solutions

The Orgy of the Benue Killings and the Possibility of “Stand Alone” Solutions 

By Richard Akase Inyamkume

I am neither a Biblical scholar nor a Theologian, but I have read in the Bible as it is written “... unless the Lord guards a city, in vain does the watchman keeps watch”. This part of scriptures reminds all of us that there is a creator who is responsible for safeguarding his people and watching over them, especially during moments of uncertainty. Until we begin to see him as our protector, no human security or guard can be able to see us through. Though this may sound religious, it’s weight cannot be measured using any earthly scale. 

We have watched, and some people have even experienced the incessant killings of some Benue citizens by invaders.  So many human lives have been lost, food crops and vegetation, as well as personal effect have been destroyed during the unfortunate events that happened. Various concerns have been raised following the persistent invasion and territorial violations of Benue State yet, solutions to the problem continues to be a subject of discussion, often times yielding little or no positive outcomes. 

There are those who think that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria empowers the President and Governors to ensure that human lives and rights of citizens are protected. This is very correct. But if one would ask, in a situation where the government fails to protect the people, what should be the best alternative course of action? Or should the people wait onto the government until they enter the graveyard?

The Benue people that I used to know were warriors. Not because they were lawless, but because they resisted undue invasion of their territory. They were Lions, Lioness and Tigers that always stood up to confront situations. I cannot remember reading anywhere in history where the Benue man took to his heels or went flat on his belly crying for external help to repel an enemy. But today, this is happening. Our streets are flowing with spilled blood and there is pandemonium nearly everywhere. Our people are shedding tears and calling on the government to come to our aid but there seems to be a conspiracy of silence by those in position to prevent or reverse the situation.

Never in history were the Benue people so porous or less powerful before any group as it is happening today. Was it during the Nigerian civil war or during the Tiv-Jukun crisis? Or do I have to  go on and on recounting our victorious stories?

Oh Benue man, what is happening to your Traditional institutions? Where have you left your gods? Where have you left your own ancestral beads? 

Oh Benue man, why are you crying under the scorching sun? Are you sure you have not desecrated your land? Is God still marching with your armies? 

Look at the level of underdevelopment in our state. There is abject poverty in our land. Hunger and economic stagnation stares us in the face. Our social structures have become dilapidated. Our social contract with the state is falling apart and nothing has been done restore it. 

We attend religious activities more than anyone else yet, our hearts are very far from God. 

Could it be that our fathers had eaten unripe grapes and we the children’s teeth are set on edge? 

I know we can stand alone and find solutions to our problems if the government fails to protect us. Here are three viable approaches to solving our present predicaments; divine, traditional, and human solutions. 

ON DIVINE SOLUTION

There is an urgent need to consecrate Benue State to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. All church leaders in the state should come together before the end of January 2018 and organize a SEVEN days revival and reconsecrate Benue to God. The revival should hold simultaneously in each local government in the state and citizens should mobilize themselves and participate in the sacred Assembly. This solution is the most fundamental and effective way to go back to our lost fortunes. If the Lord speaks, we should listen to his voice. Once the Lord revisits Benue State, our salvation will come back to us. Never in history was it know or heard that God turned his back on his own people. The Benue people are people after God’s own heart. 

ON TRADITIONAL SOLUTION 

It is very possible that we have broken an ancestral covenant. Some of the numerous traditions that were handed down to us might have been distorted by greedy or selfish individuals. This can cause a lot of negative energies to affect a people. We need to revisit our ancestral home to find out what is the problem. Our respective Benue traditional Councils should swing into action and the results would be positive, better imagined than said. I believe we can even get traditional fortifications against the invasion of the State and solve other problems such as stagnation and infertility of the land, bad leadership, bad blood…at no cost. Tradition is  a veritable tool in the hand of the African. Let's explore this options. 

ON HUMAN SOLUTIONS

It is about time for government to revisit the case of the call for the establishment of community police. It is another best way to handle issues of external aggressions at the grassroots. The best defense comes from within not from outside. If local vigilante groups are properly formed and equipped for the job, they will be able to repel our enemies. We need not go on recruiting personnel, each member of a household in a village should join the vigilante. Government should invest more in the production of local guns, and weapons of defense and the police should supervise the handling of such ammunition by civilians. This is a lasting solution. 

 It is clear that we are alone in this fight but we would not give up. This is time to be awake and get working.

If the Federal Government is paying deft ears to our call and our politicians and representatives at the respective positions are slow to respond to our SOS call, we need not wait any longer but stand on our feet. Ours is not a mission to kill, but a mission to defend. It is a just war principle that will assist us to live peacefully in our own God given land. 

The truth is that, our stand alone solutions if engaged together at the same time will yield much better results more than we could ever think of. 

Never again should there be blood letting, never again should there be invasions… the Lord is going before us to destroy our enemies and make them confuse and put them under our authority. 

#wecanstandalone