The President of the Benue State Council of Traditional Rulers, His Eminence Prof James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, CFR, Tor Tiv, has cried out, demanding water and an airport for Benue State, which is 50 years old.
Benue State, the Food Basket of the Nation was created by the General Mutala Muhammed administration on Tuesday, February 3, 1976, and turned 50 on Tuesday, February 3, 2026.
The Tor Tiv is concerned that, even though the state capital sits on the banks of the River Benue, residents have no access to portable water. He is also concerned that there is no airport for air transportation, denying Benue some of the opportunities that could have come to it.
“Give us water. Give us airport. That’s all we are saying,” the Tor Tiv said during the “One Benue Conference” organised to celebrate Benue at 50.
Prof Ayatse also urged politicians to “let Benue breathe.” He indicated that politicians are holding the state back from development because of their selfish interests.
While calling on leaders to be tolerant, Prof. Ayatse emphasised that leadership recruitment should be “deliberate and calculative,” and that successors should not be worse than their predecessors.
The Tor Tiv also urged the political class to emphasise merit in appointments, arguing that though the traditional institution has no role to play in what politicians do, it is the duty of the traditional class to give the system stability by not taking sides.
Earlier in the day, the governor of Benue State, Fr. Hyacinth Alia, reiterated his commitment to offering selfless services to the state.
He praised those who worked for the creation of the state and his predecessors for the foundation they laid for the north-central state.
