The Chairman of Ukum Local Government Council, Mr. Jonathan Modi Ta, has every reason to settle down. And, at last, he has.
Modi Ta came into political limelight in 2023 when he was appointed Secretary of Ukum LGC. A year later, he was elected council chairman, becoming the youngest person so far to occupy the position in the yam-rich Local Government Area.
He assumed office at a difficult time. Insecurity had already forced several communities from their ancestral homes. But rather than allow his age to become an excuse, the young chairman confronted the challenge head-on. He was among the first in his class of council chairmen to push for the deployment of Nigerian Army personnel to his LGA in the quest to strengthen security.
When riots destroyed the LGA Guest House and Secretariat, Modi Ta did not wait for the dust to settle. He moved to develop a new Chairman’s Guest House. In Zaki Biam, he is also constructing about five kilometres of streets, alongside other interventions in social support and the regular payment of workers’ salaries and pensions.
And he did all these while still single.
Now, Princess Mimidoo Rachel Bagu has entered the picture. And, according to some of his friends, it is for good. After all, even the Bible speaks of the importance of a helper. For a young man carrying the weight of public office, having someone with whom to share the emotional burden, joys and pressures of leadership may indeed be a welcome chapter.
So, on Saturday, September 26, at the Zaki Alexander Bagu residence in Makurdi, family members, friends and associates gathered as Modi Ta and Princess Mimidoo Rachel Bagu fulfilled the customary rites of matrimony.
For the young chairman, it was more than another ceremony. It was the beginning of a new journey—this time, not in public office, but in companionship.
Little wonder, he dedicated the new beginning to God Almighty, expressing gratitude for bringing him to what he described as the right moment to meet the love of his life.
Beyond that, he expressed gratitude to the people of Ukum for their unalloyed support. He could not have been chairman in a vacuum, and he knows it. Their support, he acknowledged, has been an important part of his journey in public service.
To the Executive Governor of Benue State, Fr. Hyacinth Alia, Modi Ta paid the tribute of a son to a father, thanking him for providing the platform and encouragement that have enabled him to serve and excel.
Now that he has found his missing rib, perhaps one more responsibility has been added to the young chairman’s growing list: Building a home as carefully as he is building roads and public infrastructure.
Congratulations, Chairman Jonathan Modi Ta and Princess Mimidoo Rachel Bagu.
May Jehovah bless your union, grant your home peace and understanding, and make your marriage a source of strength as you continue to serve your people.
