Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Sebastine Hon, former Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Prof. Bem Angwe, and three others were recently honoured by their kinsmen in the Mbayion community, reports Legal Editor JOHN AUSTIN UNACHUKWU
It is often said that prophets are without honour in their own home, but the biblical saying did not apply to six members of the Mbayion community of Gboko, Benue State, as they were recently honoured by their kinsmen.
The honourees were: Benue State Governor, Dr. Samuel Ortom and his wife, Dr. Eunice; Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Mr. Sebastine Hon and his wife, Felicia; and immediate past Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Prof. Bem Angwe.
Others were Elizabeth Afazwana Ivase (who was given a posthumous award); Rt. Hon Turngu Tsegba; Dr. Orhemba Baki and Elder Felegh Tese.
The event, with great fanfare, took place penultimate week Sunday at LGEA Primary School Ihwungwanor Mbayion, Gboko Local Government Area (LGA) of the state.
The community applauded the sterling leadership qualities of the honourees, hence deserving of the recognition and honour.
‘Why we honoured our sons and daughters’
Chairman of the event’s Central Planning Committee (CPC), Hon. Silas Anjie explained why they were honoured.
Anjie said: “We are here to celebrate patriotic Nigerians for their achievement and how wonderfully they give back to the society through selfless services to God and humanity.
“The plaques our honorees receive symbolize our gratitude and appreciation. It will bear testimony of their selfless humanitarian services and an encouragement for them to do more.
“We have used this opportunity to also galvanize support from our esteemed guests and friends of our community to enable us commence the erection of structures at the proposed site for YIDA secretariat/Skills Acquisition Centre. We intend to raise 100million to be able to get the project executed.”
President-General of Yion Development Association, Comrade Enoch Ande Per said they considered many of their members “including those deceased and friends within and outside, eminently qualified for recognition and Award.”
But only six members of the community were chosen.
Per said: “The award recipients were collectively nominated by the Supreme Council of Mbayion traditional rulers and executive committee to Yion Development Association (YIDA).
“Mbayion is a community whose members have excelled in various chosen endeavors. We are a people known for our great compassion, peace, hard work, hospitality and a great deal of tolerance to one another.
So, why we are here is to celebrate the outstanding achievements and significant contribution of our members and friends to the overall development of Benue Sate and Nigeria” .
He commended “the God appointed defender of the Benue Valley, Dr. Samuel Ortom on his land-mark achievements…
“We wish to commend you for the Urban Renewal Initiative policy through which we have experienced massive construction and reconstruction of township roads and renovation of primary schools particularly in Gboko.
“The reconstruction of J.S Tarka Way, Capt. Dawns Road Adekaa, Amadu Bello Way among others has greatly eased movement, beautified Gboko and improved so much on social and economic activities in the area. These projects excite us so much and I will say Gboko people are proud of you.
“We thank you for the choice of our son, Chief. Sebastine Tar Hon (SAN) as your personal counsel and lead Counsel of your legal team”.
Ortom
According to the organisers, Governor Ortom, in recognition of his sterling and unparalleled leadership qualities, was honoured with the title of Mule u Mbayion meaning ‘Shelter of Mbayion’ while his wife will bear the title of Gbaa mule u Mbayion.
Ortom was born on April 23, 1961. He is from Guma Local Government Area (LGA). He is an industrialist, farmer, businessman, politician, philanthropist, administrator and employer. He was enrolled into the St. John’s Primary School, Gboko, in 1970 but moved to St. Catherine’s Primary School, Makurdi, in 1974, where he completed primary education in 1976.
The young Ortom proceeded to Idah Commercial College, Idah, Kogi State in 1976. His secondary education was however brought to an abrupt stop in 1979 following his father’s retirement and his subsequent inability to pay his school fees.
Samuel Ortom thereafter left school and got into Gboko Motor Park in order to support his family. He was thereafter helped by a good Nigerian who taught him how to drive and obtained a driver’s license for him. Ortom later became driver to Pa SamuIhugh, a prominent Gboko based Christian leader and politician.
“It was in the course of working that he found an advert for a correspondence course in the National School of Salesmanship, Manchester by correspondence.
Through this means, he had his General Certificate of Education (GCE) and a Diploma in Salesmanship. Highly motivated to further his education, Chief Dr. Ortom enrolled at the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and obtained both the Interim Joint Matriculation Board Certificate in 1995 and a diploma in journalism in 1998.
He also went to the Benue State University, where he obtained the Advanced Diploma in Personnel Management in 2001 as well as a Master of Public Administration in 2004.
Ortom crowned his educational pursuit with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), at the Commonwealth University, Belize, through distance learning. He worked with Gyado Foods Co. Limited and rose from Salesman to Sales Manager.
“Ortom thereafter became the Executive Chairman of Guma Local Government Area from 1991 to 1993 under the platform of the Social Democratic Party (SDP). He then became State Publicity Secretary of the National Centre Party of Nigeria (NCPN); State Treasurer of the All People’s Party (APP); and State Secretary as well as Deputy Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), all in Benue State. Dr. Ortom was also Director of Operations of the PDP gubernatorial campaign in Benue State in 2007 and Director of Administration and Logistics of the Goodluck/Sambo Presidential Campaign Organization in 2011.
He was PDP National Auditor before his appointment as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in July 2011.
In April 2015, he contested for Governor of Benue State and won on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Before becoming Minister, Dr. Ortom was the proprietor and Chairman of Oracle Business Limited, the firm that owns Goshen Water which produces bottled and sachet water; Oracle Oil Mills, Oracle Printing Press, as well as Oracle Farms Limited which handles mechanized farming and animal husbandry.
“Samuel Ortom is a recipient of several awards, including Best Performing Local Government Chairman, 1992, as well as the Selfless Service Award by the National Union of Benue State Students, University of Calabar.
He was recently crowned as the Best Performing Governor in Agriculture Development in 2017 by Business Day Media Limited.
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The Nation newspaper also gave him award for services to Agriculture in 2018. For his efforts to end armed herdsmen attacks on innocent Benue people, Independent Newspaper also bestowed another award on Governor Ortom in February 2018.
“Having performed creditably as confirmed by the people of Benue State and other Nigerians on May 22, 2017, Governor Ortom made history by signing the Benue State Open Grazing Prohibition and Ranches Establishment Law 2017. The feat has received national and international applause as the best way to peace and security.
“However, following the apparent failure of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC administration controlled Federal Government to respond to the herdsmen invasion and killing of innocent Benue people, in addition to the hostility and campaign of hatred and blackmail towards him form the leadership of the party in the state, Governor Ortom decided to dump APC in July, 2018 to join People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
“He went on to win with a landslide, the PDP governorship primary election in October of the same year to become the standard bearer of the party for the 2019 elections.
Governor Ortom convincingly won the 2019 Benue State gubernatorial election defeating his closest challenger, the candidate of All Progressives Congress, APC. He was sworn-in for a second term on May 29, 2019
Hon
Chief Sebastine Tartenger Hon (SAN), popularly called “S.T. Hon.” was born on December 9, 1967 in a Police Barracks in Kano, where his late father, Elder Michael Igba Hon, served as a police officer. His mother’s name is Regina Angorngee Hon (nee AnjovAkpagher of Mbatiav, Gboko LGA).
Hon attended St. Francis Primary School, Gboko, Benue State; Kings’ Comprehensive College, Mkar, Gboko; School of Basic Studies, Makurdi, Benue State; University of Jos, Jos, Plateau State and the Nigerian Law School, Lagos, after which he was called to the Bar in 1991. He undertook his compulsory National Youth Service with the Law Firm, Enefiok Udoh & Co, between 1991 and 1992.
Upon completion of the NYSC, the young Hon had a brief stint of less than two months with Mathias Zwabo & Co., Gboko, before moving to Gembu, Taraba State, in October, 1992, to set up his Law Firm, known as S. T. Hon. & Co. (Gaskiya Chambers), No. 88/89, Ahmadu Bello Way, Gembu, Taraba State.
In 1995, while transiting from Gembu to Port Harcourt, Rivers State, S.T. Hon had another brief stint with one of the most successful Law Firms in Gboko then, C.A. Idye & Co. In the year 2000, he set up his Law Firm in Port Harcourt, known as S.T. Hon. & Co. (Mimi Chambers); which was later changed to S. T. Hon (SAN) & Co. (Lawshield Partners). He is the Managing Solicitor of the Law Firm.
According to the organisers, “It is in recognition of his selfless service to God and humanity that S.T. Hon and his wife Chief Mrs. Felicia Ngufan Hon were honoured as the Sema wan u Mbayion and Shima I Sema wan u Mbayion respectively which is interpreted as “ Beloved son of Mbayion and Heart of beloved son of Mbayion” respectively.
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