On Suswams Absence at Gemades Mothers burial By Iorliamamo Shija First and foremost, it is surprising that the Fulani people, which Dr Gabriel Torwua Suswam, the Governor of Benue, èxhonerated of incessant attacks on Benue, have contradicted him and are out killing his people in broad daylight and rather than stay back and clear the mess, Suswam has chosen this grave period to take his leave out of the country. Yes, to be sincere, since the few months ahead are really going to be busy for Dr Suswam, he needs all the rest, medical checks and even spiritual protection, what he can only conviniently do during a leave. The months ahead will be busy for Suswam because, 2014 was the year he promised us that he would be making known his political ambition beyond 2015; Moreso, with the sudden release of INEC Timetable, he will be expected to do a lot of things and he therefore genuinely needed the leave he took. Yes, he took a well deserved leave,but if I were Suswam,I would have put off the leave immediately the news got to me that the fulanis were attacking makurdi.The security of Benue is supposed to be the top most issue on the agenda of every governor, because it deals directly with the protection of lives and properties;with the former, we have hope,without the latter, we look hopeless. So when the security of your people is under attack, a good leader should have no excuse. But Suswam is somewhere, but not close to Makurdi. Distinguished Sen. Barns Gemade is a very stingy politician whose political flops over time have caused him the significant political leadership position he emerged in Tivland on the eve of this new dispensation in 1999. But no calculative politician, with an ambition , not to talk of a sitting governor should have dared missed the burial of his mother. The history of Gemade predates his politics.He is one of the most blessed Tivmen alife today. He is not only rich, he is very influential. So the picture of his mothers death shouldnt have been unclear to any politician, not to talk of a governor who has an ambition! In Tiv cosmology, a burial like Gemades mother which took place yesterday, is derobbed of all the sobberness, pains,wailing and anxiety common at funerals; The Tiv see such a death as amaror dance -it is a rare phenomenon where, rather than mourn for the dead, the living celebrate the life of the deseased and rightly use the opportunities that the situation offers to sell a thought, make a bussiness and strike significant deals because Such deaths are really rare. The political mixture,the crowd, the intrigues that Nelson Mandelas burial offered late last year are still on our memory. The speech of Barrack Obama during the memorial service was very impactful; realising the challenges facing the world, Obama rose to the occasion, he talked to the world; he said among other things: We will never see the likes of Nelson Mandela again. But let me say to the young people of Africa, and young people around the world - you can make his lifes work your own. Over thirty years ago, while still a student, I learned of Mandela and the struggles in this land. It stirred something in me. It woke me up to my responsibilities - to others, and to myself - and set me on an improbable journey that finds me here today. This is a leader who knows his onions talking at a burial. But for reasons best to known to him, Suswam, to the surprise and anger of almost everybody, was not at the burial, but what should concern us all is , of those who attended the burial, especially the political class, to what use did they put it? Who made a powerful speech befitting the burial just like Obama did? There is no such speech reported in the media or anywhere,rather we have been fed with pictures of politcal banners and poor people, who are usually swayed by every big man they see. I see a lot of those banners by every politician lately. Unfortunately, no politician was able to provide a formidable matter for the void that Suswams absence created. Or any did? Was David mark not seated? Is he not the senate president? Is he not the man we attack for breaching federal character in the state? Who rose to the occasion? Is it not APC registration that is starting next week; what was said about it? What about the fulanis attack? Is it not PDP that is collapsing before us; who said anything? There are a lot of issues that any politician could have used the burial to say, but none said them. Obama said during Mandelas memorial: We, too, must act on behalf of justice. We, too, must act on behalf of peace. There are too many of us who happily embrace Madibas legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality. There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madibas struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people. And there are too many of us who stand on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard. Yes this was at a funeral and not at a political party rally.It is unfortunate that our politicians throw these opportunities away like that. JS Tarkaa and Paul Unongo carried out politics where they used to talk to people. On several occassions they addressed Ijir Tamen. Unongo,especially being an orator, made very powerful speeches that influenced most of us in the villages in those days; it is only unfortunate that our politicians were unable to maximise the opportunities that such a burial offered yesterday.
Posted on: Sun, 26 Jan 2014 09:21:05 +0000
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