By Akpera Nase
For the people of Kendev in Barakur Council Ward, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State, the story of their community has long been one of neglect and political exclusion.
Since the creation of Benue State in 1976 and the return to democracy in 1999, the community says it has watched from the margins, with little to show in terms of appointments, infrastructure, or social amenities. That narrative, however, appears to be changing under Governor Hyacinth Alia.
The community, through its spokesperson, Brain Aji, lauded the governor for what it described as his deliberate drive to transform Benue into an economic hub through infrastructural development and inclusive governance.
A major reason for their commendation is the appointment of one of their own, Hon. Fidelis Msughter Unongo, who served as Special Adviser on Inter-Governmental and Special Duties from 2023 to 2025. For Kendev, the appointment was more than a position; it was a validation of their capacity and contribution to the state.
Their appreciation goes beyond appointments. The community points to the construction of the Manyam–Unongo Village road via Amahundu–Adikpo as a lifeline that has altered their daily reality.
The road, they recall, proved crucial during the burial of their illustrious son and elder statesman, the late Wantaregh Paul Iorpuu Unongo, in 2024. More importantly, it has now reconnected Kendev to major urban centres, easing the movement of people and allowing farmers to transport their produce to markets without the crushing hardships of the past.
Yet, beneath the commendation lies a deep-seated plea. Kendev, the community says, has never produced a Local Government Chairman for Kwande – not as elected, deputy, caretaker, or sole administrator – since 1976. This is despite parading an array of influential sons who have shaped politics at state and national levels.
The list is impressive: the late Wantaregh Paul Iorpuu Unongo, Second Republic Minister under President Shehu Shagari and Secretary of the 1979 Constitution Drafting Committee; the late John Msuega Aji, Chief of Staff to the first civilian Governor of Benue State, the late Aper Aku; Hon. Bemsen Dzoho, former State Secretary of the PDP during Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration; and Mr. Iorfa Dzoho, former APC Chairman in Kwande LGA. Even sons in the state civil service, they lament, have never been elevated to the rank of Permanent Secretary.
Against this backdrop, the community is making a passionate appeal to Governor Alia to extend his hand of fellowship further. They are asking for more appointments for their sons and daughters and for urgent intervention in critical areas of need.
Their demands are basic but vital: rural electrification to light up their homes, motorized boreholes to end perennial water scarcity, rehabilitation of the moribund Local Government Health Clinic at Amahundu, and the establishment of a Government Technical Science College to secure the future of their children.
Expressing optimism that the Alia administration will correct decades of historical imbalance, the people of Kendev pledged their unflinching support for the government’s policies and programmes, particularly its mantra of “Efficiency and Results.”
For them, inclusion is not just about politics; it is about belonging, development, and finally having a seat at the table.
