Re: One by one

Beyond its synoptically refreshing insight into the politics and politicians of the second republic, the piece, is disguisedly critical of Lar and his political career-particularly, his emancipation agenda-and provokes conceptually pregnant issues desiring of critical interrogations. Immediately, however, I am concerned with two issues he raised: a) Aper Aku’s media exposure, and b) J. S. […]

Beyond its synoptically refreshing insight into the politics and politicians of the second republic, the piece, is disguisedly critical of Lar and his political career-particularly, his emancipation agenda-and provokes conceptually pregnant issues desiring of critical interrogations. Immediately, however, I am concerned with two issues he raised: a) Aper Aku’s media exposure, and b) J. S. Tarka’s role in Aku’s affidavit.
Mahmud had averred that: ‘In terms of media exposure, Lar’s next door neighbour Mr Aper Aku of Benue was better known nationally because of the affidavit that he swore in court alleging corrupt enrichment on the part of Benue Plateau Military Governor, Police Commissioner Joseph Gomwalk’. I disagree. The affidavit rather placed a very heavy load of public expectations and a moral burden on the shoulders of Aku. Aku aware of this gargantuan task starring him in the face quickly settled down and assembled a team of brilliant, intelligent and focused lieutenants to navigate in the waters of development.
The result came sooner than expected. From 1979 to 1983, Aku and his team had not just erected solid foundations for development but had gone ahead to embark on iconic policies and programmes that were nationally acclaimed. For instance, Aper Aku pioneered the sponsorship of indigenes for overseas trainings in professional fields. He had completed the processes of establishing a Benue State University before the military struck in1983. By 1993, ten years after the military putsch and following on the heels of Aku, Benue State made history by becoming the first state in the North to own a State University. Needless to say that today overseas training and establishment of State University is the fad in the North.
Aper Aku did so much for Benue State on account of which the Benue man is grateful. My intention is not to blow Aku’s trumpet-a task that there far more qualified persons than I-but to demonstrate that Aku’s media exposure was not hinged on his sworn affidavit but borne out of the development drives and accomplishments of his administration. To give a contrary interpretation to this amounts to distortion of facts and history.
The second point: The author commenting on the Aku affidavit postulated that: ‘Aku had been preceded in the affidavit swearing business by fellow Tivman Godwin Dabo who swore a sensational 1974 affidavit against the Federal Commissioner for Communications, reportedly at the instigation of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Tarka retaliated against Gomwalk by using Aku, which may explain why Aku got NPN’s governorship ticket’. Again, I disagree, for nothing could be more farther from the truth than this assertion.
But first, let me dispense with the innuendo of affidavit business. One needs not possess the powers of clairvoyance to note and deconstruct the statement: ‘Aku had been preceded in the affidavit swearing business by fellow Tivman Godwin Dabo’. Affidavit as a ‘business’ by fellow Tivman, says it all. The sociological characterizations of this innuendo can hardly be lost on any perceptive reader. The Fulani and Tiv are cousins. Mahmud Jega, a brilliant and intelligent Fulani that he is, should know the Tiv and their anthropological construction far better than this bigoted fixation(s) that have become  handy tags in negotiating social and political spaces in postcolonial Nigeria. I say no more.
More pointedly, Aper Aku was not used or sponsored by J. S. Tarka against Joseph Gomwalk. Aku, it should be said is in the first flight of university graduates from Northern Region having passed out from the famous Fourah Bay College-established on February 18, 1827- in 1964 and thereupon had had a very eventful, remarkable and sterling stint in  public service before his retirement into active politics.
It is important to point out that by 1964 many ethnic groups in the North had not produced a single graduate-in fact, I dare say;  a secondary school leaver. With Aku’s intellectual and public service experience and exposure, to then say, that he was used smacks of insult and uncharitable denigration of his person and intellect. Why would Aku be used: for money or what?
Importantly too, the old Benue was made of the present Benue plus half of the present day Kogi State. A multicultural environment that had: Tiv, Idoma, Igala, Bassa, Igede, Etulo, Nyifon, etc ethnicities. The contest for the NPN ticket was very competitive and delegates came from far and wide. If the Tiv delegates voted for him on grounds of consanguine considerations what of the majority of delegates? The choice of Aper Aku by the electorates was predicated on their
intrinsic belief in his competencies to govern a vastly multicultural Benue State not because of his petition against J.D. Gomwalk. Without doubt, J.S. Tarka played a pivotally crucial role in Aku’s nomination and subsequent election but it no less belied his charisma, carriage, capacity and sagacity.
Finally, there was no basis for retaliation. J.D. Gomwalk was neither an Awolowo protégé nor his appointee. From all available records, J. S. Tarka had no issues with the government of the day and given his ideological inclination was least disposed to primordial warfare.
Besides, J.S. Tarka was a very courageous, bold and daring politician and as such if he had grudges to grind with J.D. Gomwalk he wouldn’t have hidden behind his finger and delegated responsibilities. Aku should take full responsibilities for his actions and am sure if he was alive he would have taken strong exception to this sort of historical reconstruction that cast him in the mould of a zombie.
I have taken mental note of your gleeful refrain: ‘Chief Joseph Tarka did a complete political about turn in the second republic’ in both your first and second essay and will soon revert to address this issue.

Atah Pine, Vershima Uza Close, High Level, Makurdi