The Catholic priesthood is one of the oldest institutions in the world, dating back nearly 2000 years. Among the attributes associated with this ancient institution is the indelible character imprinted on its members, which concretizes the scriptural passage, “You are a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek” (Heb. 7:17).
In line with this spirit of a permanent and indissoluble brotherhood, all the priests of the Gboko Diocese invited home one of their own, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, the Executive Governor of Benue State, on Friday, 14th February, 2025, at St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Gboko.
At the event, which was tagged “THE HOME COMING OF FR. ALIA,” all the principal officers of the diocese were present: The Vicar General, Very Rev. Fr. Linus Huabo; the Diocesan Chancellor, Very Rev. Fr. Marcellinus Wende; all Episcopal Vicars; Deans of the various deaneries; Very Rev. Monsignor Emmanuel Udu; and the entire presbyterium of the Gboko Diocese.
Delivering his welcome address, the chairman of the Priests’ Council and Vicar for Clergy, Very Rev. Fr. Michael Dogo, maintained that the occasion was meant to welcome back home one of their own, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, who is on an extraordinary Apostolate.
He emphasised that the memories of the event would not be forgotten in a hurry. According to him, the marriage between the Church and the State is necessary to foster peace, progress, and development in the society. The Vicar further stressed that not only the priests, but also the Christian community in the state and beyond, is proud of the Governor, given his deep contributions in areas such as boosting the state’s civil service, consistent and timely payment of salaries, pensions, and gratuities; massive infrastructural development across many parts of the state; and significant achievements in the area of security; which the state is now enjoying relative peace. He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that Primary Health Care Centres in the state are functional, especially now that the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi has been transformed into an enviable facility by the governor.
He concluded by assuring the governor that the priests of Gboko Diocese would always have his back, offering constant prayers and Masses for him.
As part of the ceremony, the priests of the diocese organized a fundraising effort to support the building of Bishop Usuh University in Vandeikya, which is intended to immortalize the first indigenous Bishop of Makurdi Diocese.
It is worth recalling that before the governor ventured into the gubernatorial race, he was appointed by the Bishop of Gboko Diocese, Most Rev. Dr. William Avenya, as the first Coordinator of the University project.
All the priests of the diocese took turns; organized by class year to make their generous contributions toward the success of the project. The set of 1976, led by Fr. Clement Mato, made their donation, while Very Rev. Monsignor Udu led the set of 1979. Fr. Alumunku stood in for the set of 1981, which includes Bishop Avenya and David Agu. His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Benue State, Very Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, belongs to the set of 1990, alongside Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Doki. They also jointly made their donation.
On behalf of all the priests, Monsignor Emmanuel Udu presented a large cross to the governor, assuring him that the cross would be a source of strength and courage for him, urging him to bear patiently the weight of the people of Benue. He also gave the Governor a holy Rosary, asking the Virgin Mary, the Mother of all Priests, to intercede for him.
In his response, the Governor expressed his gratitude to the Bishop of the Diocese and all the priests for the honour, promising never to be a source of disappointment. The governor emphasized the importance of education and stated how pleased he was to see that the assignment given to him by the Church before he ventured into politics had not been abandoned by the diocese. He assured his fellow priests of his willingness to collaborate with the diocese to ensure that this great feat is achieved.
The governor expressed deep appreciation for the Church’s holistic training of priests, noting that this enables them to achieve so much with very little resources. He remarked that this is the secret to the success of his administration.
The governor was accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dcns. Serumun Deborah Aber, Esq; the Principal Private Secretary (PPS) to the Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Chenge; the Commissioner for Education and Knowledge Management, Rev. Dr. Frederick Ikyaan; the Commissioner for Trade, Commerce & Industries, Hon. Orpin Alumo Manasseh, the chairman of the Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rev. Fr. Michael Melladu; and many other appointees.
– Comrade Reuben is the Private Secretary to the Governor & PSA on ICT & New Media.
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