No to politicisation of Tor Tiv’s appointment

It is no more news that the king of Tiv people, traditionally known as Tor Tiv, is dead and buried. Also, it is not news that many Tiv sons are now eyeing the throne. The way some persons are even going about it, it is becoming very obvious to me that they might have prayed  for his death.

The appointment of the new Tor-Tiv has to be done traditionally. The Tiv Council of Elders are supposed to meet and discuss  in line with the customs of the Tiv people on how to get the next Tor-Tiv, but the reverse is the case.

I am shocked that the issue of who becomes the next Tor-Tiv is now a political topic that can be deliberated upon in the State House of Assembly. Some politicians who claimed to be serving the interest of the Benue People are rather serving their own personal interests and making things worse for the good people of Benue.

The powers that be should know that if they eventually succeed in imposing a less qualified and corrupt politician on the Tivs as their king, such a person will not be recognised by us (Tivs) as our king but by them as their king.

Politicians who always use their political power to impose their surrogates on people for their selfish interests should know that the appointment of the new Tor-Tiv is pure tradition and not politics. Therefore, they should allow tradition to take its course .

The Tivs’ Council of Elders who are the right people to discuss how to get the next Tor-Tor, have been ignored or sidelined, making them to look inconsequential in the eyes of the people.

• Awunah Terwase, Abuja.