The news of the
passage of His Royal Highness, Orchivirigh Dr. Alfred Akawe Torkula, Tor
Tiv, IV, was received with shock by most Nigerians, especially the
people of Benue State where the paramount ruler was the chairman of the
State's Traditional Council. He died on November 23, 2015 at an Abuja
hospital where he was rushed to a week earlier after he suddenly took
ill in Gboko, traditional headquarters of the Tiv nation.
Dr. Alfred Torkula
was a great bridge builder who contributed immensely to the development
of Benue State and the northern region. An astute administrator and
technocrat, the Bemgha U Tiv (Lion of the Tiv Nation), who ascended the
throne in April 1991, was a revered spiritual guide of his people. He
was a true custodian of the rich culture and traditions of the Tiv
nation.
The late Tor Tiv
was a great advocate of peace and unity, and he played a pivotal role in
trying to find a lasting solution to the incessant communal conflicts
in the North Central geo-political zone, especially the clashes between
farmers in Benue and neighbouring Nasarawa and Taraba states with Fulani
herdsmen. He was a reformist who encouraged and promoted the peaceful
co-existence of different ethnic nationalities in the country.
Some of his
achievements include the creation of 14 second class stools in his
domain; proposed creation of six additional first class stools and 60
third class chiefdoms in the Tiv Area Traditional Council (TATC) as well
as the introduction of the use of beads by traditional rulers in Tiv
land. Instead of the turban that is the usual wear of royal fathers in
the North, Dr. Torkula instead adopted the traditional regalia of the
leopard skin cap and beads popular with kings of Bantu origin, where the
Tiv link their ancestry. He brought integrity, colour and glamour to
the traditional institution to the admiration of many in Benue State and
beyond. He also introduced honourific chieftaincy titles which were
bestowed on
prominent Tiv sons and daughters as well as non-indigenes.
Some of the
beneficiaries of these titles include the late Alhaji Aliyu Mohammed, a
former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who was honoured
as the first Zege Mule U Tiv (The Great Shade of the Tiv), the highest
traditional title in the land, an honour that was later conferred on
ex-vice president Atiku Abubakar.
Before his
coronation in 1991, the Tor Tiv had spent more than two decades in the
state civil service, rising to the position of director general before
he was appointed Commissioner for Local Government Affairs by the then
Colonel Fidelis Makka administration. The Begha U Tiv was not just a
seasoned administrator; the versatile monarch of international repute
was also an educationist. He obtained a bachelor's degree in French from
the Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria and later bagged a Master's degree
from the University of Calabar, where he translated a play in English to
French for his thesis. He authored several books including 'Death and
Burial Customs of the Tiv People of Central Nigeria,' 'The Cosmology in
Tiv Worldview,' 'The Tiv Woman: Challenges and Prospects,' 'Presidential
Democracy in Nigeria: Grassroots Experience' and 'The Culture of
Partisan Politics in Nigeria: A Historical Perspective.'
The late
Orchivirigh Torkula served as Chancellor of the University of Ibadan
from March 1994 to November 2001 and was later appointed Chancellor of
the University of Calabar. Until his death he was the Chancellor of
Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State.
The late Tor Tiv
was born on July 14, 1944 in what is today known as Mbadwen district of
Guma local government area of Benue State. He lived an accomplished and
eventful life and the vacuum created by his demise will be difficult to
fill.
We urge the Tiv
Area Traditional Council and the concerned kingmakers to follow
diligently the established procedure in selecting the next Tor Tiv in
order not to create division among the people. May God grant his soul
eternal rest and his family and the entire Tiv nation the fortitude to
bear the irreparable loss. Amen!
