33 years after he was executed as head of a failed military coup, Late Major Gideon Orkar was Thursday immortalised by Governor Samuel Ortom who renamed the 9.7km Terwase Agbadu-Tse-Poor-Apir Road after him.
The Benue State Chief Executive stated that it was a decision of the State Executive Council that late army officer who stood for the cause of justice, equity and fairness in the country but was unfortunately executed by the military junta after a failed coup for his patriotism.
According to statement by the Governor’s spokesman, Mr. Nathaniel Ikyur, the elder brother of the deceased Army officer, Prof. Kpamor Orkar, on behalf of the Orkar family, expressed appreciation to the Governor and the Benue State Government for immortalising a member of their family.
Recall that the late Major led a coup on April 22, 1990 to dethrone former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, which led to the death of the Aide de Camp to the president, Col. UK Bello.
The coup was foiled by officers and men loyal to Babangida. A subsequent military trial ordered the execution of Orkar and other officers who plotted the coup.
Ortom also commissioned a 14km Mobile Barracks-Welfare Quarters Road and named it after the first Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ayua Num.
He said the road, which was in a deplorable state, was constructed by his administration to ease the burden of the people and commended the Contractor, Triacta Nig Ltd for timely delivery on the project.
Ter Makurdi, Chief Vincent Aule praised the Governor for executing several projects in his domain, saying his legacies will outlive him.
Ortom has also lauded his wife, Dr Eunice Ortom, for complementing the government’s efforts toward general service delivery to the people through her pet project, the Eunice Spring of Life Foundation, ESLF.
Governor Ortom spoke Thursday, May 18th, 2023 during the commissioning of ESLF Integrated Health Facility at Apir in Makurdi, the state capital.
The Governor in his speech acknowledged that “The initiative to construct and operationalise this health facility was to complement Government’s efforts in providing optimal health services to the most needy persons, especially women, children and Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) among other marginalized groups.”
He expressed satisfaction that ESLF has recorded appreciable achievements by bringing prevention, care and support services to the most vulnerable, noting that the interventions have a positive impact on the beneficiaries with regard to poverty reduction and also added value to health awareness campaigns.
Governor Ortom assured that the Government shall deepen the exploration of viable partnerships and other workable strategies in the pursuit of the vision of a decent society.
Government, according to the Governor, “Will continue to provide the enabling environment and support for meaningful interventions like this to succeed in their genuine efforts to better the lives of the people,” he stated.
“The operational and sustainability plan of the Eunice Spring of Life Foundation Integrated Health Facility is also anchored on partnership because it is not within the mandate of the Foundation as a non-profit organisation to engage in a profit making venture of this nature.”
Governor Ortom added that the facility was “a product of the collaborative effort of the Foundation’s corporate individual partners who have supported financially, morally and general resource wise” stating that it was a testament to the efficacy and critical benefits that strategic partnership(s) and collaboration could bring to bear on growth and development of the state.
In her remarks, Wife of the Governor and Founder ESLF, Dr Eunice Ortom stated that the Foundation which is nonpartisan, nonreligious and non-governmental was focused on reaching people of the state in the thematic areas of health, education, economic empowerment with a bias to agriculture and environment and governance.
She said the Foundation has continued to reach the less privileged and downtrodden through medical outreaches, entrepreneurship training to promote economic self reliance particularly among the youth and women.
Chairman of Nigerian Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig-Gen Burba Marwa, (rtd), NDLEA who was represented by the Zonal Commander of NDLEA, Umaru Ambrose commended the ESLF Founder for being in the forefront in championing war against drug abuse, while former Chairman of EFCC, Mrs. Farida Waziri praised the Founder for taking the issue of rehabilitation of drug addicts seriously.
The Director General of Nigerian Directorate of Employment, NDE represented by Mallam Isa Abdu, Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Universities Commission, NUC who spoke through, Prof. David Yawe all pledged partnership with the Foundation in its key thematic areas, describing the project as transgenerational in impact.
President, Africa Regional Council of Women, Dr Gloria Laraba Shoda said the facility was an innovative one which is one of the best in the country that meets the needs of the people in line with SDGs.
Wives of the Tor Tiv and Och’Idoma, Prof. Felicia Ayatse and Mrs. Omaba Martha Elaigwu in separate goodwill messages extolled the virtues of ESLF Founder, saying the Foundation was a legacy that will stand the test of time, adding that Mrs Ortom has made Benue women proud.
Facilities at the Integrated Health Facility include Maternal and Child Specialist Unit, Out-Patient Department, Open Rehabilitation Unit, Executive Rehabilitation Duplexes and Skills Acquisition Center.
The facility is to offer a broad range of specialist services in gynaecology, paediatrics, surgery, medicine, drug/substance abuse rehabilitation, mental health and psycho-social counseling and other variegated forms of support.