No Alia, No Mota By Prof. Pita Agbese

Probably apart from the alleged beating of Ordubu deli over the weekend, the other major news trending on Benue’s social media today is that Gov Alia has “gifted” two brand new vehicles, a Toyota Landcruiser and a Toyota Hilux van, to Dr Stephen Hwande, the Chief Medical Director of the Benue State University Hospital, Makurdi. This trending news reminded me of two stories: first, George Orwell’s anthropomorphic farm animals in Animal Farm. In Animal Farm, every good thing that happened or was imagined to have happened was attributed to the benevolence and the foresight of Napoleon, the pig. Napoleon had led a rebellion against human oppressors of animals, it transformed itself into a ruthless dictator in the image of the human oppressors that he had overthrown. If it rained, it was because of Napoleon. If chicken laid eggs, the credit went to Napoleon. We are fast approaching that stage in which anything good that has happened in Benue or would happen in Benue between now and the return of Christ is attributed to the wisdom, foresight, and the benevolence of Gov Alia. The second story involved a distant relative of mine who, a few years ago, pleaded with me to thank her husband most profusely, for “gifting” her a Toyota Camry. At the time of her request, I was puzzled. She knew that I knew that the husband was so indigent that he could not have been able to buy a bicycle tube. She, on the other hand, was doing very well at her job, but in the fashion of a good African wife, she had to give the credit of buying a Camry for herself to her husband.

In what capacity did Alia “gift” Dr Hwande two brand new cars? The 2025 Landcruiser model costs a cool $71,351 or about 108 million Naira in the US. Its cost in Nigeria would be more than double the US cost. The most expensive model of the Hilux, according to Autotrader, costs over $112,000 or a whopping 170 million Naira. Its price in Nigeria, including a small commission for the lucky contractor, would be over 300 million Naira.

We have been told that Dr Hwande is a very hardworking and innovative medical director who has transformed the teaching hospital in positive ways, but that does not warrant a “gift” of hundreds of millions of Naira from Alia. Why does Dr Hwande need a convoy of two extremely costly automobiles? How would these vehicles make the teaching hospital a better medical facility? Is Dr Hwande going to be driving round the state in his capacity as the Chief Medical Director? Do those vehicles reflect the prestige of his directorship? If we add the costs of employing two new drivers and the maintenance of the vehicles to the total costs of this “gift” to Dr Hwande, we are left perplexed. This jumbo “gift” has put a very wide grin of contentment on Dr Hwande’s cherubic face, but it leaves a very bitter taste in our mouths. The vehicles do not add value to whatever Dr Hwande is doing at the hospital. No patient will be healed faster because Alia decided to “gift” Dr Hwande two very costly vehicles. Innovative surgeries will not be performed at the teaching hospital just because Dr Hwande is now chauffeured in two expensive automobiles. Alia and his hagiographic supporters have drummed it ad nauseam into our ears that Alia does not “share” money. Yea, right. He merely “gifts” vehicles worth hundreds of millions of Naira to “hardworking” medical directors who are rumored to be running for the Senate.