Alia’s Nominates Dr. Ornguga
Today’s nomination of Associate Professor Timothy Yangien Ornguga as a commissioner by Governor Hyacinth Alia has stirred strong reactions from his former students, with sharp divisions emerging across academic and political lines on social media.
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Dr. Ornguga, a respected academic and current Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Law at the Benue State University (BSU), was among the eight names in the first batch of commissioner-nominees forwarded to the Benue State House of Assembly for screening. While Governor Alia has pledged to select candidates based on “transparency, competence, and inclusivity,” the nomination of Ornguga is drawing contrasting testimonies, particularly from those who sat under his tutelage.
Traumatised Students
Kamo Sende, a lawyer and former student of Dr. Ornguga, took to social media to share a bitter recollection of his time in the Law of Evidence class under the nominee. Sende described the academic as “discouraging” and “traumatic,” accusing him of taking pride in failing students and even sharing such news with his spouse.
“Imagine failing a course because you couldn’t spell his Tiv name, ‘Yangien’—even though he was widely referred to as just Ornguga,” Sende recounted. “If he brings the same energy to public service, may God have mercy on the staff of whatever ministry he heads.”
Sende’s opened the floodgates and tens of testimonies followed. Popular activist and humanitarian Ukan Kurugh reported 54 negative testimonials about Ornguga. Sende’s Law class of 2015 has even started a petition to the Benue State House of Assembly Speaker Aondona Dajoh “to step down the nomination of Associate Prof. Timothy Yangien Ornguga as commissioner designate in Benue State.”
“Leadership should uplift, not traumatise,” says the petition on Change.org.
The Defending Scholar
In response, another BSU Law graduate, Chief Bemgba Iortyom, rose in defense of Dr. Ornguga, describing him as principled and incorruptible.
“He lays down the ground rules from day one and never deviates. He’s not perfect, but he is not corrupt and cannot be associated with scandal,” Iortyom stated, urging the public to value Ornguga’s moral integrity in a time when such values are rare.
A Political Testimony: Dr. Alex Adum’s Perspective
Adding a political weight to the discourse is Dr. Alex Adum, former Attorney General of Benue State during Governor Samuel Ortom’s administration. Adum, who encountered Dr. Ornguga as a postgraduate student while pursuing his Ph.D. in Law at BSU, offered a more nuanced perspective.
“Dr. Ornguga was meticulous, thorough, and exacting in his teaching and research methodology. He demanded brevity and precision,” Dr. Adum said.
He likened Ornguga’s misunderstood academic persona to the late Prof. Goldface Irokalibe, a revered but initially unpopular lecturer at Ahmadu Bello University (Zaria). Both, he said, were often misjudged by students unfamiliar with their demanding but effective approaches.
“Such personalities can be greatly misunderstood, as I misunderstood one of my own lecturers in Zaria… Only later did we appreciate their brilliance and commitment to academic excellence,” Adum noted.
He emphasised that while Ornguga may come off as austere or business-like, especially to undergraduates, his scholarly discipline and refusal to indulge mediocrity should be considered assets in public administration.
“He may not suffer fools gladly, but he is not a bad man. The state needs the services of such people in our public service,” Adum concluded. “Every coin has two sides.”
Awaiting Screening
Dr. Ornguga, along with seven others including Hon. Theresa Odachi Ikwue, Dr. Margaret Ijaguwa, and Hon. James Dwem, is expected to face screening by the Benue State House of Assembly in the coming days. A second list of nominees is anticipated shortly.
Governor Alia’s recent shake-up—dissolving the state’s Executive Council and appointing Barr. Moses Atagher as Chief of Staff—signals a recalibration of his administration’s direction midway through his tenure. Some say this step is as a result of a political truce brokered between Alia and his estranged political benefactor, George Akume, who is the Secretary to Government of the Federation. The truce was said to have been brokered in Brazil, during President Tinubu’s visit there, with Alia in tow. As new faces like Dr. Ornguga step into potential leadership roles, the public remains watchful to know if Akume’s loyalists are going to feature in the new equation.
But, whether the meticulous professor becomes a transformative force or carries his tough-love approach into governance, one thing is certain: Dr. Ornguga’s legacy has already begun to stir passionate debate across Benue.
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