The wife of the paramount ruler of the Tiv Nation, Her Royal Majesty Professor Felicia Doowese Ayatse, has urged the federal government to take urgent action to end the persistent attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on farmers in Benue State, warning that failure to do so could result in nationwide food insecurity.
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Speaking on Saturday, May 23, 2025, at the Mba’Apostoli Cultural Festival held at Nuek Garden in Abuja, Professor Ayatse lamented that insecurity has paralysed farming activities across Benue, a key agricultural state in Nigeria.
“Farming has been halted in Benue because of the herders’ attacks,” she said. “I appeal to the federal government to help our farmers return to their farms. The dimension of insecurity this year is unprecedented. Hunger in Benue will affect the whole nation.”
The Honourable Commissioner representing Benue State at the Federal Character Commission, Hon. Silas Mcikpah, who served as the Father of the Day at the event, also emphasised the importance of agriculture and urged Nigerian youths to embrace farming as a means of ensuring food security and self-reliance.
In a show of ethnic solidarity, Chief James U. Ijioma, the Arusi Ozuitem, led a delegation of Igbo leaders to the festival. Speaking with AkweyaTV, Chief Ijioma praised the Tiv people for their strong agricultural heritage and called for unity among Nigeria’s diverse ethnic groups.
The event drew participation from several cultural and community organisations, including the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) and the Divine Open Doors Women Multipurpose Cooperative Society.
Speaking on behalf of NICO, Member Onwe described the Mba’Apostoli Festival as a celebration of continuity in agricultural traditions. “Mba’Apostoli literally means ‘tiny seed yam,’ which, though too small for planting, can still be consumed. It symbolises the resilience of our agricultural practices,” she explained.
Another NICO representative, Nyayo Blessing Uda, voiced concern about the gradual extinction of indigenous languages. She highlighted NICO’s ongoing efforts to offer free lessons in local languages and urged parents to ensure their children learn their native tongues.
The convener of the festival, Aveseh Asough, revealed that the 2025 celebration marked the seventh edition of the Mba’Apostoli Festival, themed “Seeds of Prosperity: Agric Meets Culture.” She noted that the festival’s vision extends beyond the symbolic seed yam to include cultural preservation, language promotion, business networking, and national unity.
A major highlight of the event was the conferment of the title Lifetime Matron of the Mba’Apostoli Festival on Her Royal Majesty Professor Mrs Ayatse, who also led the unveiling of the symbolic Mba’Apostoli seed yam alongside other dignitaries.
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