COOK-A-THON FOR BENUE IDPS by John Tumeun

Yesterday, 14 July 2023, the atmosphere at the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) Camp in Daudu, Benue state was lit up by Benue Entertainers, Social media activists, Beauty queens, chefs, and restaurateurs in Benue state led by Benue state celebrity priest Rev. Fr. Solomon Ukeyima (Tor KSS) in what was termed 'COOK-A-THON FOR IDPs BENUE STATE'. 

The aim of the COOK-A-THON marathon for IDPs in Benue State was to feed the huge crowd of Benue citizens who for years have been sent away from their ancestral homes by the killer Fulani herdsmen. The huge crowd whose lives were turned upside down in swift by the marauding herders, turning them beggars and reliant on others for survival and daily bread were before now predominantly successful farmers who once filled the Benue basket with food, giving Benue her acronym 'Food basket of the Nigeria'. 

It was all joyous at the Daudu IDPs camp as Benue chefs had a marathon to cook and feed the IDPs. While they ate and drank, the IDPs were entertained by Benue entertainment bigwigs like Iornmen Solomon JP, A high-class Tiv traditional folk singer and president of the Association of Benue Entertainers (ABE), top comedian Kenneth Iornumbe aka Mbolo, Adoo Ugbaa aka Omo Benue, and a host of other entertainers. Benue Social media activists and humanitarians, like Ukan Kurugh, Krayzeetee Atu, Chef Asor Moses Tarvihi, and others were active at the event. 

The event also saw the presence of beauty queens, Queen Daisy Ephraim Terkaa, the Face of Tiv International 2022, Queen Kpadoo Upev, Benue Chubby Queen, and many other Benue dignitaries. 

Through the planning committee of the event, headed by Rev. Fr. Solomon Ukeyima, the convener of the famous Kyegh Sha Shwa (KSS) annual festival, and Mr. Ukeyima John, foodstuff, drinks, vehicles for transportation, and cash contributions poured in from well-meaning Benue sons and daughters to make the COOK-A-THON for IDPs in Benue State a success. 

Notable among donours were the Speaker of Benue State House of Assembly Hon. Aondona Dajoh, Benue-born international footballer Moses Orkuma, President Association of Benue Entertainers (ABE) Chief Iornem Solomon JP, Benue Beauty Queens, Queen Daisy Ephraim FOTI, Queen Kpadoo Upev, and a host of many others.

We can recall that the COOK-A-THON trend became popular in Nigeria when chef Hilda Effiong Bassey aka Hilda Baci from Akwa Ibom, in May 2023 set out to break the record for the longest cooking marathon (individual), Guinness Book of Records. The Benue COOK-A-THON for IDPs was different. In a post on his Facebook page, the secretary of the COOK-A-THON FOR IDPs Benue State, Mr. Ukeyima John UKmoni, while calling for contributions from well-meaning people for the marathon said, "The COOK-A-THON for IDPs in Benue State is not records purposes." Someone else said this marathon was to "break hunger" not records.

Internally displaced persons (IDPs) are scattered across camps in Benue State for almost a decade and they have desired to survive and to go back to their ancestral homes as soon as possible. It is also a collective prayer of the people of goodwill in Benue that the present government of Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia (Ph.D.) fulfills its campaign promises of securely sending the IDPs safely back to their homes soon so that they can not only join the rest of the citizens of Benue to enjoy their freedom, but also return to their various farmlands and continue to contribute to the food basket of the nation, and the new Benue of renewed hope. 

Let me end this article by sending my best wishes to the chief planner of the Benue COOK-A-THON for IDPs, Rev. Fr. Solomon Mfa Ukeyima, who is celebrating his 47th birthday today, 15th July 2023. Padre, your works of goodwill and services to humanity in Benue State shall be written down on the sands of time for generations immemorial. May Heaven grant you health, wealth, longevity, and wisdom to continue to unite, strengthen, advise, encourage, and feed, where necessary, the people of Benue State and beyond. HAPPY BIRTHDAY FR. SOLOMON MFA.