By Mercy Peter
The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Idoma Centenary Plus Celebration has held its inaugural meeting in Abuja, setting in motion what organisers describe as the most consequential gathering in the history of the Benue South Senatorial Zone.
The hybrid session, held at the Beteha Resort in Wuse, was chaired by Prof. Yakubu Ochefu, with Chief Emmanuel Ogbile serving as Co-Chair.
The BOT was formally inaugurated on January 24, 2026, by His Royal Majesty, the Ochi’Idoma, and mandated to plan a landmark centenary plus celebration to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Idoma Division in 1923 a defining moment in the administrative evolution of the Idoma, Igede, Ufia, and Akweya peoples in present-day Benue State.
Themed “Honouring Our Century, Forging Our Future,” the celebration is conceived not merely as a commemorative event but as a strategic platform for unity, development, and heritage preservation. Organisers say the initiative will document the collective memory of the people, deepen social cohesion among the Idoma, Igede, Ufia, and Akweya communities, and mobilise investments for sustainable growth.
With over 60 per cent of the population under the age of 35, youth empowerment will be central to the programme, alongside diaspora engagement and the recognition of distinguished sons and daughters of the land across the globe.
The nine-month schedule of activities, spanning March to December 2026, includes an Academic and Policy Summit; a Youth and Innovation Showcase featuring “Idoma’s Got Talent,” a Centenary Beauty Pageant, and an Innovation Fair; as well as the premiere of a Centenary Documentary across all nine local government areas of Zone C.
Other highlights will be a Women’s Empowerment Summit, a Grand Cultural Carnival featuring the ASK Festival and Unity Cup semi-finals, and a grand finale comprising an interfaith prayer service, Centenary Gala and Awards Night, Grand Durbar, Unity Cup finals, the launch of legacy institutions, and the historic burial of a time capsule to be opened during the bicentennial celebration in 2123.
Beyond the festivities, the celebration is expected to deliver concrete outcomes, including a published compendium of proceedings, a policy communiqué, youth development initiatives, and investment commitments.
Permanent legacy projects outlined by the BOT include the Idoma Hall of Fame, the Apa Leadership Academy, a Digital Museum, and a Centenary Scholarship and Innovation Fund. Unity sports competitions basketball, football, and lawn tennis will cut across all nine LGAs, reinforcing communal bonds and grassroots participation.
To ensure seamless execution, the BOT constituted ten sub-committees covering Finance and Resource Mobilisation, Media and Publicity, Academic and Policy, Youth and Innovation, Women’s Empowerment, Culture and Tourism, Health, Sports, Protocol and Events, and Ochi’doma Square and Legacy Projects.
The initiative draws support from a broad coalition of stakeholders, including the Idoma Area Traditional Council, the nine LGAs of Benue South, leading development associations such as Ochetoha K’Idoma, Omnyi Igede, and Ufia and Akweya Development Associations, as well as diaspora groups across the United States, Europe, and Australia.
The inaugural meeting attracted a cross-section of political leaders, traditional representatives, academia, professional bodies, and diaspora stakeholders.
Among those in attendance were representatives of Senator Aba Moro and members of the Benue State House of Assembly, heads of tertiary institutions in Zone C, presidents of Idoma associations in the United States and the United Kingdom, and youth and women leaders. Chief Dr. Paul Edeh, Secretary of the Board, also conveyed apologies from absent members.
Prof. Ochefu charged all committee members to ensure that preparatory activities, budget frameworks, and personnel structures are finalised by the end of March 2026.
He stressed that the centenary-plus celebration must reflect the resilience, heritage, and aspirations of the Idoma people and stand as a defining moment in the socio-cultural and developmental history of Benue South.
