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TERVER AKASE: A BLEND OF HUMILITY AND COURAGE

Published

4 years ago

October 9, 2021

By Mathias Iyaha

A British Academic Author, Douglas Everett once said “There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.” Everett may have apparently factored someone like Terver Akase, the immediate past Chief Press Secretary to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state in that narrative.

Akase shattered the odds which made it look unlikely or bizzare for a media aide or publicist to aspire to succeed his boss. But he is on a voyage to turn his dream into reality.

When the accomplished journalist and quintessential image maker hinted on his desire to contest the Benue state governorship come 2023, some people felt it was another publicity stunt and a mere joke.

Little did such people know that any man who is committed to a cause can even without listening, heed to Richard Templar’s admonition that “When you are passionate you can be bold because you have that drive, that enthusiasm, that courage, that excitement.”

When Governor Ortom introduced Akase among others aspiring for the Benue top job at a decamping ceremony in Gboko, the ancestral headquarters of the Tiv people, it was a double shocker for the skeptics. First, they were taken aback that he was mentioned among the acclaimed giants waiting to throw their hats into the ring. Secondly, the ovation that greeted the mention of his name was not anticipated by many, owing partly to the fact that he was the youngest of the governorship aspirants on the podium. That was a loud message.

Fast forward to September 29, 2021 when Terver Akase tendered his resignation letter to the Governor and had an interactive session with journalists at the Benue Peoples House, Makurdi. Many of the gentlemen of the press were visibly sober because the man who had made their job easy and access to the Governor seamless was leaving the stage. They however, didn’t hide their joy that he was aspiring to go higher, apparently blazing the trail for men of the pen profession to believe in their ability to be in the driving seat.

That same day, a reception was organized for Akase by a group, known as ‘Friends of Terver Akase’. It was meant to be a brief and modest event; but the turnout and ecstasy that characterized the gathering turned it into a carnival-like occasion, leaving Akase and even the organisers overwhelmed. The testimonies of people he helped even without meeting them and those he assisted to gain access to the Governor inundated the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka Foundation, venue of the reception-turned rally.

From commercial motorcyclists, women and youth groups, student bodies to people living with disabilities, chants of “Akase 2023” rented the air.

For a man who made it a policy that people must have access to their Governor or have the state chief executive hear their worries and concerns directly, now aspiring to occupy the top seat in Benue State will mean ensuring that the people have unfettered access to the man who leads them.

Akase’s six years as the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor revolutionized that position and gave it the complexion and prestige it deserves. His temperament, composure, dexterity, humility and utmost display of emotional intelligence while speaking for his boss in the face of unprovoked media attacks made him a shining example of contemporary leadership.

His capacity, commitment to duty and innovative engagement with the people on behalf of the Governor also cleared any doubt about his ability to lead the state credibly.

Akase’s reliability and respect for official matters apparently consolidated his place in the state executive council meeting, the highest decision-making body of the state where the most important state matters are discussed. That he was part of the exco meetings all through the period he held sway as the Governor’s spokesperson is enough for him to be abreast of what to do if given the opportunity to govern the state.

Akase’s transparency and accountability in dealing with the public and those he worked with threw him up as a man who would be a sure bet for the sustenance of the legacies of Governor Samuel Ortom. The intelligent, humble but dogged prolific writer has also been solidly behind Governor Ortom in the fight against insecurity, especially the invasion of Benue communities and genocidal attacks by militia herdsmen who have turned the state into a killing field displacing millions of rural dwellers and sending children out of school. Benue people will have nothing to worry about with him in the saddle as he does not have the tendency to abandon the war that Governor Ortom has wedged against the senseless killings in the state even when his political future and life were clearly on the line.

Yes, there is the tendency for some people to view Terver Akase’s resignation to pursue his governorship ambition as foolhardy; but he must have unconsciously listened to the counsel by the last Empress of Russia, Catherine the Great when she said “I beg you take courage; the brave soul can mend even disaster.” The renowned publicist has indeed taken courage, as without doubt, it takes courage and bravery to serve because in the words of American Actor, Kevin Hall, “A life of significance is about serving those who need your gifts, your leadership, your purpose.” This is the time that Benue people need the leadership and purpose of Akase to continue from where Governor Ortom will stop in 2023.

Akase is not a money bag who wants to bulldoze his way to power using financial muscle. He equally doesn’t carry the gait of a man looking to come into power without the consent of the people he seeks to govern. But he has always said he depends on the people to let him serve them since in the words of the 16th President of the United States of America, Abraham Lincoln, “no man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent”. That is why he has persistently told his supporters not to attack other aspirants, but persuade the people to give him the mandate to govern them. In his words, “I have joined the governorship race to seek the opportunity to further contribute to the development of our dear state. So I will appeal to you who are supporting me to always be civil and polite to all others who are seeking the same office”.

Akase has an agenda that is not too ambitious, but targeted at holistic development of human and material resources of the state. That he has plans for all demographics in the state is a testament to the fact that he is the man to beat to the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP and the general election. Benue people are no doubt, lucky to have this young man who has that burning desire to contribute to the development and growth of the agrarian state.

Terver Akase who was born 44 years ago into the family of Pius Akase Ikpor of Agbeede, Gaav in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State holds a 2nd Class Upper Degree in Mass Communication from Benue State University, Makurdi (2004) and an MSc in Mass Communication. Akase has also completed his dissertation for a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Strategic Studies. He attended the College of Advanced and Professional Studies, Makurdi before gaining admission into the University.

He is an alumnus of the prestigious International Visitor Leadership Programme, IVLP of the United States of America. Akase is a member of many professional bodies among which are the global network of journalists called Investigative Reporters and Editors, IRE, and Committee to Protect Journalists, CPJ, based in the United States.

Akase joined the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, FRCN in September, 2006, barely six months after his mandatory one year national service in Enugu state. He was Radio Nigeria’s correspondent in Rivers state between January, 2008 and 2013. Within the period of his stay in Port Harcourt, he upset the odds and became the Chairman of the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ. Before his appointment as a media aide to the Benue state governor in 2015, Akase was a Principal Editor and the Transportation Correspondent for Radio Nigeria network.

The calm, cool, but ever-efficient *Man of the Press* as some of his colleagues fondly call him has a good blend of public service and governance having spent about ten years in Radio Nigeria and six years in the corridors of power, watching keenly and playing active roles.

That pedigree has made him well prepared and adequately positioned to succeed Governor Samuel Ortom, a great man whose fight for the survival of Benue people and other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria must be sustained.

* Iyaha, a public affairs analyst writes from Makurdi, Benue State. 08060521213

News

The Most Shocking A/Court ‘Judgment’ in Nigerian History: An unfortunate precedent that should not be allowed to stand

Published

6 hours ago

November 30, 2025

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The last is yet to be heard of wide ranging ex-parte orders as this time around, the charade has moved to the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division. In the case of FBN Quest & Another vs. Nestoil & Others, the Court of Appeal’s ex parte orders are not only egregious but a chilling sign of judicial capture, smacking of dirty practices at best and corruption at worst.

On Thursday, 27th November 2025, at exactly 2:00pm, Justice Yargata Nimpar delivered a ‘ruling ’ that appeared like a thief in the night, a ghost and unscheduled, the said decision came upon a Motion Ex-parte which was not heard not argued in open court, yet it surfaced, fully written, signed, stamped, and delivered as though it had lived a full life on the Court of Appeal docket.

For many Nigerians, the judiciary has again weathered the storms. Veterans of the legal system describe this episode as “a daylight heist… a judicial armed robbery without guns.”

The controversies over wide ranging ex-parte applications, it would seem, has found its way to the Court of appeal, an intermediate court with limited original jurisdiction as donated to it by statute.

In this instance, barely two weeks ago, we reported the ex-parte orders against NESTOIL and the other defendants listed in the suit before the Federal High Court which led to the transfer of the suit to another judge.

The said interim orders were vacated by effluxion of time, being that ex-parte orders last for only 14 days.

The court however ordered parties to maintain status quo and adjourned the Motion on Notice for hearing by the consent of the parties. That Motion is still pending before the Federal High Court.

It would seem that in order to frustrate that pending Motion, the Plaintiffs somehow filed a similar application to the Court of Appeal which was granted an order ex-parte directing the Lower Court not to take any further steps, including determining the pending application filed by Plaintiffs (now Appellants).

This magically resurrected, fast-tracked application seem to have been rubber-stamped at the fictional “Appeal Bench of Shadows,” as insiders have begun calling it.

A CASE THAT NEVER EXISTED — YET RECEIVED A JUDGMENT

Our Judiciary correspondent gathered that when the court’s official list for the day was released, nothing seemed amiss. No controversial cases. No unexpected hearings.

But somewhere inside the dusty chambers of bureaucracy, a secret file was already being prepared and by 2pm, a judgment carrying the signatures of an entire appeal panel had surfaced — even though none of them had appeared in open court and when the case itself had never been argued before any High Court, making an appellate ruling legally impossible.

By evening, whispers had turned into rumblings. Court workers who handled the mysterious document reported unusual instructions: No public sitting; No mention on the court list; No access to case filings; No digital record and No audio recording of proceedings. Yet an order was made retrospectively to undo a completed act! which is yet another impossibility in law, because the exparte order cannot restore what has been already executed.

“It was like dealing with a ghost file,” one clerk said. “It appeared from nowhere and disappeared into official archives as though it had always existed.”

This judgment, once delivered, spread like wildfire, with legal scholars calling it “a constitutional impossibility.” Veterans said they had never seen anything similar since the 1970s.

Enquiries from our judiciary correspondents indicate that an application can only be hinged upon a valid Notice of Appeal against a decision of a lower court before any application can be entertained at the Court of Appeal.

Further Investigations by our judiciary correspondent reveals that no such Notice of Appeal has been filed nor served on the respondents; no parties have been invited to Settle Records and no Records of Appeal have been transmitted.

One wonders the platform or upon which grounds the ex-parte order was made, observed one senior lawyer, especially as a similar pending application filed by the Appellants has been adjourned for Hearing by the Federal High Court.

Furthermore, the case at the trial court before Justice Osiagor has not been heard on its merits, which documents was placed before the appellate court and all applications before the judge has not been heard or is the court of appeal now a trial court.

A JUDICIARY AT A CROSSROADS

Public outrage rose quickly. Lawyers described the situation as “a hijacking of justice by shadowy interests.” Civil society groups demanded explanations.

A Judiciary where justice can be manufactured behind closed doors…a legal system where influence not merit, decides outcomes…and an institution tested by the weight of powerful external forces, et cetera should not be allowed to thrive.

AN ERA-DEFINING SCANDAL

This judgement will stand as one of the most dramatic challenges ever faced by Nigeria’s justice system. The shockwaves has rippled far beyond the courtroom — touching politics, business, security agencies, and public trust.

One thing is clear: This is the kind of judicial earthquake that rewrites history, shakes institutions, and forces a nation to confront the truths it fears the most. Our judicial correspondences were able to get an incline of the ex-parte orders made by the Court of Appeal as follows:

AN ORDER of interim restorative injunction reversing all steps taken by the Respondents and/or persons purporting to act on the instructions of the Respondents and which steps or actions were taken pursuant to the order of the Federal High Court coram Osiagor, J made on the 20th day of November 2025 pending the hearing and determination of the Appellants’ Motion on Notice filed on the 26th day of November 2025.
AN ORDER of interim injunction restraining the Respondents, their agents, servants, affiliates, and privies from interfering with and interrupting the Receiver/Manager in the performance of his duties pending the hearing and determination of the Appellants’ Motion on Notice filed on 26th November 2025.
AN ORDER staying further proceedings at the lower court pending the hearing and determination of the Appellants’ Motion on Notice filed on the 26th November 2025.

A SHOCKING DEPARTURE FROM JUDICIAL NORMS

Therefore, the Lagos Court of Appeal’s decision to grant ex parte orders in FBN Quest & Another vs. Nestoil & Others stunned the legal community as ex-parte rulings are meant for rare emergencies and hardly exercised by appellate courts. By acting without hearing both sides, while the matter was already before the Federal High Court, the Court of Appeal has undermined the principle of natural justice and distorted its own role.

NIGERIAN IMAGE AT RISK

At a time when Nigeria is striving to reposition its global reputation, this case sends the wrong message. It portrays the country as one where courts can be hijacked by private interests, where fairness is discarded, and where corruption lurks behind judicial robes. For investors and international partners, it reinforces damaging stereotypes of weak institutions and compromised justice.

AN URGENT CALL FOR INVESTIGATION

These orders are not just irregular — they are evidence of judicial capture. They must be investigated urgently. The Chief Justice of Nigeria, the National Judicial Council, the President of the Court of Appeal and the Nigerian Bar Association cannot remain silent. If appellate courts become arenas for ex-parte adventures, Nigeria’s justice system risks collapse under the weight of manipulation.

CLOSING NOTE

The Court of Appeal’s conduct in FBN Quest & Another vs. Nestoil & Others is more than a misstep, it is a warning sign of judicial capture. If Nigeria is serious about restoring its image and strengthening democracy, this case must be investigated, accountability enforced, and reforms implemented. Anything less would be an abdication of the judiciary’s sacred duty to uphold justice. We must not allow that to happen.
A very Senior lawyer emphasize that the exparte order of the court of appeal lagos division in Nestoil has the possibility of eroding administrative control of Heads of superior Court from assigning or re assigning matters within their respective courts. Furthermore both the President of the Court of Appeal and the Chief Justice of Nigeria may not have the authority to disband a panel and re- constitute another panel over any matter in their respective courts. This decision is a total anarchy to the judiciary and urgent steps must be taken to vacate the strange Court of appeal exparte order.

The conduct of the court of appeal justices is not excusable anywhere in the world and it’s indeed has brought the court of Appeal justices who constituted the panel to ridicule

News

Pius Akutah’s Alleged Fraud at Nigerian Shippers Council Uncovered

Published

2 days ago

November 28, 2025

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Investigations by Nigerian Concord Newspaper reveal that the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Shippers Council, Mr. Pius Akutah, has allegedly misappropriated public funds for a lavish lifestyle.

According to our findings, within months of assuming office, Akutah allegedly purchased a bulletproof SUV valued at approximately N850 million. In addition, he is reported to have acquired over twenty exotic SUVs for use as a convoy.

Akutah is also said to have acquired multiple high-value properties, including three in Abuja’s Maitama and Asokoro districts worth over N2 billion, and two in Lagos’ Banana Island valued at N1.8 billion. These acquisitions appear far beyond the scope of his official salary and allowances.

Further investigation suggests that Akutah may be using public funds to support political ambitions, including allegedly grooming militants across 23 local government areas in Benue State for a potential 2027 gubernatorial bid.

Staff of the Shippers Council reportedly claim that Akutah frequently accesses the council’s treasury without proper authorization. Some insiders have indicated that a petition will soon be filed with the EFCC, ICPC, and the Presidency to report his alleged misconduct.