The Executive Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormem Alia, currently participating in the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, has added his voice to the call for Africa, and Nigeria in particular, to be granted permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council.
Governor Alia argued that Africa has come of age in terms of impact and necessity and therefore qualifies for a permanent seat. He highlighted Nigeria’s extensive contributions to international peacekeeping, noting the country’s long-standing history of deploying troops and police to UN missions worldwide. These include major operations in the Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone (through ECOWAS/ECOMOG) and Darfur, positions that, he said, establish Nigeria as a key pillar of global peace and security.
The governor further maintained that as Africa’s most populous nation and one of its largest economies, Nigeria represents a significant demographic and economic bloc that should be included to make global governance structures more legitimate and representative of the modern world. He pointed to Nigeria’s dominant leadership role within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the African Union, where the country has spearheaded regional counter-terrorism efforts, mediated political crises and supported democratic transitions across West Africa.
Rev. Fr. Alia also noted that Nigeria has served multiple terms as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council more frequently than almost any other African nation, demonstrating a consistent institutional commitment to the United Nations agenda and processes.
The position was conveyed by Dr. Mkor Aondona Donatus, Special Adviser to the Governor on Strategy, Research and Documentation.
