By: Lutor Isaac Ayaaga
A great thinker had noted that, ‘ selfless service entails loosing oneself entirely in commitment to service and humanity’ . Again a famous leadership and mentorship expert, John C Maxwell, has noted that, “ a leader is someone who knows the way, and shows the way” . According to Warren Bennis, “leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality”. While the above posers may set the tone to this discourse, it would also quickly suffice to douse the readers appetite on what possible lessons we can learn from some of the rare attributes and exemplary public conducts our young leadership elements, in this case Prof Kohol Shadrach Iornem readily comes to mind in an attempt to reasonably reflect on his benign humanist acts which is found quite compelling to delve into, atleast for mentorship. Prof Kohol Shadrach Iornem is a Benue born UK based education consultant and humanitarian, whose uncommon compassionate public acts deeply resonates whenever related discussions on human relationships are discussed particularly around the home front, state Benue. Several his admirers fondly refer to him as ‘Daddy u Samantha’ or Samantha’s Dad. Samantha is a young social media influencer with large retinue of followers earned mainly by her novel social media creative contents which has for some time now captivated the minds of followers with mesmerized admiration for the lessons and entertainment mostly of the Tiv value system and heritage daily displayed on the Facebook media handle and supported by her father , Prof Kohol Iornem. Several of the lower, middle, and elitist Tiv parents particularly those sojourned in faraway foreign developed countries, mostly the UK, US , Europe and other African countries are already modeling the act of parentage and child upbringing by fast imbibing the rich value system with which the Samantha Facebook content has brought in at least five years ago. Iornem reveals that monies made through these contents are usually sent for charity support especially back in Nigeria.
But this may just be a tip to the angle in which this inspirational essay seeks to achieve, for more lies in the attempt to learn from the uncommon acts of the exemplary Prof Kohol Shadrach Iornem . Acknowledged widely as a visionary, goal driven personality, Kohol Iornem has simply identified his life philosophy with a clearly articulated mission for humanity and service to his fellow kinsmen who live back home in Benue state, practically sharing in their challenges, aspirations and prospects on the daily.
His ultimate vision of first initiating and championing his selfless agenda to the people via his MENROI Rural Priority Foundation and the MZEHEMEN U TIV projects makes a definite and clear revelation of his selfless objectives in helping to build a generation of young men and vulnerable women, especially the widows across Benue communities. Notably, he has consistently kept a lending a hand of support and fellowship towards self sustenance and productivity of these segments . He has been indeed visionary enough to accommodate the less privileged students, and offered scholarships, usually extending a benevolent hand even to most of his Tiv people who had sought sojourn in the UK especially on early arrival . As an unofficial Tiv Ambassador in the UK , he has always been on hand to receive very important Tiv leaders and traditional rulers usually on arrival into the UK , whilst being there for the people both at home and in the diaspora.
His passion for the welfare, security and development of his Tiv ethnic society is unparalleled. In 2018, he had led a foremost protest in the United Kingdom to the UK Prime Minister along other patriots to demand of the Nigeria’s former colonialists’ quick intervention to end herdsmen killings against his Benue helpless farmers. This protest marked the beginning of global attention to the systematic killings of innocent citizens in the State, thus resulting to the pressure been intensified on the then FG led by former President Buhari who had to absolve itself of these senseless killings in Benue state. Iornem would not stop at that , he also kept the supply of relief items , including food items flowing into the Benue IDP Camps when he served as the President of the MUTUK while keeping alive vociferous voice against the mindless killings by the deadly invaders.
Former US President George W. Bush, once said, that, “leadership to me means duty , honor, country. It means character, and it means listening from time to time” This statement clearly aligns with Prof Kohol Iornem’s service ideology, believing that, ‘serving the people and always putting their welfare and interests ahead of personal comfort is what drives him on because he believe in a society where justice, fairness, and compassion especially for the most vulnerable reigns and flourishes above personal interest. In his unofficial role towards selfless service to humanity, he had continued to rely on integrity and honesty to completely define his public moral compass. With a possessive charismatic persona Kohol Iornem no doubt exudes a convincing inspiring public love and admiration from the people . His large retinue of followers and supporters are not a fluke, but entirely earned as it continues to surge daily, even when he is his still a private citizen doing the best in the good of humanity . His thoughts and considerations on political and community matters are highly rated and regarded as much as he is loved by both the young and old. Kohol Iornem is empathic, typically recognizing the feelings of the people as he usually goes further to understand their perspective, challenges and needs with solutions to always assist and support them.
He is widely testified to have assisted in training several younger elements, especially on the home front by granting scholarships, whilst giving out business start ups for entrepreneurs, and several widows in money making ventures for economic sustenance . He has been so benevolent, untiringly attending to the needs of many back home, acts which has naturally formed stronger bonds and nurtured fruitful relationships with his community and large retinue of networks back home .
He has largely attracted a growth and development mindset even without the luxury of being elected or holding public office. His development agenda for communities could be seen in some key buildings, renovations and equipping of rural clinics, the donation of medical machine for the treatment of Kidney to the Mkar Hospital while serving as MUTUK President, the provision of potable water systems to vulnerable communities ,and education infrastructure all accrues to his daily aspirations in serving humanity by ultimately placing the people as supreme actors in his selfless drive .
Like Nelson Mandela, one of the most important lessons that Kohol typically shares is that ‘ all leaders must treat everyone with the highest respect and honour. Treat each person as if they are the only ones in the world at that time and as if they are the only ones that matter’. It is possible to learn a great deal from the mentorship and rare kinds of Prof Kohol Iornem in potential adoption by the both the leaders and followers alike, demonstrating the significance of selfless and sacrificial relations through empathy and understanding in the best interest of society.
Kohol Iornem clearly models public decorum to cap as much as he is exceptionally passionate and articulate on the needs and welfare of fellow neighbor as replicated in the Holy Book. He is a philanthropist per excellence, a maker and keeper of friendship who has supported several people, some of whom he does not know but noting that life in a simple existence means being your brother’s keeper, and lifting the hands of those that are unable to be lifted, standing tall as advocates of justice for humanity , freedom and commitment for good cause , forthright attributes and activism in liberation of the people, patriotism for social crusade, and transparency in public conducts. Indeed Prof Kohol Shadrach Iornem has developed a life entirely devoted for humanity over time, thus worth mentioning for mentorship.
Lutor Isaac Ayaaga
Is an Entrepreneur, social rights activist, wrote from Makurdi, Benue State
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