Father Alia

Reverend Father Hyacinth Iormen Alia, born on May 14, 1966, at the age of 57, is widely recognized as Father Alia. He is a Catholic priest, albeit suspended, who has also ventured into politics. Hailing from the Tiv ethnic group, he originates from Vandeikya Local Government in Benue State.

Notably, he currently serves as the elected governor of Benue State. In a significant turn of events, he was suspended from his duties as a Catholic priest in 2022. This suspension arose due to his acquisition of a gubernatorial ticket that rendered him eligible to run for the Governor’s office in Benue State under the All Progressive Congress(APC) political party. Father Alia subsequently emerged victorious in the elections and took the oath of office on May 29, 2023.

He completed his First School Leaving Certificate program at St. Francis Primary School, located in Agidi, Mbatiav within the Gboko local government area of the state. In 1983, he embarked on his educational journey by enrolling at St. James Minor Seminary in Makurdi.

Subsequently, he gained admission to St. Augustine’s Major Seminary in Jos, where he pursued a diploma in Religious Studies in 1987 and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sacred Theology in 1990.

In 1999, he furthered his academic pursuits by obtaining a Master’s degree in Religious Education, specializing in Psychology and Counseling, from Fordham University in Bronx, New York City.

In 2004, he expanded his knowledge base with an additional master’s degree in biomedical ethics from Duquesne University in Pennsylvania.

Early Life and background

Educational Background

Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormen Alia’s early education took place in Agidi, Mbatiav, within the Gboko local government of Benue State. In 1983, he embarked on his educational journey by gaining admission to St. James Minor Seminary, where he successfully obtained his General Certificate of Education (GCE).

Driven by his dedication to serving God as a Catholic Priest, Alia pursued his studies at St. Augustine’s Seminary in Jos, which is an affiliated institution of the University of Ibadan. In 1987, he earned a Diploma in Religious Studies. Continuing his educational pursuits, he achieved a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Theology from an affiliate of Urbaniana University in Rome in 1990. His passion for learning led him to the United States in 1999, where he resided in Bronx, NY. There, he obtained a Master of Arts Degree in Religious Education with a specialization in Psychology and Counseling.

In 2004, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormen Alia extended his academic journey to Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. At Duquesne, he earned another Master of Arts Degree, this time in Biomedical Ethics. He went on to pursue a Doctorate Degree in the same field at the same university, which he successfully achieved the following year. Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Iormen Alia’s deep passion for serving God motivated him to continue his professional development through various training courses. He holds certificates from approximately four professional organizations across the country, and he is an active member of each of these bodies.

1. Catholic Health Services System Wide Ethics (Committee and Member Broward Ethics Committee
2. Member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains
3. He partakes in Cultural Diversity and Sensitivity: Mercy Hospital Physicians’ Reaction to Ethics Consults as well as In Harm’s Way; Suicide and its impact on our Families.
4. He also acquired four units of Clinical Pastoral Psychological Education and Development in Small Communities and Health Education and Communication: bringing HIV/AIDS Education to Benue State Nigeria.

Career

Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia gained prominence in Nigeria due to his reputed miraculous healing abilities. He commenced his spiritual journey by serving at the Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Makurdi, Benue State. It was at this point that Fr. Alia initiated his healing masses, initially drawing a modest congregation that convened every Saturday. Over time, these healing sessions expanded into a diocesan event, capturing the attention of parishioners from various churches, allured by the remarkable healing powers he displayed.

As word of mouth spread, people who had experienced healing from their ailments began sharing their stories with friends and family, rapidly elevating Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia’s healing masses to a topic of conversation in homes across the state and even throughout the country.

Fellow priests questioned the authenticity of Alia’s healing gift, he was eventually sent to the Vatican for an official confirmation of his healing abilities. After rigorous examination and scrutiny, it was affirmed that Alia’s healing power was indeed genuine and a divine gift from God, dispelling any doubts about its authenticity.

Following his time in the Vatican and the United States, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia returned to Nigeria. However, he was relocated from the Cathedral Church of Our Lady of Perpetual Help to St. Thomas Catholic Church in Anum, situated opposite the first gate of Benue State University in Makurdi. In his new assignment, he continued his priestly duties and played a pivotal role in the construction and enhancement of the church’s facilities, transforming it into a magnificent structure.

Subsequently, he was transferred to Vandeikya, his hometown, to continue his service to God at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Ikyaator. This transfer occurred in response to the establishment of the Gboko and Katsina-Ala Dioceses. Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia remained dedicated to his religious vocation in this new setting, continuing to serve and inspire through his spiritual ministry.

S/N	Service	Place of Service
1	Director of Pastoral Services, Catholic Health Services	North Campus Lauderdale Lakes, Florida United States
2	Chaplain	University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pennsylvania, United States
3	Chaplain	St Joseph Mercy Health System Ann Arbor, United States
4	Coordinator, Supervisor, and Chaplain	Jamaica Hospital and Medical Queens
5	Parochial Vicar	St John’s Parish Gboko, Benue state, Nigeria
6	Assistant Cathedral Administrator	Our Lady of Perpetual Help Cathedral Makurdi, Benue state
7	Parish Priest	St Jude’s Parish Koti-Yough
8	Parochial Vicar	Immaculate Conception Parish Astoria, New York
9	Parochial Vicar	Our Lady of the Cenacle Parish Richmond Hill Queens New York, United States
10	Parish Priest	Christ the King Parish Adi Etilo
11	Parish Priest	St Thomas Parish Anum Makurdi
12	Project Director	proposed Catholic University Ankaa, Vandeikya local government, Benue state

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Political career

Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Iormen Alia’s venture into politics was spurred by the mandate and fervent desire of the people who wished for him to assume a leadership role.

This call to politics emerged because of his reputed virtuous character, commendable actions, and his extraordinary gift of healing. His name became widely recognized throughout the state, resonating with people of all ages.

A significant portion of the populace held strong faith in his capabilities and were genuinely convinced that he possessed the qualities of an effective leader. It was this widespread belief and confidence in his leadership potential that led to his foray into the realm of politics.

Following his announcement of his intention to participate in the gubernatorial election, the Catholic Diocese of Gboko suspended him from his pastoral duties, where he had been actively serving.

The basis for this suspension was rooted in the ecclesiastical principle that prohibits members of the clergy from independently engaging in partisan politics, as outlined in Canon 285, paragraph 3 of the Code of Canon Law. The statement issued by the diocese explained the rationale for this action, highlighting that Father Alia, as their son, brother, and priest, had procured the party forms to compete in the Governorship race as a candidate for the All Progressives Congress (APC), a move that was deemed to be in direct conflict with the sacred calling of their vocation.

In spite of the challenges, he remained resolute in his pursuit of the governorship position, emphasizing the importance of his call to serve and uplift his constituents.

Additionally, after emerging as the victor in the APC gubernatorial primaries, he encountered a series of crises stemming from his political rivals within the party. These rivals alleged that the primaries were marred by irregularities and were not conducted in a fair and transparent manner.

Nevertheless, the culmination of his political journey occurred on Tuesday, August 23, 2022, when he was officially granted the INEC Letter of Acknowledgment as the gubernatorial candidate of his party for the 2023 general elections.

On March 21, 2023, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia achieved a significant milestone by being declared the victorious candidate in the 2023 Benue State governorship elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

He secured a total of 473,933 votes, surpassing his closest rival, Mr. Titus Uba of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who garnered 223,913 votes. The third position in the election was occupied by the Labour Party (LP) candidate, Herman Hembe, who managed to secure 41,881 votes.

References:

1. Daily Post Nigeria: Rev. Fr. Alia sworn in as Governor of Benue State
2. Trending Now: Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia Biography, Career, Education
3. Wikipedia: Hyacinth Alia
4. Daily Trust: Alia Sworn in as Benue Governor, Freezes State Accounts
5. Channels Television: INEC Declares Catholic Priest Fr. Hyacinth Alia Benue Gov-Elect
6. Supreme Magazine: Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia Sworn in as Benue Governor, Announces 7-Point Agenda
7. La Croix International: Suspended Priest in Nigeria Is Sworn in as State Governor
8. Pillar Catholic: Priest Sworn in as Governor of Nigeria
9. Punch: Assessment of Alia’s 7-Point Agenda for Benue