Hyacinth Alia

Hyacinth Iormem Alia
19th Governor of Benue State
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 May 2023
DeputySamuel Ode
Preceded bySamuel Ortom
Personal details
Born (1966-05-15) 15 May 1966 (age 58)
Mbangur, Mbadede, Vandeikya, Benue State, Nigeria
Political partyAll Progressives Congress
OccupationPolitician, Catholic priest

Hyacinth Iormem Alia (born 15 May 1966) is a Nigerian Catholic cleric and politician who has been a serving governor of Benue State since 29 May 2023.[1][2][3]

Early life and education

Hyacinth Alia was born on 15 May 1966,[4] in Mbangur, Mbadede, Vandeikya local government area of Benue State.[5] He got his First School Leaving Certificate from St. Francis Primary school, Agidi, Mbatiav in Gboko local government area of the state and in 1983, he enrolled at St. James Minor Seminary, Makurdi.[6] He gained admission to study at St. Augustine's Major Seminary, Jos. He studied for a diploma in Religious studies in 1987 and a Bachelor of Arts in Sacred Theology in 1990.[7] In 1999, he obtained a Master's in Religious Education (Psychology and Counseling) at Fordham University, Bronx, New York City.[7] In 2004, he got an additional master's degree in biomedical ethics from Duquesne University, Pennsylvania. He received a doctorate in the same course at Duquesne in 2005, but his dissertation is not in the library holdings.[5]

Ordination

Hyacinth Alia was ordained a Catholic priest on 7 July 1990, by Bishop Athanasius Atule Usuh of Makurdi Catholic Diocese.

References

  1. ^ "INEC Declares Catholic Priest, Fr Hyacinth Alia Benue Gov-Elect". 20 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  2. ^ Ejekwonyilo, Ameh (20 March 2023). "Catholic priest Hyacinth Alia wins Benue State governorship election". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  3. ^ "Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia wins Benue guber election". TheCable. 20 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  4. ^ https://alia2023.org/biography-of-fr-hyacinth-alia/
  5. ^ a b "CLOSE-UP: Alia, the miracle-working priest who wants to 'liberate Benue from poverty'". TheCable. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  6. ^ "Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia biography: Benue state govnor-elect na catholic priest". BBC News Pidgin. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 21 March 2023.
  7. ^ a b Ukwu, Jerrywright (18 March 2023). "Masters in religious education & 7 other quick facts about Benue APC's Fr. Alia". Legit.ng – Nigeria news. Retrieved 21 March 2023.