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X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Made in Benue
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TZID:UTC
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TZNAME:UTC
DTSTART:20210101T000000
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251226T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251227T043000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251117T124505Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251203T145936Z
UID:29346-1766768400-1766809800@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Made in Benue 2025
DESCRIPTION:Made in Benue Celebrate the spirit\, culture\, and creativity of Benue! This ticket gives you full access to the “Made in Benue” festival\, featuring live performances\, cultural displays\, local cuisine\, fashion exhibitions\, creative workshops\, and showcases from top Benue artisans and entrepreneurs.Enjoy a vibrant fusion of music\, dance\, art\, and innovation while supporting homegrown talent and businesses.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/made-in-benue-2025-2/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/593124710_1420161539677083_1964602294194677541_n.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251215
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251216
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251208T023344Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251208T023344Z
UID:30038-1765756800-1765843199@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Man Crush Monday - Pharm. Emmanuel Tyohemba Agba
DESCRIPTION:Pharmacist Emmanuel Tyohemba Agba. \nSome legacies are built loudly; others are constructed quietly through consistency\, competence\, and purpose. Pharm. Emmanuel Tyohemba Agba belongs to the latter tradition\, a man whose influence is felt most profoundly in systems strengthened\, standards raised\, and lives improved. \n  \nFrom his formative years\, Agba’s path was shaped by discipline and a knack for knowledge. Choosing pharmacy was not merely a professional decision; it was a commitment to service\, precision\, and ethical responsibility. These values would later crystallize into Tyonex Nigeria Limited\, a company that has steadily earned trust by doing one thing exceptionally well: delivering quality without compromise. \n  \nUnder his leadership\, Tyonex Nigeria Limited evolved from vision to veritable institution. Agba’s business acumen lies in his rare balance of scientific rigour and entrepreneurial foresight. He understands that healthcare is a market\, as well as a mission\, one that demands compliance\, innovation\, and integrity in equal measure. Through strategic expansion\, investment in quality assurance\, and adherence to global best practices\, he positioned Tyonex as a respected name within Nigeria’s pharmaceutical landscape. \n  \nWhat distinguishes Pharm. Agba is not only corporate success\, but the intentional way that success aligns with impact. By strengthening local pharmaceutical capacity\, he contributes directly to national health resilience while creating opportunities for skilled employment and knowledge transfer. In doing so\, he demonstrates that African-owned enterprises can meet international standards while serving local realities. \n  \nFor Benue State\, his achievements carry deep significance. He stands as evidence that intellectual capital nurtured at home can compete confidently on national and international stages. His journey reframes the narrative\, Benue is not only a land of culture and agriculture\, but also a source of thought leadership\, scientific excellence\, and enterprise anchored in credibility. \n  \nOn this edition of  Man Crush Monday\, we celebrate Pharm. Emmanuel Tyohemba Agba as a builder of institutions\, a custodian of standards\, and a quiet force advancing healthcare through vision and discipline. His story brings to mind\, the stark reality  that lasting influence is not found in spectacle\, but in work done so well it speaks for itself. \nKeep doing what you do\, the Universe roots for you!
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/man-crush-monday-pharm-emmanuel-tyohemba-agba/
CATEGORIES:Man Crush Monday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FB_IMG_1765159390670.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251210
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251211
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251210T074544Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251210T074913Z
UID:30084-1765324800-1765411199@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Woman Crush Wednesday
DESCRIPTION:Some women don’t announce their strength. They live it—consistently\, quietly\, and with undeniable impact. Stephanie Sewuese Shaakaa is one of such women. \nStephanie is a purpose-driven professional\, community-minded leader\, and a renowned minority rights activist whose voice continues to matter in conversations that shape justice\, equity\, and inclusion. She is known for standing firmly for the underrepresented\, amplifying silenced voices\, and advocating for fairness with both courage and clarity. In rooms where it is easier to stay quiet\, she chooses truth. In moments that demand conscience\, she chooses action. \nA proud Benue woman\, Stephanie’s journey is deeply rooted in service. Her work cuts across advocacy\, leadership\, and community engagement\, with a strong focus on empowering vulnerable groups\, women\, and young people. She brings empathy to activism and structure to service\, ensuring that impact goes beyond speeches and translates into real change. \nBio SnapshotStephanie Sewuese Shaakaa is a respected minority rights activist\, advocate\, and development-oriented professional. She is passionate about human rights\, social justice\, inclusion\, and community development\, and has consistently lent her voice and expertise to causes that promote dignity\, fairness\, and equal opportunity. With a calm but resolute presence\, she continues to influence policies\, conversations\, and mindsets through principled advocacy and meaningful engagement. \nWhat sets Stephanie apart is not just what she fights for\, but how she does it. She leads with empathy\, speaks with intelligence\, and acts with integrity. She represents a generation of women who understand that true power lies in lifting others while standing firm on values. \nAt Made In Benue\, we celebrate Benue sons and daughters whose lives reflect purpose and progress. Today\, we honour Stephanie Sewuese Shaakaa—for her advocacy\, her impact\, and the quiet strength with which she continues to champion the cause of justice.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/woman-crush-wednesday-3/
CATEGORIES:Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/stephanie.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251208T160000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251208T230000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251118T110959Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251118T110959Z
UID:29379-1765209600-1765234800@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Book of Nicodemus
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/book-of-nicodemus/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FB_IMG_1763462767551.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20251208
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20251209
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251208T014205Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251208T014205Z
UID:30034-1765152000-1765238399@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Man Crush Monday
DESCRIPTION: Meet Terry Waya \n  \nThere are individuals whose stories rise beyond personal success and become cultural statements. Terry Waya belongs unmistakably to that class. \n  \nHis journey is not the familiar tale of overnight fortune\, but a slow\, deliberate ascent shaped by discipline\, endurance\, and an unyielding belief in possibility. From modest beginnings grounded in Benue State\, Terry Waya learned early that ambition without structure is noise\, and vision without persistence is fragile. What followed was a life defined by strategy\, restraint\, and the courage to think globally while remaining rooted locally. \n  \nOver time\, these values translated into formidable business acumen. Terry Waya built his relevance through calculated risk-taking\, relationship mastery\, and a refined understanding of markets that transcend borders. His global recognition today is not merely symbolic; it is earned capital\, proof of a man who understands both the art of influence and the science of enterprise. In boardrooms and elite circles alike\, his name carries the quiet authority of someone who has paid his dues. \n  \nYet\, perhaps his most enduring achievement lies beyond balance sheets and accolades. Terry Waya represents a powerful counter-narrative about Benue State\, one that challenges limiting perceptions and expands the world’s understanding of where excellence can emerge. His success refracts positively on his homeland\, positioning Benue not just as a place of heritage\, but as a source of global players with refined taste\, strategic intellect\, and international relevance. \n  \nIn celebrating Terry Waya\, Made In Benue is not merely spotlighting a man of means; it is honoring a symbol of what is possible when resilience meets vision. His story affirms that global recognition does not require the abandonment of one’s roots\, it can\, in fact\, amplify them. \n  \nThis Man Crush Monday\, we recognize Terry Waya as a glaring example of ambition executed with precision\, success worn with confidence\, and legacy steadily under construction. For Benue State\, his ascent is more than pride\, it is proof. Proof that if we throw everything up there in the skies\, then anything is possible.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/man-crush-monday-2/
CATEGORIES:Man Crush Monday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FB_IMG_1765155256516.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251207T160000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251207T230000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251118T051817Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251118T051817Z
UID:29376-1765123200-1765148400@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:THE XERXIANS CONCERT
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/the-xerxians-concert/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FB_IMG_1763442561887.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251203T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251203T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251203T064825Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251203T064825Z
UID:29704-1764748800-1764781200@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Woman Crush Wednesday
DESCRIPTION:Ann Mker \n  \nToday\, we celebrate a woman whose voice carries more than melody\, it carries comfort\, conviction\, and a deep sense of calling. \n  \nAnn Mker has become one of the most reassuring sounds in gospel music\, reminding listeners that faith still has a heartbeat and worship still has a home. \n  \nFrom small gatherings to major stages\, Ann has stayed true to the mission behind her music: lifting spirits\, strengthening hope\, and pointing hearts back to God. Her songs aren’t just sung; they are felt. They meet people where they are; in their struggles\, in their joy\, and in the quiet moments in between. \n  \nBut beyond the spotlight\, Ann Mker represents something bigger for the Benue creative community. She shows what consistency can build\, what humility can sustain\, and what grace can multiply. She is proof that when purpose and talent hold hands\, impact becomes inevitable. \n  \nToday\, we honour Ann; the woman\, the voice\, the vessel. \nA true inspiration and a gem worth celebrating. \n  \nHappy Woman Crush Wednesday. \n  \n 
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/woman-crush-wednesday-2/
CATEGORIES:Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Screenshot_20251203_070652_Facebook.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251201T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251201T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251201T111328Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251201T111328Z
UID:29667-1764576000-1764608400@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Man Crush Monday
DESCRIPTION:The first time you hear Dr Raymond Asemakaha laugh\, it’s loud\, unapologetic\, and it fills the entire boardroom of the Benue Investment and Property Company like someone just opened a window and let the sun rush in. That laugh is the sound of a man who refuses to let anyone\, not even the weight of past failures\, tell Benue what it cannot become. In less than two years as Managing Director of BIPC\, he has turned a once-sleepy government agency into the loudest cheerleader the state has ever had\, and the sharpest mirror its young people have ever looked into. \nWalk into any of the numerous BIPC premises in Gboko or Makurdi these days and you will meet twenty-somethings in sneakers and Ankara shirts arguing about profit margins instead of begging for handouts. They are not waiting for Abuja to remember them; they are busy proving that Benue can feed\, dress\, and employ itself. Raymond calls them “my children\,” even the ones older than his youngest brother\, because he has made it his personal mission to parent an entire generation into believing their hands can build what their eyes have only dreamt of. \nHe started with something simple: he opened the doors. Literally. The BIPC incubation hub now runs free workshops. A boy from Otukpo who used to hawk oranges now designs logos for companies in Lagos. A girl from Adikpo who dropped out of school because of school fees now runs a small soap-making factory that supplies hotels in Makurdi. Raymond does not just give them fish; he sits them down\, shows them the river\, and teaches them how to own the river. \nThen he took the show on the road. Made In Benue exhibitions in Abuja\, Lagos\, even Accra. Benue rice that used to hide in the corner of village markets now sits confidently on shelves beside foreign brands. Orange juice pressed at Industrial Layout in Makurdi is poured at weddings in Port Harcourt. BIP water is seen gracing the occasions of High profile Nigerians and quenching the thirst of all across lengths and breadths of the North-Central and beyond. BICP bread is more celebrated than the unleavened bread which the Biblical men so cherished. This conveys one singular message\, the BIPC products are sure meeting the needs of people and the standards are high too. \nDr. Raymond has breathed life into growth focused initiatives that are steadily charting a path for a prosperous Benue. But maybe the sweetest thing he does happens quietly. Every month\, he picks one young Benue person doing something excellent\, no matter how small\, and celebrates them like they just won a Grammy. Many creatives\, if not all\, who have met him\, can testify that they had their dreams repositioned and given a platform to thrive. \nThis is not a man doing government work; this is a man doing family work. He talks about Benue the way an older brother talks about a younger sibling everyone else has written off. He is stubborn with hope. When people say the state has no light\, he points to the solar-powered Benue taxi. When they say the roads are bad\, he shows delivery vans finding a way because the profit is worth the potholes. When they say the youths are lazy\, he invites them to come and watch a twenty-three-year-old girl teach fifty women how to turn soy beans into milk and money before 10 a.m. \nWe celebrate you today sir\, most especially the dreams you have for our dear state. We are Made In Benue and we’re truly proud of the steps you’re taking. And with you\, doing what you are doing\, we can rightly say Benue is on track.  \nDr Raymond Asemakaha wakes up every day and chooses to embarrass pessimism. He has taken an office that used to be synonymous with brown envelopes and dusty files and turned it into a loud testimony that Benue still works when Benue people decide to work. And the beautiful part? He is not shouting from a billboard or begging for applause. He is simply doing the work\, posting the results\, and daring every young person in the state to look in the mirror and say\, “If them fit do am\, wetin dey stop me?” \nThis Monday\, we are not just crushing on a fine man in well-tailored suits (even though\, let’s be honest\, the suits are part of the package). We are crushing on a man who has refused to let Benue remain a footnote in somebody else’s story. He has handed the pen to its young people and said\, “Write your own headline.” \nAnd trust me\, they are writing. Beautifully. Boldly. In capital letters only Benue can read: WE ARE HERE. WE ARE ENOUGH. WATCH US GROW.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/man-crush-monday/
CATEGORIES:Man Crush Monday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/FB_IMG_1764585943260.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251130T190000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251130T190000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251117T125932Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T130520Z
UID:29353-1764529200-1764529200@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:BENUE NOW
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/benue-now/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FB_IMG_1763381040095.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251129T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251129T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251129T184456Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251129T184456Z
UID:29556-1764403200-1764435600@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:MADE IN BENUE 2025
DESCRIPTION:ONE VOICE\, ONE PEOPLE\, ONE MOVEMENT\, ONE BENUE\n\n\nBenue\, it’s time to rise as ONE!\n\n\nMade in Benue 2025 is more than an event \,\nit is a movement\, a celebration of culture\, unity\, talent\, and the unstoppable spirit of our people.\n\n\nThis December\, history will be made as 2Baba & Friends\, alongside OD Woods and the Benue All Stars\, light up the Aper Aku Stadium in a once-in-a-lifetime experience that showcases the very best of who we are.\n\n\nWe are calling on:\nBenue brands\nCorporate organizations\nInstitutions\, agencies\, and community supporters\n\n\n…to partner with this historic event and help amplify the voice of Benue to the world.\n\n\nYour support will shape a powerful cultural and entertainment moment\, one that strengthens community identity\, boosts local tourism\, and inspires the next generation of Benue talents.\n\n\nLet’s stand together.\nLet’s make a statement.\nLet’s build a future we are proud of.\nJoin us on the 26th of December as we celebrate 10 years of MIB\, 50th birthday of 2baba and his legendary 25 years of excellence in the industry.\nFor more info\, Call: +2349039131955\n\n\nWe are Made in Benue\nMade in Benue 2025.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/made-in-benue-2025/
CATEGORIES:Featured,Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/593124710_1420161539677083_1964602294194677541_n.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251125T170000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20260203T133000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20200428T132125Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T102721Z
UID:1194-1764090000-1770125400@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:🎤 The Euphonic with Lady Pesh
DESCRIPTION:🎤 The Euphonic with Lady Pesh📅 25th November 2025📍 Precious Event Center \nGet ready for an extraordinary night of rhythm\, soul\, and unforgettable performances as Lady Pesh takes the stage for The Euphonic. 🎶✨Experience pure musical brilliance\, electrifying energy\, and the magic that happens when passion meets sound. \nIf you’re a true lover of good music — this is where you need to be.🎟 Don’t miss it! \n					Buy Ticket
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/%f0%9f%8e%a4-the-euphonic-with-lady-pesh/
LOCATION:formal fish world\, old GRA\, makurdi\, Benue\, 970101\, Nigeria
CATEGORIES:Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/WhatsApp-Image-2025-10-12-at-15.21.10_5b65b0ec.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="OD Woods":MAILTO:info@example.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251125T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251125T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251125T090528Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251125T090528Z
UID:29422-1764057600-1764090000@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Woman Crush Wednesday: Devaan Hanmation-Mom
DESCRIPTION:In the busy heart of Abuja\, where the capital’s noise often overshadows moments of quiet determination\, Devaan Hanmation-Mom moves with the understated grace of a woman who has long understood that true influence blooms not from spotlights\, but from the fertile soil of consistent example. Known affectionately as “Mom Devaan” to those whose lives she has touched\, this Tiv daughter of Benue State embodies a rare fusion of media savvy\, developmental foresight\, and moral fortitude. At 48\, she stands as a senior producer at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)\, yet her legacy extends far beyond the studio—into the digital realms where she quietly redirects the trajectories of young women toward paths lined with integrity\, resilience\, and unyielding self-worth. \nDevaan’s story starts in the warm\, sunlit classrooms of Makurdi\, the quiet riverside city where many young dreams first take shape. Born on April 9 to a public servant father and a mother who served as a chief nursing officer\, she grew up in a home where service to others wasn’t preached—it was lived. \nShe began her schooling at Nativity Private School before moving on to Mount Carmel College in 1989. There\, she went through the familiar mix of teenage pressure and academic discipline\, eventually earning her SSCE and WAEC certificates. Those years didn’t just shape her intellect; they sparked her interest in how communication can shift mindsets and move communities. \nIn 1997\, she completed her BSc in Mass Communication at Benue State University\, Makurdi—a degree that opened her up to the world of stories\, people\, and the impact that honest communication can make. Years later\, determined to keep stretching herself\, she earned an MSc in Management from the University of Liverpool. That experience broadened her outlook\, blending the grounded confidence of her Nigerian roots with a wider\, global understanding of how organisations and people work. \nIf education forged Devaan’s intellect\, her career honed it into a blade of quiet disruption. Entering NTA in 1998 as a fresh-faced newscaster\, she navigated the network’s labyrinthine stations—reporting from the frontlines\, presenting with poised authority\, and producing segments that captured Nigeria’s pulsing narratives—until 2009. Those eleven years were no mere apprenticeship; they were a masterclass in ethical journalism\, where she learned to amplify marginalized voices without compromising the truth’s delicate balance. Transitioning seamlessly into development work\, she served as an Interactive TV Trainer for the BBC World Service Trust (a DFID-funded initiative) from 2009 to 2011\, then as Information\, Education\, Communication & Training Coordinator at Abt Associates (USAID-backed) in 2012-2013. Her roles expanded: Pioneer Program Manager at the Poverty and Associated Maladies Alleviation Initiative in 2013\, and Project Officer for the Federal Capital Territory Community and Social Development Project (World Bank-assisted) until 2018. Today\, as Managing Director of Firmus Communication Ventures and a senior NTA producer\, Devaan bridges broadcast legacy with entrepreneurial innovation\, her desk a nexus of policy\, media\, and mentorship. \nYet it is in her social tapestry that Devaan’s influence truly unfurls—a woman of Tiv heritage\, married to Rommy Mom\, Benue’s first lawyer from the Utange community in Ushongo Local Government Area. In a nation where ethnic loyalties can fracture as easily as they bind\, she navigates these waters with the poise of a cultural custodian\, her home a haven of familial warmth amid Abuja’s frenetic pace. Her social position is not one of ostentatious privilege but of earned reverence: an accredited management trainer whose workshops draw aspiring leaders\, a writer whose op-eds dissect societal ills—from misogyny in popular culture to the ethical quagmires of celebrity justice—with surgical empathy. In Benue’s communal ethos\, where “Mom” evokes maternal wisdom rather than formality\, she is a bridge-builder\, her voice a steady current drawing youth toward collective upliftment. \n \nAt the core of Devaan’s ethos lies her crowning quiet revolution: Mocha Beauty Monthly Digital Pageant\, the world’s first such contest\, launched in 2014 to democratize beauty beyond the red-carpet exclusivity of yore. In a landscape where traditional pageants often prioritize glamour over substance\, Mocha flips the script— a virtual arena where contestants\, aged 18 to 35\, vie not through lavish gowns or high-stakes swimsuits\, but through narratives of resilience\, intellect\, and community impact. Each monthly winner receives a N350\,000 grant (about $700 USD)\, not as a prize for poise alone\, but as seed capital for dreams deferred: funding small businesses\, educational pursuits\, or advocacy projects that echo moral imperatives like tenacity and ethical entrepreneurship. Devaan birthed this amid Nigeria’s economic churn\, observing how conventional beauty rituals sidelined rural talents or those without means. “We celebrate beauty in a non-traditional format\,” she explains\, “to discover and empower those who might otherwise remain unseen.” It’s a model of modesty incarnate: no catwalks\, no controversies—just raw stories judged on authenticity\, fostering a sisterhood where winners mentor the next cohort\, passing on lessons in perseverance and purpose. \nThis is Devaan’s masterstroke: modeling a life where modesty is not diminishment\, but amplification. In her NTA segments and training sessions\, she charts young minds toward moral north stars—urging journalists to prioritize truth over sensationalism\, development workers to measure success in lives transformed rather than metrics alone. Her pageant alumni\, from budding entrepreneurs in Benue to activists in Lagos\, credit her not for fame\, but for the invisible scaffolding of self-belief: “She taught us that true beauty is the quiet choice to uplift others\,” one winner shared in a 2020 testimonial. In an age of Instagram-filtered facades\, Devaan Hanmation-Mom reminds us that power lies in the unadorned: a Tiv mother’s whisper\, carrying the weight of generations\, guiding Nigeria’s daughters—and sons—toward horizons where virtue\, not vanity\, defines victory. \nAs global eyes turn to Africa’s rising voices\, Devaan’s story is a beacon for international audiences: proof that in the Global South’s complex weave\, one woman’s modest stride can realign a nation’s moral compass. In her words\, from a 2020 reflection that resonates today\, “Never allow today’s challenges to overwhelm you”—a mantra she lives\, and one the world would do well to heed.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/woman-crush-wednesday-devaan-hanmation-mom/
CATEGORIES:Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FB_IMG_1764060599304.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251124T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251124T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251124T135627Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251124T135627Z
UID:29419-1763971200-1764003600@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Terver Bossua: The Man Who Refused to Let Benue Stay Broken
DESCRIPTION:If you ever find yourself in Makurdi on a hot afternoon\, look for the quiet guy in a simple shirt\, sleeves rolled up\, listening more than he talks. That’s probably Terver Bossua. People here just call him Trevor. To them\, he’s not a “visionary leader” or a “transformative CEO.” He’s the boy from town who came back and started fixing things\, one stubborn problem at a time. \nTerver grew up in a house full of teachers\, where dinner conversations were about lesson notes and the price of fertilizer. Benue has always been called Nigeria’s food basket\, but by the time he was a teenager\, the basket had holes in it—farmer-herder clashes\, flooded farms\, young men with nothing to do but fight or flee. He studied accounting at Benue State University\, not because he loved numbers\, but because he hated waste. Waste of land\, waste of people\, waste of chances. \nHe started at the Benue Investment and Property Company (BIPC) in the accounts department\, the kind of place people used to joke had more cobwebs than cash. He moved up slowly\, learning every corner of the place. When he finally took the top job\, nobody threw a party. They just watched to see if the quiet accountant could do anything with a company everyone had written off. \nHe could. \nIn 2018\, he talked the American embassy into trusting a bunch of restless Benue kids with small loans and training. Hundreds learned how to turn sesame seeds into oil\, how to sell yam flour online\, how to run a business instead of picking up a gun. Many of those businesses are still running today. \nThen came the harder part. Over two million people displaced inside their own state\, living in camps with plastic roofs and no tomorrow. In 2025\, Terver and his team put together a plan that sounded crazy at first: use BIPC to build farms\, factories\, and houses for the people everyone else had forgotten. Solar pumps\, processing plants\, proper roads into the villages. They’ve already brought thousands of families home and put food back on land that had grown only sorrow. \nHe still signs every cheque himself\, still answers his own phone\, still shows up at village meetings in the same dusty Hilux. When “Made in Benue”—the big end-of-year party that celebrates everything the state has produced—needed money and muscle\, he gave both. Year after year. No speeches\, no photo ops\, just quiet support because he believes a people who stop celebrating themselves will soon stop fighting for themselves. \nBenue is still a hard place. The fights aren’t over\, the roads are still bad\, and the rains don’t always come on time. But because one man refused to accept that things had to stay broken\, more children go to bed with full stomachs\, more young people have a reason to stay\, and more old people dare to hope again. \nThat’s all. No grand titles needed. \nJust Trevor\, doing what he came home to do. \n 
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/terver-bossua-the-man-who-refused-to-let-benue-stay-broken/
CATEGORIES:Man Crush Monday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Bossua-e1764263069845.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251121T100000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251121T180000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251118T122332Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251118T122332Z
UID:29383-1763719200-1763748000@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Chorkwagh Invasion Campus Tour
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/chorkwagh-invasion-campus-tour/
CATEGORIES:Upcoming
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/FB_IMG_1763468529922.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251119T160000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251120T160000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20200504T181127Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251117T123335Z
UID:1741-1763568000-1763654400@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Men's Fashion Week
DESCRIPTION:Join us for the official opening of eco-TRAFFIC \nBuy Ticket
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/mens-fashion-week/
LOCATION:formal fish world\, old GRA\, makurdi\, Benue\, 970101\, Nigeria
CATEGORIES:Featured
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/FB_IMG_1763381228287.webp
ORGANIZER;CN="Eco money":MAILTO:madeinbenue.com@gmail.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251115T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251115T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251115T184506Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251115T184506Z
UID:29239-1763193600-1763226000@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Woman Crush Wednesday: Meet Pauline Atser\, the Nurse Who Sings Hope
DESCRIPTION:Deep in Benue State\, Nigeria’s “Food Basket\,” where green fields stretch wide and the Benue River flows gently\, lives a woman who heals with both medicine and music. Her name is Pauline Atser. By day\, she is a senior lecturer in nursing at Benue State University. By night and on weekends\, she is a gospel singer\, a child evangelist\, and a youth counselor. To many in her community\, she is simply “Aunty Pauline”—a kind voice that teaches\, sings\, and prays. \nPauline is from the Tiv people\, one of the largest groups in Benue. The Tiv are known for their love of storytelling\, dance\, and strong family ties. Growing up in this rich culture\, Pauline learned early that music is more than entertainment. It is a way to share faith\, lift spirits\, and bring people together. \nFrom Classroom to Choir\nPauline worked hard to become Dr. Pauline Ngufan Atser. She earned a PhD and now teaches nursing students how to care for the sick with skill and love. But her heart has always been in two places: the hospital ward and the church stage. \nAs a nurse\, she knows pain is not just in the body. Sometimes it’s in the heart. That’s why her songs feel like a warm hug. She sings about God’s love\, healing\, and hope—things she sees every day in her work and her faith. \nHer Music Journey\nPauline has been singing since time antiquity; however\, she started sharing her songs online around 2015. That year\, she released four albums that touched many hearts: \n\nZege-Tor – Sung mostly in Tiv\, full of local beats and praise.\nYou Are Worthy – Simple English songs that lift up God’s name.\nIn Your Presence – Soft\, peaceful music to help people feel close to God.\nMy Nigeria – A short album with powerful messages like “God Heal Our Land\,” “Love One Another\,” and “Fight Corruption.”\n\nThese songs came out at a time when Nigeria needed hope. After the 2015 elections\, many felt worried about the future. Pauline’s voice became a calm call for unity and change. \nIn 2021\, during the tough days of COVID-19\, she released I Hail You. The launch event was held at NKST High Level Church in Makurdi. People danced\, clapped\, and cried. It wasn’t just an album—it was a celebration of survival and faith. \nMore Than a Singer\nPauline doesn’t just sing. She mentors young musicians like Benedict Bako\, who now makes gospel music in local languages. She talks to children and teens about staying strong\, avoiding trouble\, and trusting God. In a state where fights between farmers and herders have hurt many families\, her song “Love One Another” feels like a prayer for peace. \nShe also speaks up about real problems—corruption\, joblessness\, and mental health. As a nurse\, she knows stress can make people sick. As a Christian\, she believes prayer and love can help heal. \nWhy Her Story Matters\nIn big cities like Lagos\, gospel stars get bright lights and big stages. But in places like Benue\, singers like Pauline touch lives in quieter ways—at village churches\, school events\, and family gatherings. Her music may not trend worldwide\, but it changes lives where it’s needed most. \nOver 60% of music listened to in Nigeria is gospel. That’s a big number! And women like Pauline are a huge part of it. They sing in their own languages\, tell their own stories\, and keep culture alive. \nPauline Atser is proof that you don’t need fame to make a difference. With a stethoscope in one hand and a microphone in the other\, she shows that care and faith go together. \nOne line from her song My Nigeria says it all: “God heal our land.” \nShe doesn’t just sing it. She lives it—every day\, in every song\, in every life she touches.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/woman-crush-wednesday-meet-pauline-atser-the-nurse-who-sings-hope/
CATEGORIES:Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/pauline.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251114T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251114T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251114T124744Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251114T124744Z
UID:29234-1763107200-1763139600@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Man Crush Monday: Arc. Otsenye Egyekwenye
DESCRIPTION:Some men don’t announce their arrival; they rearrange the skyline. \nOn the 12th of June\, 1980\, in the Etulo cradle of Buruku\, a boy named Otsenye slipped into the world like a blueprint tucked into the earth’s pocket. His father\, Builder James Shadzi Otsenye\, laid bricks with the same certainty he used to name his son. His mother\, Madam Rose\, poured quiet steel into his marrow. From them\, he inherited not just blood\, but gravity—the kind that pulls possibility downward until it hardens into form. \nHe learned early that education is a kind of scaffolding. At College Practicing School\, Katsina-Ala\, he mastered the alphabet of curiosity. WM Bristow and Government College sharpened his edges. By 1998\, he walked out of secondary school carrying a mind already drafting futures. The University of Jos became his cathedral: B.Sc. in 2006\, M.Sc. in 2009. Architecture wasn’t a degree; it was permission. \nNow watch him move. \nHe doesn’t collect titles—he weaponizes them. Associate of the Nigerian Institute of Architecture. Fellow of the Institute of Professional Managers. Africa Institute of Strategic Managers. Chartered Institutes of Project\, Environment\, Contract\, Facility. Each fellowship is a blade in a quiet arsenal. He honed them at Zihabit and Binga Synergy\, learning how concrete behaves when ambition is poured into it. \nThen he built his own altar: O&A Hitech Limited. Not a company—a movement in hard hats. From Abuja’s gleaming arteries to the red-dust pulse of Benue\, Taraba\, Plateau\, his firm rises like a rumor made solid. NEXIM Plaza: a glass hymn to trade. TETFUND Headquarters: a fortress for knowledge. Comfort Suswam Hostel: dormitories where dreams learn to stand upright. Taraba Presidential Lodge: power given geometry. \nBut here’s where the story bends. \nEgyekwenye doesn’t just build for people—he builds through them. A crusader in steel-toe boots\, he funnels profit into the veins of the forgotten: scholarships for girls who’ve never seen a university gate\, boreholes in villages that pray for rain\, clinics where elders reclaim their breath. He calls it “the Benue and Nigeria Project\,” but it’s simpler than that: repairing the world\, one rebar at a time. \nFaith is his silent co-pilot. N.K.S.T. pews hold the echo of his prayers. At home\, Dorcas Petpe—his wife of fourteen years—keeps the hearth where three children learn that love\, like load-bearing walls\, must be tested. \nHe is not loud. He doesn’t need to be. When he speaks\, blueprints listen. When he walks\, foundations shift. In a nation of noise\, he is the rare architect who understands: the most revolutionary structures are the ones that hold. \nArc. Otsenye Egyekwenye is not rising. \nHe is arrival.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/man-crush-monday-arc-otsenye-egyekwenye/
CATEGORIES:Man Crush Monday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/IMG-20241116-WA00511-1.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251112T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251112T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251112T082726Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251112T082726Z
UID:28874-1762934400-1762966800@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:WomanCrushWednesday:Tarkaa Shidoo – The Quiet Frequency That Rewires Futures
DESCRIPTION:On this Woman Crush Wednesday\, we turn the spotlight on a woman whose presence defines poise and purpose — Shidoo Tarkaa\, the undisputed Queen of the Benue Airwaves. \nAt a time when noise often drowns out substance\, she remains the calm in the storm — steady\, principled\, and unshaken. Shidoo doesn’t just hold a mic; she commands respect\, setting a rare standard of consistency\, grace\, and quiet power in a world too quick to trade them for trends. \nWhen we think of the kind of storytelling that transcends local airtime and taps into the global pulse of change-making\, Shidoo Tarkaa stands out. In the vibrant but often under-reported media landscape of Nigeria’s Middle Belt\, she has quietly carved out a role that merits international attention.  \nAt the heart of Tarkaa’s craft is a deeply rooted sense of place. Working at Agate Radio & Television in Makurdi\, Benue State\, she speaks from within a community—rather than parachuting in. As the station’s site explains\, Agate is “people-driven … committed to upholding the finest traditions of professionalism defined by fairness\, accuracy\, equity and balance.”  \nTarkaa’s significance is not simply that she is a broadcaster\, but that she is a broadcaster embedded in the soil of her listeners’ lives. That alignment gives her voice the legitimacy to issue prompts like: “Today\, somewhere in Guma\, a girl is choosing between fear and a future.” Such a sentence does more than fill airtime—it invites collective responsibility. \n  \nMore than headline-chasing\, Tarkaa models media as a mechanism for social investment. Consider how\, beyond her on-air presence\, she engages with the structural side of change: in one reported instance\, she was connected with community developmental programming via a business-grant initiative where she served as “Coordinator\, Ezzycare Community Initiative.” \nThis dual role—on-air and community interface—means her output isn’t just read or heard\, but felt and responded to. For instance: the moment a teacher pledges transport fare\, or a tailor offers uniforms—those are the ripples of broadcast meeting action. \n \n  \nThe “girl-child” focus in Benue and similar rural wards is often under-resourced and overshadowed by more visible urban narratives. In regions where educational continuation for girls is still a challenge\, Tarkaa’s broadcast space becomes a subtle but essential platform. By inviting listeners to act (instead of simply reporting)\, she reshapes the relationship between media and gender outcomes.\n\nShidoo Tarkaa\, for all you do within your capacity to amplify the voice of the girl child. For the embodying what many young girls out there see\, respect and admire; we say thank you and we celebrate you most sincerely. \n 
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/womancrushwednesdaytarkaa-shidoo-the-quiet-frequency-that-rewires-futures/
CATEGORIES:Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/1762934017313.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251110T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251110T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251110T150525Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251110T150525Z
UID:28756-1762761600-1762794000@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:madeinbenue
DESCRIPTION:thssjjnknadkjd
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/madeinbenue/
CATEGORIES:Featured,Man Crush Monday,Sights and Sounds,Upcoming,Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/WhatsApp-Image-2025-10-12-at-11.59.51_3cb11a4a-e1762859013174.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="OD Woods":MAILTO:info@example.com
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251105T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251105T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251105T100404Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251105T100404Z
UID:28542-1762329600-1762362000@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Woman Crush Wednesday
DESCRIPTION:Meet Dr. Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu\nAt 51\, Dr. Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu\, OFR\, stands as a shining emblem of purpose-driven leadership — a woman whose rise from modest beginnings in Nigeria’s Idoma heartland of Benue State to the helm of a multimillion-dollar enterprise defines resilience\, intellect\, and vision in motion. \nBorn on January 22\, 1974\, to retired Captain J.E. Adole and his wife\, Dr. Achimugu’s formative years were grounded in discipline\, education\, and the belief that success must serve humanity. She attended Federal Government Girls Science College\, Kuje\, before earning a Bachelor’s degree in Accountancy from the University of Jos (1998)\, a Master’s from the University of Belize\, and an Honorary Doctorate from Commonwealth University — achievements that broke barriers in male-dominated spaces and paved the way for other women in business. \nA Trailblazer in Industry\nDr. Achimugu began her professional journey in the oil and gas accounting sector\, where her sharp financial acumen and commitment to excellence distinguished her early on. Today\, she is the Chief Executive Officer of Felak Concept Group\, a thriving conglomerate with eight subsidiaries spanning engineering\, maritime\, oil and gas\, ICT\, and skills development — all contributing to national growth and generating thousands of jobs across Nigeria. \nAmong her major milestones is the 2025 Deep-Sea Port Project in Nigeria’s South-South region\, a multi-million-dollar development positioned to revolutionize trade and logistics in West Africa. She also leads operations at Bluewave Exploration\, where her commitment to sustainable oil practices underscores her forward-thinking approach to industrial leadership. \nChampioning Innovation and Empowerment\nBeyond boardrooms and contracts\, Dr. Achimugu is deeply invested in human capacity development. Through the Felak ICT Initiative\, over 5\,000 Nigerian youths have received technology training and career support\, preparing them for roles in an increasingly digital economy. Her visionary leadership and commitment to youth advancement earned her the 2025 African Female Business Leader Award — one of many accolades recognizing her blend of enterprise and empathy. \nA Heart for Humanity\nIn 2013\, she founded the SAM Empowerment Foundation in memory of her late husband\, creating a platform that continues to touch countless lives. The foundation supports widows\, orphans\, and patients\, with notable 2025 achievements including the payment of hospital bills for 51 patients\, financial empowerment for 51 widows\, and scholarships for 416 students. \nHer unwavering compassion has earned her numerous honors\, including Philanthropist of the Year (2024) and a U.S. Lifetime Volunteer Award\, solidifying her reputation as a global humanitarian with local roots. \nLegacy of Inclusive Leadership\nIn Benue State\, Dr. Achimugu’s investments continue to boost education\, skills acquisition\, and export development\, reinforcing her lifelong dedication to community growth. Nationally\, she advocates for women’s inclusion in STEM and champions a model of inclusive capitalism — one that balances profit with people\, and success with service. \nThe Benue Echo\nUltimately\, the story of Dr. Aisha Sulaiman Achimugu is one that echoes through the valleys of Benue — a story of grit refined by grace\, of a woman who rose from the quiet strength of her roots to illuminate pathways for others. Her journey is not merely one of achievement\, but of impact\, reminding the world that greatness is not where one begins\, but what one builds for others along the way.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/woman-crush-wednesday/
CATEGORIES:Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/Achimu.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251027T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251027T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251027T132830Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T133004Z
UID:26687-1761552000-1761584400@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Sights and Sounds
DESCRIPTION:
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/sights-and-sounds/
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251027T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251027T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251027T131341Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T133744Z
UID:26675-1761552000-1761584400@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Margaret Icheen’s Rise to Greatness
DESCRIPTION:In the sweltering heat of June 26\, 1957\, amid the verdant hills of Ute in Vandeikya Local Government Area\, Benue State\, a girl named Margaret Mwuese Icheen entered the world—a quiet arrival that would one day echo like thunder across Nigeria and West Africa. Little did her parents know that this child\, raised in the fertile cradle of the Benue Valley where the river’s lifeblood nourishes yam fields and yam tubers swell like promises of abundance\, would grow into a force capable of reshaping the contours of power itself. Margaret’s early years were woven from the simple threads of rural resilience: the rhythm of school bells in far-flung classrooms\, the chatter of Tiv dialects under trees\, and the unyielding belief that education was the great equalizer in a land where opportunities often favored the bold over the born. \nAs a young girl\, Margaret navigated the dusty paths between villages\, her curiosity as boundless as the Benue River. Born into a Tiv family where tradition whispered of communal harmony and quiet fortitude\, she was no stranger to the subtle hierarchies that sidelined girls. Yet\, from her first steps into formal learning at Our Lady of Apostles Primary School in Kaduna (1963–1965)\, followed by St. Williams Primary School in Keffi (1966–1969)\, she exhibited a knack for excellence that seemed almost predestined. By her teens at Gye Commercial College in Jos (1970–1974)\, Margaret was honing not just skills in commerce but a steely resolve\, absorbing lessons in perseverance amid Nigeria’s turbulent post-colonial flux. Her higher education—a B.Ed. from the College of Education in Katsina-Ala (affiliated with the University of Jos\, 1982–1985) and further studies at the University of Calabar’s Institute of Christian Studies in Mkar (1988–1990)—cemented her as an educationist extraordinaire. Teaching wasn’t merely a profession for her; it was a philosophy\, a sacred duty to ignite minds in the shadows of inequality. “Education is the seed of revolution\,” she would later reflect in quiet moments\, her words carrying the weight of someone who had tilled those very soils. \nBut Margaret’s personal life bloomed in the tender interplay of love and legacy. Married to Ute John Akegh Icheen\, a man whose roots in Kwande Local Government Area intertwined with her own Vandeikya heritage—making her\, by marital bond\, an indigene of Kwande—she built a home that mirrored her values: steadfast\, nurturing\, and expansive. Together\, they raised two sons and two daughters\, a quartet of young souls who witnessed their mother’s alchemy of domestic grace and public audacity. In the evenings\, as the sun dipped below the Sahel’s horizon\, Margaret balanced lesson plans with lullabies\, her laughter a bridge between the hearth and the horizon. Yet\, beneath this idyll simmered an restlessness—a divine discontent with the status quo. “I don’t know if it’s luck\,” she once quipped with a wry smile\, “but I’m always first among men.” It was this unassuming fire that propelled her from the blackboard to the ballot box \nMargaret’s foray into politics was no calculated gambit but a clarion call born of conviction. By 1977\, she was already shaping futures as a teacher and pay mistress at the Local Government Education Authority Primary School in Adikpo\, later ascending to principal of the Women Education Centre (1991–1993). These roles honed her administrative prowess\, teaching her the art of consensus in fractious councils and the power of advocacy for the marginalized. In 1994\, as a ward delegate to the National Constitutional Conference under the Social Democratic Party\, she tasted the thrill of national discourse—a prelude to greater stages. But it was the dawn of Nigeria’s Fourth Republic in 1999 that catapulted her into immortality. \nElected to the Benue State House of Assembly on the People’s Democratic Party ticket\, Margaret didn’t just claim a seat; she seized the gavel. In a chamber thick with masculine energy and skepticism\, where men in agbadas dismissed her as a novelty\, she was elected Speaker—the first woman to helm a state House of Assembly not only in Nigeria but across the breadth of West Africa. The moment was electric: lawmakers\, many twice her age\, rising in a mix of awe and reluctance as she took the chair. She served from 1999 to 2003\, navigating impeachment whispers and gender-fueled barbs with the poise of a river stone—smooth\, unyielding. “Once a woman goes into politics\,” she advised in a voice like polished mahogany\, “there is no insult that would not come her way. But that shouldn’t deter them… Forge ahead; whatever name they tag on you\, ignore them and go ahead\, because once what you are doing is right\, at the end of the tunnel\, you will succeed.” \nHer philosophy? A blend of faith\, feminism\, and fearlessness. Grounded in a solid “fear of God” that she credits for her moral compass—”We as women are not comfortable when associated with failure or ill-dealings\, and that is why we are the best leaders\, best administrators”—Margaret viewed politics not as a zero-sum game but as a symphony of shared destiny. She railed against the “male muscle” that choked women’s ascent\, urging her sisters to shun financial fatalism and electoral thugs: “Most women think they can’t play politics because they don’t have the financial muscle… but when you get into a system\, then you will know how to play it well.” Her tenure wasn’t flawless—resignation loomed amid political tempests in 2002—but it was transformative\, chairing the North Central Speakers Forum and coordinating women’s political participation across the North Central zone and FCT. Awards cascaded like monsoon rains: the International Woman of the Year 2000 from the UK Human Rights Organization\, a John F. Kennedy Fellow Doctorate from the US\, and the Ambassador for Peace from the Inter-religious Federation for World Peace\, among a pantheon of honors that affirmed her global stature. \nYet Margaret’s story doesn’t end in legislative halls; it pulses on the pitch. A lifelong football aficionado—her evenings often spent glued to matches\, dreaming of unified cheers—she channeled that passion into action. As the pioneering female Chairman of the Benue State Football Association (the lone woman among Nigeria’s 37 chairmen)\, she birthed clubs in every local government\, scouting talents for Lobi Stars and sponsoring trailblazers like Naija Ratels Abuja. Elected in 2022 as the first northern Nigerian woman on the Nigeria Football Federation’s Executive Committee\, her mission burns bright: a female football club in every northern state\, grassroots glory that outshines the men’s game. “Women’s football has the potential to surpass men’s\,” she declares\, her eyes alight with the same fire that once lit Benue’s assembly chambers. It’s her philosophy incarnate: excellence isn’t gendered; it’s earned through sweat and strategy. \nToday\, at 68\, Margaret Icheen resides in Makurdi\, reads voraciously\, and watches football with the fervor of a convert. Her life\, a mosaic of firsts—from Federal Character Commissioner to PDP leadership envoy—embodies a creed: “Women should rise to be part of the development of this country. Let us get up and be recognized as being part and parcel of the nation.” \nAnd oh\, how the Benue Valley swells with pride for its daughter. In a region where the river carves canyons of history and the people till earth with hands calloused by hope\, Margaret stands as more than a pioneer—she is the valley’s beating heart. From Vandeikya’s hills to Kwande’s fields\, her name is invoked in folktales and election anthems\, an inspiration for every girlchild eyeing the gavel or the goalpost. The Benue Valley\, with its yam-scented winds and unbowed spirit\, doesn’t just claim her; it celebrates her as its eternal triumph.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/breaking-the-glass-ceiling-margaret-icheens-rise-to-greatness/
CATEGORIES:Woman Crush Wednesday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FB_IMG_1761567441944.jpg
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20251027T080000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20251027T170000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20251027T113529Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20251027T133927Z
UID:26623-1761552000-1761584400@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Rv. Fr. Mfa Ukeyima Solomon: A Rare Kind of Priest.
DESCRIPTION:Rev. Fr. Mfa Ukeyima Solomon\, born in 1976 in Benue State\, Nigeria\, was ordained a Catholic priest on August 14\, 2004. His home parish is St. Ann’s Adikpo\, and over the years\, his priestly duties have taken him across various locations within Benue State\, including St. Augustine’s Parish in Demekpe and currently St. Mark’s Parish at Apir\, where he sits as the Zaki\, Tor KSS and Chief Judge of Apir Court. \nAt Demekpe\, Fr. Solomon distinguished himself as a dedicated parish priest\, fostering community growth and stability. His work there strengthened the parish community\, even as the parish evolved without outstations. He is widely respected for his hands-on pastoral care and commitment to uplifting the local faithful. \nCurrently serving at Apir\, he continues to exude his impactful work by promoting social cohesion\, peaceful coexistence\, and community building. His leadership transcends spiritual duties\, encompassing social and cultural advocacy. He has been actively involved in cautioning youth against societal vices and urging them towards responsible citizenship\, reflecting his deep commitment to guiding Benue’s younger generation towards a positive future. \nFr. Solomon is also the convener and voice behind the cultural initiative “Kyegh Sha Shwa” (KSS)\, a festival that celebrates Benue’s heritage and promotes social unity. Through Kyegh Sha Shwa\, he champions the rich Benue identity and advocates for the empowerment and voice of the voiceless in society. His social vision is lofty\, centered on peace\, unity\, and moral uprightness\, which he tirelessly advances through his ministry and community outreach programs. \nHe could be rightly described as ‘padre extraordinaire’ a priest whose intellect\, love\, and social uprightness embody the very ideals upheld by the Made In Benue brand. Fr. Solomon’s steadfast dedication to these causes not only promotes Benue State’s cultural identity but also fosters a strong sense of social cohesion essential for the region’s development and harmony \nToday’s edition of MIB Men Crush Monday celebrates Rev. Fr. Mfa Ukeyima Solomon for his outstanding role in nurturing the soul and social fabric of Benue State\, making him a reliable beacon of unity and social resilience.
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/rv-fr-mfa-ukeyima-solomon-a-rare-kind-of-priest/
CATEGORIES:Man Crush Monday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/webp:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/FB_IMG_1761552603772.webp
END:VEVENT
BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=UTC:20220115T200000
DTEND;TZID=UTC:20220316T200000
DTSTAMP:20260501T232026
CREATED:20200504T181610Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20220113T141106Z
UID:1743-1642276800-1647460800@madeinbenue.com
SUMMARY:Three main techniques of a joke
DESCRIPTION:Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet\, consectetur adipiscing elit. Fusce laoreet\, ligula condimentum tincidunt\, arcu orci laoreet massa\, nec sagittis elit urna in diam. Sed consectetur dolor non nulla porttitor\, in scelerisque quam ultricies. Phasellus et ipsum justo. Aenean fringilla a fermentum mauris non venenatis. Praesent at nulla aliquam\, fermentum ligula a eget\, fermentum metus. Morbi auctor sed dui et rhoncus. Maecenas varius suscipit ipsum\, vitae et pretium est mollis nec.\nNullam arcu enim\, dictum at pharetra pharetra\, vulputate ut eros. In ante lacus\, varius quis facilisis vitae\, iaculis sit amet justo. Donec hendrerit diam. Pellentesque egestas risus a cursus nisl aliquam malesuada. Donec suscipit posuere fringilla. Vivamus tristique\, odio non efficitur malesuada\, purus quam dictum elit\, vitae hendrerit ex magna et urna. Nulla sed blandit ante\, eu auctor felis. Vivamus ornare quam dignissim odio tincidunt a eleifend. Maecenas gravida porta purus est vestibulum. Nam ut elit massa. Etiam metus sapien\, placerat eget volutpat eu\, ultrices id elit. Sed vel neque ac quam molestie scelerisque nec non neque. Duis sed mi augue imperdiet eleifend. Vivamus rutrum a turpis eu porta. Donec sagittis est eleifend tortor feugiat\, molestie diam dapibus. Morbi tristique at erat at efficitur. Donec efficitur\, neque quis luctus et aliquet\, libero erat condimentum arcu\, at varius augue justo condimentum tortor.\n			Buy Ticket
URL:https://madeinbenue.com/event/three-main-techniques-of-a-joke/
LOCATION:Aper Aku Stadium\, Aper Aku Studium\, makurdi\, Benue\, 10118\, Nigeria
CATEGORIES:Man Crush Monday
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://madeinbenue.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/image-64.jpg
ORGANIZER;CN="OD Woods":MAILTO:info@example.com
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR