Legacy
Gondo Aluor was the first Tor Tiv from the ruling lineage of Ichongo, and the only one who challenged the 1946 selection and later sat on the stool. His rule was one of the longest in the history of the institution and spanned the period of transition from colonial rule to independence and the emergence of Tiv politics in the Nigerian federation.
His career also saw the evolution of the Tor Tiv institution. The office was created by the colonial government as part of the centralised Native Authority government and became a symbol of Tiv identity and unity during and after Gondo's reign. A road in Gboko was named after him, Gondo Aluor Way.
THE FULL BIOGRAPHY OF HRM ORCHIVILIGH GONDO ALUOR, TOR TIV II (1956-1978)
His Royal Majesty, Orchiviligh Gondo Aluor was born in 1906, though the precise date of his birth is not known, his father was called Aluor Gyula Gbinde Naka of Nenzev Kindred in the present-day Logo Local Government while his mother Keren Tyulen was from Kaambe Kindred in what is today Guma Local Government.
He was christened Ugondo but later changed to Gondo by his White School Headmaster for easy pronunciation.
Young Gondo Aluor left his father Aluor Gyula when he was ten years old to live with his Uncle Gbatar Tyulen of Kaambe Kindred in Guma Local Government in what was described as a dispute over non-payment of bride price on his mother.
When he was twelve years old, his Uncle Gbatar Tyulen sent him to school. It was the custom of the time that rather than send their children to school, parents preferred to send the children of their relatives to school. Little did Gbatar Tyulen realize that he was preparing the young Gondo Aluor for brighter and better future.
Gondo Aluor attended and graduated from Wannune Elementary School between 1919-1922. Some of his classmates in the school included Tarka Nachi, the father of the Late Senator J.S. Tarka, Kaimon Gyoh, Kpamber Adura, Maru Abuul and Yough Agera. The Wannune Elementary School offered the highest level of education at that time.
On graduation in 1922, Gondo Aluor took up his first appointment as a time-keeper on a Salary of Seven Shillings a month. He later became a teacher and taught briefly before changing his services to administrative cadre as a scribe under the Colonial Administration from where he was consequently deployed to Abinsi, which at the time served as the administrative headquarters of the newly created Benue Province.
In the same year 1922, Gondo Aluor married Mhoonum Guda of Kaambe Kindred in Guma Local Government. Their first child, a daughter was named Mbavende. Thereafter, more wives and children followed in quick succession.
Following the administrative changes that resulted in the creation of Tiv Division in 1932, the admirable Gondo Aluor moved to Gboko, the headquarters of the newly created new Tiv Division in 1932 in the same capacity as a scribe. In recognition of his commitment, dedication and devotion to duty, he was promoted Chief Scribe of the entire Tiv Native Authority, the equivalent of Administrative Secretary in 1953.
In 1946, there was a movement championed by Tiv Ex-service men who had returned from the Second World War, that time was ripe for the Tiv nation to have a paramount Ruler to be called Tor Tiv. In the same year, election was conducted to produce a candidate as the first Tor Tiv. Consequently, election was conducted, It was a two horse race between Gondo Aluor and Makir Dzakpe. In the election that took place, Gondo Aluor was declared winner. However, things began to turn awry.
As celebration was going on in the Gondo Aluor Camp, there were series of meetings and the result of the election that produced Gondo Aluor was eventually upturned in favor of Makir Dzakpe. The mere reason adduced by the Colonial Administration was that Makir Dzakpe had the experience and exposure over his opponent Gondo Aluor having participated in the Second World War. And for that reason, Makir Dzakpe became the first Tor Tiv. The distraught Gondo Aluor was immediately made Deputy Tor Tiv to assuage him and his numerous supporters as conciliatory measure by the British Colonialists.
In 1952, Gondo Aluor became the first known Tiv man to visit the United Kingdom under the auspices of the British Ministry of Overseas Development where he undertook a three-month course in Local Government Administration. In December 1954, Gondo Aluor joined partisan politics and was first elected into the Federal House of Representatives, Lagos to represent the Ichongo intermediate area along with notable personalities including late Senator J.S. Tarka and Late Deem Kpum also representing their constituencies.
Gondo Aluor spent only two years there out of a term of five years and resigned his membership of the House of Representatives in November 1956 to contest the vacant stool of the Tor Tiv upon the demise of Tor Tiv, the first, His Royal Majesty Makir Dzakpe.
Thus, on December 12, 1956, Gondo Aluor was appointed Tor Tiv II in a contest that did not produce a serious challenger. On August 1957, Gondo Aluor was installed First Class Chief and presented with the staff of office by the then Colonial Governor of the defunct Northern Nigeria, Sir Bryant Sharwood-Smith at a colourful ceremony in Gboko and was witnessed by the premier of the defunct Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sarduana of Sokoto. This ceremony moved HRM Orchiviligh Gondo Aluor and his family into the Tor Tiv palace Gboko newly constructed as first occupants. By virtue of his exalted position, he was made a member of the Northern House of Chiefs and was fondly called Mallam Gondo Aluor.
Following the creation of Benue/Plateau State in 1967, Orchiviligh Gondo Aluor was appointed Chairman Benue/Plateau Council of Chiefs, a position he held until the creation of Benue State in 1976. In the same year, HRM Gondo Aluor was again appointed Chairman, Benue State Council of Chiefs. Orchiviligh Gondo Aluor’s reign witnessed the establishment of most of the colonial infrastructural facilities such as the Gboko Local Government Secretariat, the Tiv traditional chambers, the library, the Magistrate Court Complex, the Police Station, and the Tor Tiv Palace in addition to the construction of network of rural roads some of these projects having been initiated during the reign of Tor Tiv the first, HRM Makir Dzakpe.
HRM Gondo Aluor, the great Tiv traditional Ruler won the admiration of many including his adversaries for his honesty, integrity and transparency. He became a confidant of the White Administrators who served as District Officers in the Tiv Native Authority. As an incorruptible man, he abhorred corruption in all forms. He fought noble causes for instance, when the Tiv Central or Supreme Court IJERTAMEN was abolished in 1960, HRM Orchiviligh Gondo Aluor fought relentlessly for its restoration in the belief that IJIRTAMEN provided...
...the platform or forum where Tiv people could table their grievances and proffer solutions to them.
However, as a conservative, he teamed up with Northern Emirs in opposition to Nigeria’s Independence in 1960 on grounds that Nigeria was not ripe at that time for political and economic independence. The political turmoil that engulfed the entire Tiv land between 1960 — 1965 was considerably brought down through the influence of HRM Gondo Aluor. Orchiviligh Gondo Aluor played a key role in ensuring that the Nigerian Soldiers deployed to his domain to put down the insurrection (TIV RIOTS) did not massacre his subjects on grounds of political inclination.
A devout Christian and an accomplished Custodian of Tiv tradition, custom and culture, HRM Orchiviligh Gondo Aluor passed onto glory on November 17, 1978 at the age of 72 years after a brief illness leaving behind a legion of children and great grandchildren.
