In this post, platinumtimes.ng explores the biography, career, education, life story of Gov. Hyacinth Alia.
Hyacinth Lormem Alia a Nigerian Catholic Cleric and politician who presently serves as the governor of Benue State since 29 May 2023.
Profile Summary
Name: Hyacinth Lormem Alia
Born: 15 May 1966
Place of birth: Mbangur, Mbadede, Vandeikya, Benue State, Nigeri
Education: Fordham University, Bronx, New York City
Political party: All Progressives Congress
Career: Politician, Clergy
Marital status: Single
Biography
Born on 15 May 1966, in Mbangur, Mbadede, Vandeikya local government area of Benue State.
He attended St. Francis Primary school, Agidi, Mbatiav in Gboko LGA where he had his First School Leaving Certificate and in 1983, he enrolled at St. James Minor Seminary, Makurdi after which 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.
In 1999, he obtained a Master’s in Religious Education (Psychology and Counseling) at Fordham University, Bronx, New York City.
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.
Career
Upon the completion of his studies, he was ordained a Catholic priest on 7 July 1990, by Bishop Athanasius Atule Usuh of Makurdi Catholic Diocese.
He also served as Director of Pastoral Services, Catholic Health Service, North Campus Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, United States of America.
He is a member of the National Association of Catholic Chaplains, the CatholicHealth Service System Wide Ethics Committee and member of the Broward Ethics Committee.
Political history
In 2022 he declared interest to contest for the gubernatorial seat of Benue State in the All Progressives Congress platform.
During his campaign, it was noted that he was popular among Benue natives due to his previous work as an alleged miracle worker.
In March 2023, Alia was declared as winner of the 2023 governorship election in Benue State polling 473,933 votes ahead of Peoples Democratic Party Candidate Titus Uba who got 223,913 votes and subsequently sworn in as Governor of the state on May 29th, 2023.
Controversy
In May of 2022, he was suspended from his priestly faculties by the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Gboko, since Alia had declared himself a candidate for the political office of governor on the grounds that cleric priests are not allowed to be involved in partisan politics.
Personal life
Hyacinth Alia is a Catholic priest and strict follower of this doctrine, he is not married and leads a private life.