Okanga Is A Leader Who Feels the Pain of His People

In the wake of the killings in Benue State, Chief Dr. Philip Agbese did not stay silent. He stood firmly, as he always has, with the people of Benue. With deep emotion, he condemned the senseless violence and called out the ongoing systemic neglect that allows communities in Benue to remain vulnerable to repeated attacks.
Okanga didn’t just speak for political effect, he spoke from a place of compassion and truth. He sympathized deeply with the victims’ families and the entire Benue community.
For years, Benue people have cried out. And for years, those cries have been met with silence or excuses.
But Okanga refuses to accept silence as normal. He is calling for Immediate and lasting security intervention across the Middle Belt, justice for victims of the Yelewata massacre and all previous attacks, federal accountability because safety is not a privilege, it is a right, and recognition of Benue’s suffering on the national security agenda.
To him, being a leader means standing with your people in their darkest hour. And now, more than ever, Benue needs leaders who will not turn away. Okanga is one of those rare few: bold, broken by the pain, but unrelenting in his demand for peace.
In times like this, leadership is not about power, it’s about heart. A true leader must feel the pain of the people, not just read about it in reports. A true leader must stand with the wounded, speak for the unheard, and act with compassion. And that’s exactly who Chief Philip Agbese is.
When Benue bleeds, Okanga speaks. When lives are lost, he mourns with the people. When families cry out, he answers with action. He shows up. He listens. He stands with the brokenhearted. Because for him, this isn’t about politics, it’s about human lives.
“We cannot ignore the pain of our people. Leadership must have empathy”— Okanga