Alfred Akawe Torkula

Alfred Akawe Torkula, (10 July 1944 - 22 November 2015) was the fourth Tor Tiv, the supreme ruler of the Tiv people and Chairman of the Benue State Council of Traditional Rulers. He ascended the throne on the principle of rotation (ya na angbian) among the two sons of Tiv, Ichongu and Ipusu. He was an Ihyarev man and son of Ichongo, and became the 2nd Tor Tiv to have come from the Ichongo extraction. He ruled from 14 January 1991 to 22 November 2015.

He was the chancellor of the Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike in Abia State.

Early life and education Orchivirigh Dr. Alfred Akawe Torkula was born in Tse-Torkula, Mbadwem District, Guma Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. He commenced his education at the Tiv N. A. Elementary School, Gboko, from 1953 to 1958, followed by St. Theresa's Catholic Primary School, Naka, in 1959. He pursued his secondary education at Mt. Saint Michael's Secondary School, Aliade, from 1960 to 1964. Subsequently, he attended Kings College, Lagos, before proceeding to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria. He furthered his studies at the University of Besançon, France, where he obtained a B.A. (Hons), DEFE, specializing in French Language, graduating in 1971.

Career and positions Torkula began his career in civil service in the Benue Plateau State Civil Service and continued in Benue State following its creation in 1976. He spent over two decades in the civil service and held various significant positions, including serving as a Permanent Secretary and Director-General. His exemplary service led to his appointment as a Commissioner for Local Government Affairs in April 1989 under the administration of Colonel Fidelis Makka, making him a member of the Benue State Executive Council. At the time of his death, he was Chancellor, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike.

Alfred Akawe Torkula is a recipient of the prestigious Nigerian national honor, Commander of the Federal Republic (CFR).

Reign as Tor Tiv At the time of his coronation, Orchivirigh Alfred Akawe Torkula inherited a Tiv society embroiled in internal and external conflicts. The Jukun-Tiv crisis in Taraba was claiming a lot of lives and then internal boundary crises within Benue were inflicting harm upon fellow Tiv people. He emphasized the need for peace and unity among the Tiv people, and threatened to depose any district or clan head found to be instigating any crisis. His prompt actions and directives within the Tiv Traditional Council curbed inter-communal conflicts, creating an atmosphere conducive to lasting peace.

Recognizing emerging threats to traditional practices, he ardently championed the preservation of Tiv cultural heritage by publishing books among were 'Death and Burial Customs of the Tiv People of Central Nigeria,' 'The Cosmology in Tiv Worldview,' ‘The Tiv Woman: Challenges and Prospects,' 'Presidential Democracy in Nigeria: Grassroots Experience' and 'The Culture of Partisan Politics in Nigeria: A Historical Perspective.' He staunchly opposed and reversed societal shifts that deviated from established Tiv cultural norms. He sought to uphold respect for elders, discourage materialism-driven mindsets, and abolished practices contradicting Tiv customs, such as exorbitant bride prices, burials, and exploitative fundraising traditions.

Dr. Torkula also initiated structural reforms within the Tiv Traditional Council, expanding district leadership and implementing measures to fortify the council's efficiency and impact on community welfare by creating 14 second class stools. Later, he proposed an addition six additional first class stools and 60 third class chiefdoms in the Tiv Area Traditional Council.

Chairman of Northern Traditional Council of Chiefs, the Sultan of Sokoto, Dr. Abubakar Sa’ad II described him as "an educationist who ensure that his people move from the level of illiteracy to literacy; a businessman who create avenues for incomes for many of his subjects."