Dr. Engr. Roseline Ada Chengeis widely recognized as a political pioneer, a barrier-breaking engineer, and a figure who came to represent hope and unity for her state.
Engineering and Leadership Career
Ø Trailblazing Engineer: Northern Nigeria’s first female Mechanical Engineer.
Public Service Leadership
Ø First female General Manager, Benue State Water Board. Oversaw the commissioning of the Greater Makurdi Water Works by President Goodluck Jonathan.
Ø First female Managing Director of the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority (LBRBDA) (2011-2014).
Ø Later served as Managing Director of the Upper Benue River Basin Development Authority.
Political Career and Vision
· Gubernatorial Candidate: Contested for Governor of Benue State multiple times under different party platforms (PDP in 2007 & 2015; APC in 2015; ADP as of 2025).
Key Political Promises
· Free tuition in state-owned tertiary institutions.
· Aligning state civil service welfare with federal standards.
· A focus on security, industrialization, and anti-corruption.
·Symbolic Role
Hailed as “the urgently needed bridge” to unite the Tiv and Idoma ethnic groups in Benue politics. Holds the traditional Idoma title “Ohor Nge Wya” (“the one the people trust”).
A Legacy of Breaking Barriers and Building Infrastructure
Ada Chenge’s career is defined by a series of pioneering “firsts” in male-dominated fields. Her journey began when she chose Mechanical Engineering against the advice of a teacher who suggested medicine or pharmacy as more suitable for a woman. This defiance set the tone for her future.
Her leadership in public service was marked by hands-on, demanding roles. As General Manager of the Benue State Water Board, she described the immense pressure of providing an essential, unhideable resource: “water cannot be hidden. If there is no water, there is no water”. Her tenure saw tangible achievements, including the expansion of water works in Katsina-Ala and Otobi. This performance led to her appointment as the first female Managing Director of any of Nigeria’s 12 River Basin Development Authorities, where she managed water resources across multiple states.
The Unifying “Bridge” in Benue Politics
Beyond infrastructure, Ada Chenge’s most profound role has been as a political unifier. Analysts and supporters have described her as “the bridge Benue State urgently needs”. This stems from her unique personal and professional standing:
· Cross-ethnic trust: She is an Idoma woman by birth who is married into a respected Tiv family.
· Proven leadership: Her successful administrative record earned her trust across ethnic lines.
· A symbol of justice: Her candidacy represented a potential resolution to longstanding debates about political marginalization between the Tiv and Idoma communities in Benue State.
Her political vision was ambitious, aiming to “make Benue the first state to mention… when you mention the name Nigeria”. Her policy pledges consistently centered on human development: free education to unlock potential, improved workers’ welfare, and creating “many billionaires out of the Benue youths”.
Confronting Challenges with a “Yes, I Can” Spirit
Ada Chenge’s path was not without significant obstacles, which she openly acknowledged. She identified funding and political violence as two major barriers for women in Nigerian politics. Campaigns require immense resources to reach all local government areas, and women often lack access to the same financial networks as men. Furthermore, the violent nature of some political contests is a deterrent.
Despite these challenges, she was known for her resilience. Supporters and profiles described her with a “Barack Obama styled ‘Yes, I Can’ spirit,” an “indomitable woman of substance,” and a “political Amazon”. Even in defeat, as in the 2007 PDP primaries, she demonstrated sportsmanship by supporting the winner an