[3] Before going into politics, he was a lecturer at the University of Lagos, where he played a key role in establishing and consolidating the Department of Psychology and its degree-awarding programs.

[4] In 1975, he was selected as one of fifty distinguished Nigerians, often referred to as the 'Fifty Wise Men,' by General Murtala Muhammed to draft a constitution for modern Nigeria as the country transitioned to civilian rule.

[6] Alongside notable figures like Tunji Otegbeye, Solomon Lar, Alhaji Abubakar Rimi, and his role model, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Unongo helped form the Nigerian People's Party (NPP), becoming its inaugural secretary general.

[8] Paul Iyorpuu Unongo was born on September 26, 1935, to Unongo Kwaghngise Anure Abera in Turan, Northern Nigeria Protectorate which is the present-day Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State and his wife Lante Kukwa, an Etulo lady from Adi, present-day Buruku Local Government Area of Benue State.

He was then awarded a six-year scholarship by the former Northern Regional Government of Nigeria to pursue a Ph.D. program in Psychology at the University of London.

[26] At the time, Biafra was gaining international sympathy due to the perception that the Nigerian Civil War was a genocide perpetrated by northern Muslims against eastern Christians.

The two traveled through Canada and the United States, working to dispel the myth of a northern Muslim war against eastern Christians, and they were successful in their mission.

Father James Akor[28] were northern Christians, and Unongo's effectiveness as a diplomat endeared him to the Yakubu Gowon's administration.

Like his mentor, Nnamdi Azikiwe, his early political inclinations were shaped by his desire to see a unified Nigeria that transcended ethnic and religious divisions.

The outcome of this, was the beginning of partying of ways between Unongo and J S Tarka as both leaders had different views about the creation of divisions or local governments in Tivland.

[41] Mvendaga Jibo's insight on this treatise is worth quoting: Unongo's primary aim, as expressed in the publication, was to transition the Tiv people from a 'primitive lifestyle' to a modern one, accompanied by prosperity.

[44] Unongo ran for the governorship of Benue State in the 1979 elections but lost to the National Party of Nigeria (NPN), to which Joseph Tarka belonged.

[49] At the time, Eke was the Federal commissioner for Education and was effectively serving as the registrar of the University of Lagos, which helped Unongo obtain his teaching job there.

Tarka believed that Unongo had aligned himself with the new military administration of Joseph Gomwalk in Jos the headquarters of Benue-Plateau State to undermine his legitimacy, influence, and control over Tiv politics.

[52] According to Iyorwuese Hagher, Unongo’s iconic booklet Where Do We Go from Here laid out a coherent manifesto for the nation and Tiv land.

During this period, he resolved to return to Nigeria and seek retribution for the humiliation he endured at the hands of his former political ally, Unongo.

[55] As the prohibition on party politics was lifted by the Obasanjo military government, Tarka revitalized the structures of the United Middle Belt Congress (UMBC) and meticulously plotted his return, despite grappling with his health challenges posed by cancer.

He was unwavering in his refusal to compromise, engage in dialogue, or seek any form of accommodation with the older political generation from the first republic, which remained loyal to their leader, J.S.

Nevertheless, Unongo capitalized on this outcome by initiating the NPN/NPP alliance, which facilitated the transition into the Second Republic, much to Tarka's dismay, who had led the NPN to victory.

Dr Tesemchi Makar, a cultural leader of the Tiv ethnic group, to which Major Orkar belonged, and also a former Benue State official, was apparently arrested.

He was arrested and detained at the Maitama divisional police station in Abuja and charged with incitement and impersonation for allegedly declaring himself as the governor-elect of Benue State.

[75] His political maneuvering made many Tiv elites uneasy, particularly when he supplanted Paul Belabo as the candidate for the Nigerian People's Party (NPP) in the 1983 governorship election, leaving Belabo feeling very bitter[76] also noted that when Paul Unongo was appointed minister in Shehu Shagari's NPN-controlled administration, he viewed Aper Aku's leadership as a threat to his ambitions of becoming a prominent leader among the Tiv and in Benue State.

To gain an advantage, Unongo allegedly sidelined Paul Belabo, the NPP's gubernatorial candidate, to enter the 1983 race himself.

He became a founding member and the Convener/Leader of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), a group established to protect the political, economic, and cultural interests of the Northern region.

[79] The Tiv love mysteries, myths, and mythical figures,[80] and have hence transformed Paul Unongo into a subject of endless mythological tales.

According to these stories, he disappeared for years as an infant, nurtured by benevolent spirits, the guardians of the world and was trained by his uncle Jato Aka a magico-spiritualist.

[81] This has resulted into having the ability to evaporate during critical moments, such as when facing a roadblock set by hostile opponents and during a vehicle accident.

JULADACO also, provided free medical care, built places of worships for communities, awarded domestic and foreign scholarships etc.

[91] Unongo was conferred with the national honour of Officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR) by General Olusegun Obasanjo, the Head of State.

His political creations are Iyorchia Ayu, Gabriel Suswam, Steve Ugbah, Yima Sen, Samuel Ortom etc.