A cultural group, Ayatutu Cultural and Social Development Initiative (AYACASODI), on Sunday commended Governor Agbu Kefas over steps taken so far in developing Taraba State.
The group also saluted the Governor for creating the Ministry of Social Justice and Reintegration, however appealed to the governor to review the chiefdom created by his predecessor, Darius Ishaku that has in some places sparked crisis and is brewing elements of destabilising peace in the state.
In a press conference in Jalingo, Comr. David Nyiagee, National Secretary of the group said the steps taken so far in developing Taraba by governor Kefas were hope reviving for the citizens.
“As an association that believes in good governance, we wish to commend Governor Agbu Kefas leadership style which has so far given hope to many residents of Taraba, and indeed Nigerians that he has come to change the narrative of the way things were done in the past.
“We salute the governor’s courage for redefined governance through mind-blowing reforms like the declaration of free primary and secondary education, the reduction of tertiary institution’s school fees by half, the setting up of a committees of enquiry to suggest solutions to ending some perennial tribal crises in the state, the implementation of the new minimum wage, the appointment of youths into key offices and the rolling out of palliatives which signify hope, unity, and inclusion of the citizens in the administration.
“We also commend Governor Kefas for the creation of the state Ministry of Social Justice and Reintegration, as well as the prompt and decisive way the governor has handled the crisis in Karim-Lamido over the Chieftaincy tussle,” the group commended.
Comrade Nyiagee on behalf of the association however accused the former Governor, Darius Ishaku of melting injustice against the Tivs in the state and called on Governor Kefas to correct the wrongs.
“We wish to inform Governor Agbu Kefas that the former Governor, Darius Ishaku melted so much injustice on our people in the creation of Chiefdoms and Districts; he also illegally confiscated land from our people who are the rightful owners for himself and others. We are appealing for a review of the process in the interest of justice, peace, inclusion, and development.
“In 2018, the immediate past Governor, Darius Ishaku created and upgraded 54 chiefdoms in Taraba and since then, Ishaku had further created chiefdoms and districts in almost every village and hamlet in Taraba State but deliberately refused to create even one chiefdom for the Tiv people in the entire Taraba State despite historical records that clearly favour the creation of Tiv Chiefdoms and districts.
“The exercise led to the creation of Chanchanji Chiefdom in Takum LGA, which is predominantly Tiv but named after Chamba. Chanchanji as a village, has its small territory with a culture totally different from the Tiv culture that is the majority.
“It is on record that Chanchanji ward which is 98 percent Tiv with over 38,000 registered voters, has barely 2% Chamba population. However, we did not protest the action of former governor Ishaku in public because our people from that area had also submitted a proposal for the creation of a Shitile chiefdom with headquarters at Peva.
“In the same Takum LGA, the Gara of Chanchanji appointed and tried to impose Chamba district heads on the people of Mbajir and Mbatyula clans under the Chanchanji district and the Mberev, Kwan-Yongo, Mbadyugh and Shiakpev clans under Tse-Amadu Districts before the Government’s circular banning the creation and installation of district heads in June this year. Apart from the submission of a proposal for the creation of a Shitile Chiefdom in Takum, our people in Donga LGA also submitted a proposal for the upgrade of the already created and gazetted Ugondo district to a Chiefdom with headquarters at Tor-Damisa. A similar proposal for the restoration of the Shitile district was also submitted, with headquarters at Ananum.
“It is worthy of note that the Shitile village area was created on the 1st of May 1961 and approved on 6th January, 1962, alongside four other village areas of Ugondo, Gidin Dutse, Gayama, and Suntai. The Barde administration in 1981 also made use of these units in creating Local Government Areas and districts in the defunct Gongola State. You may be shocked to note, that all the other village areas created the same day with the Shitile village areas have become districts except the Shitile village area which we have seen as a clear case of exclusion and injustice taken too far.
“While we were waiting for the Governor’s action on these requests, Governor Ishaku shockingly approved the creation and renaming of that same Shitile district (a Tiv and the legitimate name) to Wetibi district (a Chamba name) with headquarters at Ananum, with 99% Tiv population and Samgambe district (another Chamba name) in the place of the already created and gazetted Ugondo district (which is a Tiv and the legitimate name) with headquarters in Tor-Damisa with 99% Tiv population. This is a clear case of historical distortion and colonialism in the 21st century.
“In Wukari and Ibi LGAs, many village areas were created for the Tiv people by the Colonial masters, alongside other tribes. However, almost all the other village areas have been upgraded to districts and chiefdoms, except the ones from the Tiv-dominated areas which are still village areas and are not even recognized.
“The Darius Ishaku administration had changed the name of Dan-Anacha in Gassol LGA to Kwararafa and created a Chiefdom, which is causing tension in the area to date. The immediate past governor illegally confiscated land which rightfully belong to the Tiv people who were displaced due to crisis, for himself and his loyalists. It is believed that he even obtained a certificate of occupancy for some of those land, especially in Southern Taraba.
“While we also thank governor Agbu Kefas for appointing one of our own into his cabinet, Mr. Habu James Philip, we wish to appeal that the injustice and maltreatment against the Tiv people by the immediate past administration of Darius Ishaku be review and looked into, since the past administration’s action was geared towards permanently erasing the Tiv identity in Taraba state” The group called.
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