The Tiv Community of Taraba State on Saturday embark on a strategy for possible unity that would create leadership and political space for the people in Taraba State.
This was contained in a communique issued at the end of a two days maiden Taraba Tiv Summit 2023, which held at the NKST central church Jalingo and signed by the chairman, Rev. Fr. Simon Akuraga and secretary Mr. Justin Tyopuusu
According to the Communique, the Taraba State Tiv summit 2023 with the theme: (The Leadership Question and the Future of the Tiv People of Taraba State), was born out of the desire to address the plethora of challenges confronting the Tiv people of Taraba State origin. The people pointed out the challenges as, the leadership question, the unity among the Tiv people, security of a Tiv man in Taraba State, the place of a Tiv man in the Taraba State political space, the future of the Tiv youth and women in the State among others.
The people also explained in the Communique that the move was a determination to change the narrative, encourage unity and create leadership and political space for the Tiv’s in Taraba state.
The Communique read, “The Taraba State Tiv summit 2023 with the theme: The Leadership Question and the Future of the Tiv People of Taraba State, was born out of the desire to address the plethora of challenges confronting the Tiv people of Taraba State origin. These challenges include, but not limited to the leadership question, the unity among the Tiv, security of a Tiv man in Taraba State, the place of a Tiv man in the Taraba State political space, the future of our youth and women in the State among others.
“In determination to change the narrative, the Tiv people came together with delegates drawn from all the Local Government Areas across the State where the Tiv people are found in sizeable numbers and critically examined the issues around the summit theme. At the end of the two days of intensive deliberation, we hereby issue the following communiqué: Summit agreed on the need to have a Central Traditional Leader in Taraba State that would help in the coordination of the Tiv Traditional Leaders Council to be known in Tiv Language as (TER Tiv Taraba).
“Across the local government areas, summit adopted the existing TER structure as the highest traditional leader of Tiv at that level with his subordinate traditional leaders. Summit then adopted Zaki David Gbaa Tela JP (Ter Bali II) as the Tiv Central Traditional Leader, now known as TER Tiv Taraba.
“There shall be constituted leadership across all the strata of the Tiv society including political, youth, women, professional groups and the clergy among others.The summit condemned the senseless killings, maiming, displacement and destruction of valuable property belonging to the Tiv in Taraba State, and called on the Taraba State government to take urgent steps to ensure the return of all displaced people to their ancestral lands.
“Furthermore, the summit condemned the misunderstanding that led to security breach in Takum LGA among Tiv themselves. While urging the Tiv people to participate actively in all political processes, summit resolved that the Tiv people are open to acceptable political alliances that will uplift or emancipate them.
“Summit encouraged the promotion of social justice, alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and the diversification of the Tiv economy through entrepreneurship and vocational skills for the empowerment of women and youths for a more peaceful prosperous Tiv society. Summit agreed for the setting up of peace committee at local government level and promotion of oneness of the Tiv above clannish and self-interests.
“Summit also resolved that religious leaders of Tiv extraction should intensify efforts towards promoting learning programmes that would promote peace, unity and progress among the Tiv people. It was agreed that the summit shall be an annual event where the Tiv people meet to discuss and map out development plans” The Communique read.