By Managing Editor.
Governor A. A Sule of Nasarawa State has been called upon to intervene in some of the policies being implemented by the local authorities in the southern part of the state to mischievously deny Tiv communities of their legitimate rights as Citizens of the state.
This came to notice, when Tiv People of Nasarawa State, led by eminent sons and daughters of the state, in company of senator Jack Tilley Gyado on a courtesy call on the Governor last Thursday in Lafia.
Former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Prof Emmanuel Kucha who spoke on behalf of the Tiv people, states that, their farmlands are forcefully being confiscated by herders and their chiefdoms being ruled by proxy, and their children being dennied indegene certificates, among other things.
According to him, ”we wish to emphasise that Tiv people of Nasarawa State as you are aware, are predominantly farmers, while many have returned and continued with their legitimate farming occupation as a result of the prevailing relative peace being enjoyed under your administration, many others have difficulties in returning to their farmlands. This is as result of forceful confiscation of our farmland by our neighbours in places such as Kadarko, Giza, in Giza Development Area of Keana Local Government Area, Assakio in Lafia East development area of Lafia Local Government Area and Ekye Development Area of Doma Local Government, to mentioned a few.
“We want to appeal to your Excellency to intervene to stop these Local Authority who are out to cause crises, to enable our people return and access their ancestral lands, occupy and continue their farming.
“It is to be noted that the existence of our people in the area (now Nasarawa State) side by side with other nationalities predates the Nigerian state. We have been together during the then Northern Region and later Provincial Government (Benue Province) before independence.
“It’s therefore preposterious for any ignorant person who lack this historical facts to cast any inuendo to the effect that we are settlers. This is merely a plough to intimidate institutions of government to deny the Tiv people their legitimate rights and privileges as citizens of the State.
“We vehemently say this is totally unacceptable. It is to be recalled that the former Governor Sen. Abdullahi Adamu in 2001 minced no word when he said “we all came, others came in the morning, others afternoon while others in the evening”.
“This means therefore that nobody has the rights to assert or claim ownership of lands owned and occupied for several centuries by others. We must all have respect for one another as basis for our peaceful co-existence; as the hallmark of good neighbourliness and brotherhood which sustains people.
“The aftermath of the above Your Excellency, is because most every ethnic nationality even the least populated in Nasarawa State today has either a Chiefdom, District and or Village Areas being headed by the nationality except the Tiv people.
“Unfortunately, the Village Areas of the Tiv people which existed even before the creation of Nasarawa State and those created by the Government of Sen. Adbullahi Adamu in 2001 as contained in the Gazette No.1 volume 1; of 8th February 2001, are being ruled by proxy; by people who do not even understand our culture and tradition. Even the existing ones with substantive village heads who have now died, are not being replaced. This situation is gradually destroying the foundation of the basis of our cultural/traditional institutions from evolution to stand apar with our counterparts; instead these Village Areas are going into total extinction.
The said fourteen (14) Village Areas of Tiv as created are listed below:
1. Ihuman, 2. Anuku, 3. Jangaru, 4. Kaambe in Awe Local Government Area;
7. Ashika, 8. Gborigyo 9. Tugudu 10. Oluwa in Doma Local Government;
5. Omagede, 6. Kuduku, in Keana Local Government
11 Chorun; in Lafia LGA ( Lafia East DA):
12. Adudu west, 13. Buair, 14. Agawa in Obi Local Government.
While We are appealing as matter of inclusion, for appointment of substantive Village Heads of Tiv extraction to superintend over the affair of their people in these village areas, we also appeal for the creation of additional Village Areas, up-grading of some to Districts status and Chiefdom(s) for the sake of justice and equity.
11. As a result of the foregoing, in so some Local Government Areas such as Keana, our children are being denied indigene certificates and therefore denied access to a lot of opportunities. We are appealing to Your Excellency’s intervention in this regard.
Nasarawa Reporters 