Taraba
Takum Chieftaincy Tussle: Fresh Tension as Jukun Elders Fault Chamba Utterances
By Eleojo Samuel, Jalingo
It is no longer news that the decision by Governor Agbu Kefas, to install a Chamba man as the first class chief of Takum to abolish the age long ‘Ukwe Takum’ traditional Council in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State has generated serious concerns and tension within and outside the state.
Our reporter gathered that a fresh tension is brewing following recent alleged utterances by some Chamba elites that the Chambas having two first class traditional stools in Taraba and are gradually taken over the Kwararafa Chiefdom from the Jukuns who are having only one first class ruler in the State.
According to our sources the Chamba leaders allegedly made the comments recently at Ganye, Adamawa State, during a meeting with Chamba youth Association.
During the said meeting, the Chamba elders allegedly boasted that with General T Y Danjuma, their kinsman, the Chamba ethnic group is capable of displacing any existing traditional institution to their advantage.
It was gathered that these statements by the Chamba elders, did not go down well with prominent Jukun elders in Wukari and Takum who allegedly blamed Governor Kefas for imposing the Chamba tribe as first class chief of Takum to please General Danjuma.
Reacting on the matter, a Jukun elder from Takum, Mr Abraham Tsokwa, who spoke with a group of Journalists in Jalingo on Sunday, expressed dissatisfaction with the measures adopted by governor Kefas in the name of “resolving the Takum Traditional Tussle.”
Tsokwa said history shows that the Chambas whose population are minute in Takum, migrated from Adamawa State and the Cameroon Republic to Taraba and were never part of the Kwararafa kingdom.
He blamed governor Kefas for dancing to the dictates of TY Danjuma, (a Chamba man) to distort the traditional history of Takum Chiefdom, without consulting the Jukun elders of Takum.
He applauded the immediate past governor Darius Ishaku, for resisting every pressure and threat from the retired Chamba army general to temper with the traditional history of the Takum people.
“Ishaku, knowing the implication of toying with history, acted wisely by not subjecting himself to pressure from TY Danjuma, after consulting with elders and considering the historical background surrounding the chieftaincy in Takum.” He said.
According to him the traditional stool of Takum, has been an exclusive right of the Kutebs which they have been occupying since time immemorial. “That is why the title is Ukwe Takum in Kuteb native language.”
He blamed Kefas for playing to the gallery by subverting the interest of the Jukun and transferring them to the Chambas who are already occupying a first class seat in Donga, second class in Dakka, third class seats in Chanchangi and Kashimbila in Takum Local Government and, Suntai Daji, Dakka and Kungana in Bali local government area as well as Nyankula and Rafinkada in Wukari local government.
He expressed bitterness that the Chambas who have an insignificant population in the state, are occupying two first class traditional institutions against the Jukuns with just the Aku Uka as the only first class traditional ruler.
He warned the Chamba people, particularly those within the elders brackets, to exercise restraints in their utterances so as not to create avoidable tension in the state.
“As we await the outcome of the matter at the Appeal court in Yola, I appeal to everyone to restrain from making unguarded utterances bearing in mind the histories of inter ethnic crisis in the locality which no one benefitted.” Tsokwa said.
It could be recalled that Gov. Kefas, few months after his assumption of office tinkered with the age-old Ukwe Takum chieftaincy institution as he installed a Chamba man as a first class chief with third class chief from the Jukun and Kuteb tribes under a rotational arrangement.
The aggrieved tribe is the Kuteb who did not buy into the purported “resolution of the Chieftaincy Tussle” of their respected and predictable mode of succession to the stool of the Ukwe Takum.
The Kuteb tribe swiftly challenged the state government’s decision at a Jalingo High Court and currently at the appeal court in Yola, maintaining that the stool of Ukwe Takum which has been in existence since the creation of Takum must be restored.
Our reporter reliably gathered that recently a three man delegation consisting of a high court judge, a prominent traditional ruler and a renown private legal practitioner from the state were allegedly sent to Yola to influence the appeal number CA/YL/188/2024 filed by the Kuteb people pending before the court.
Aside from this, some Kuteb youths were also allgedly recruited and placed on a N250,000 each monthly allowances for them to feed the government with any information from the camp of the Kuteb on issues pertaining the struggle to reclaim the Ukwe stool..///.
Eleojo Samuel Adaji Jalingo
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Taraba State University has suspended the over one month strike action.
Dr. Joshua Mbaver, the ASUU chairman disclosed in a press release on Saturday that the state has agreed to meet the demands of the union that necessitated the strike action on December 5, 2024.
According to the statement, the strike action was necessitated by the Taraba State Government’s partial implementation
of multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and Memoranda of Action
(MoAs) agreed upon with the Union since 2014.
The ASUU chairman further disclosed that key issues under dispute have been addressed with commitments.
“That the Government, through the Governing Council, will enhance university funding in line with Taraba State Law No. 4 of 2008.
“Also, an initial payment of 10% of the total accumulated sum for Earned Academic Allowances (EAA), has been disbursed. Subsequently, 5% of the accumulated sum will be released monthly, commencing in February 2025, until the entire arrears are fully defrayed.
“That, the government has approved the implementation of a State-Defined Pension Scheme, with specific provisions for the prompt and efficient payment of benefits.
“Furthermore, a template for clearing arrears will be finalized by the first week of February 2025.
“That, Membership will be adjusted to comply with statutory requirements for the constitution of the University Governing Council
“That the Government has implemented the new national minimum wage and
consequential adjustments, with a commitment to timely salary payments”. The statement read.
Dr. Mbaver expressed that following the agreements in place, and with the approval of ASUU National, the ASUU-TSU Chapter has suspended the strike action with immediate effect.
“We extend our profound gratitude to ASUU National, the Zonal
leadership, and the TSU Congress for their unwavering support, which has culminated in the successful resolution of this struggle”.
The ASUU chairman commended governor Agbu Kefas for his steadfast commitment and
proactive leadership in resolving the recent dispute.
While expressing the Union’s profound gratitude to all stakeholders whose unwavering support and contributions facilitated the resolution of the strike, ASUU commended the leadership of the Ministry of Tertiary Education,
and the University Administration for their collaborative efforts that has made the resolution possible.
By Eleojo Samuel Adaji
In a decisive blow against illegal arms proliferation, troops of the 6 Brigade Nigerian Army/Sector 3 Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have apprehended a suspected gunrunner, Alhaji Adamu Usman, in Maraban Gassol, Taraba State.
Acting on credible intelligence, the troops launched a precision operation on January 13, 2025, storming the suspect’s residence in Gassol Local Government Area. A search of the property led to the discovery of a fabricated submachine gun, suspected to be part of an illegal arms trafficking network fueling insecurity in the region.
Commander of the 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, hailed the troops’ swift action and professionalism.
He reaffirmed the Brigade’s commitment to rooting out criminal elements and restoring lasting peace in Taraba State.
“The Nigerian Army is resolute in its mission to combat illicit arms proliferation. We urge the public to collaborate by providing credible information to help us address security challenges effectively,” Brigadier General Uwa stated.
The arrest highlighted the growing synergy between military intelligence and community cooperation, marking a significant stride in the fight against insecurity in Taraba State.
By Ben Adaji, Jalingo
Months after the collapse of the Namnai Bridge along the Jalingo-Wukari Federal Highway, cries for intervention from Taraba State have grown louder.
Senator Haruna Manu, representing Taraba Central in the Senate, and other stakeholders are appealing to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for immediate action to reconstruct the vital infrastructure, which has been out of service since August last year.
The Namnai Bridge, a critical link between southern Nigeria, the North-East region, and the Federal Capital Territory, served as an economic lifeline, connecting Taraba with neighboring states such as Benue, Plateau, and Nasarawa. Its collapse after heavy rainfall has severely disrupted social and economic activities, leaving motorists stranded and communities isolated.
In the wake of the collapse, locals and travelers resorted to temporary measures, such as canoes and ferries, to navigate the river. However, businesses and trade in the region have suffered, with vehicles forced to take a 120-kilometer detour via Garba-Chede-Mutum and Jalingo roads, significantly increasing travel costs and time.
Despite assurances from the state government to install a military floating bridge, no action has been taken, leaving residents frustrated.
Agbu Kefas
Residents are questioning why bridges in other parts of the North-East, such as those along the Yola-Gombe and Gombe-Bauchi roads, have been reconstructed, while the Namnai Bridge remains neglected. Senator Haruna Manu highlighted the disparity, calling for equal attention to Taraba’s plight.
Both Senator Manu and Hon. Ja’faru Yakubu Chiroma, who represents Bali/Gassol Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, have raised the matter on the floors of their
Senator Haruna Manu
Manu disclosed that he has personally engaged the Federal Road Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and emphasized the bridge’s strategic importance, urging the government to act before the rainy season begins.
Chiroma, who mobilized two ferries to aid stranded motorists after the collapse, has also engaged the North-East Development Commission (NEDC) for intervention. The NEDC has assessed the damage and promised action, but no progress has been seen on the ground.
Prominent Taraba stakeholders warn that if reconstruction does not commence before the rainy season, Taraba risks being cut off from the rest of the country, with dire economic and social consequences.
They urge President Tinubu to prioritize the Namnai Bridge, just as the federal government acted swiftly to address similar challenges in other states.
As the rainy season looms, the people of Taraba wait anxiously for tangible progress, hoping their cries for help will not go unheard.
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