A socio-cultural organisation, Chamba Renaissance Group, has condemned media attacks on the Chamba tribe allegedly by various Kuteb groups over the traditional stool of Chief of Takum, saying the Chamba tribe has a right to the traditional rulership of Takum Town in Taraba State.
The group, in a statement signed by its chairman, Dr Nyatooh Bibonga, said historical records favour the Chamba tribe on the rulership of Takum Town and Chambas like any other ethnic group have the right to contest the Takum chieftaincy stool.
The Chamba group is a body of self-employed professionals of Chamba ethnicity cutting across Southern Taraba and other parts of Taraba State at large.
It said the history of Takum, its culture and traditions contain the indelible marks and contribution of Chambas and whatever can be said about the town can never be complete without mentioning the role of Chambas.
“Historical records have it that both the Chambas and Kutebs have taken turns to rule the town. The fact that the last Chamba ruler of Takum was deposed in 1914 did not mean Chambas have been excluded from rulership of the town. The deposition was to one man, not the entire ethnicity. And with passage of time, nothing says that the Chambas cannot aspire or be considered to rule the town.
“If government sees the wisdom to reverse the injustice done to Chambas since 1914 and decides to restore them as it’s their right in the rulership of Takum, we cannot quarrel with that. Ironically the same people who are questioning the right of our indigenous government to make laws in respect of Takum Chieftaincy in the interest of justice are holding on to the unjust decision of a foreign colonial government to exclude the Chambas as their alibi for their claim to exclusive ownership to the Takum Traditional stool. What is good for the Kutebs should also be good for the Chambas in Takum,” the statement read in part.
Dr Bibonga added that the Kutebs have thrown decorum to the wind and resorted to attacking and distorting anything Chamba, including their history, traditional rulers and tradition, customs, and personalities, among others.
The group said the Kuteb seemed to have run berserk abusing the revered Aku Uka of Wukari and the respected Jukun Tradition Council.
“They have not spared the Executive Governor of Taraba State, Dr Agbu Kefas, as well as the Taraba State House of Assembly. They have threatened war against the Chamba and anybody else who does not support their cause.
“Pointedly, the Kutebs have singled out revered elder statesman of no mean repute in Nigeria and Africa and indeed the world, Lt. General TY Danjuma (rtd) for the vilest abuse and insults.
“They have singled him out as the main cause of what they believe is an attempt to take away their sole right to the Takum traditional stool by the government of Taraba State,” he pointed out.
The Chamba group, however, said it will continue to remain law abiding, support the State government where necessary and when called upon to do so on the matter at hand the Chamba people will remain vigilant against what it called advertised threats to their existence by people it described as poorly bred, misguided elements whose stock in trade was unleashing mayhem on innocent, law abiding persons.
