Indigenous Status Of Tiv People In Nasarawa Incontrovertible – Prof Kucha

Those arguing against the indigenous status of Tiv natives in Nasarawa State are doing so out of ignorance, Prof. Emmanuel Kucha, has said.

Reacting to the position of the Alago Ikweyi Gbayi Development Union (AIGDU), to the effect that Tiv people have no claim to an ancestry in Nasarawa, Prof. Kucha, explained that the indigenous status of the Tiv People of Nasarawa has never been in dispute or contention right from the pre-colonial era where they had their traditional leadership structure centralised in communal settings under the Tor Agbande rulership in the 14th and 15th centuries.

Prof. Kucha, who is the leader of the Tiv Indigenes of Nasarawa State, noted that the centralised traditional rulership was consolidated under the central leadership of the Tor Tiv in 1946, following the Advent of colonial rule shortly after the end of the Second World War.

“The Tiv growing population has featured in the evolving trajectory of the defunct Munchi Province as found on the colonial map with inheritance of vast farmlands as they are predominantly occupational farmers.

“It is a fact of history that they were legitimately integrated into the political administrative framework for the creation of both Taraba and Nasarawa states,” he stated.

According to him, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James lorzua Ortese Ayatse spoke from the point of knowledge on the status of Tiv people in Nasarawa State during President Bola Tinubu’s assessment visit to Benue State following the attack on Yelwata community recently. He pointed out that the Abuja Branch of the Alago Socio Cultural Organization was oblivious of  history and not in touch with the reality of the harmonious co-habitation between the Tiv and Alago with shared affinity in Benue and Nasarawa states.

“Indeed, His Royal Majesty, Prof. James lorzua Ortese Ayatse spoke during the President’s visit as the Paramount Ruler of the Tiv People Worldwide with competent authority on the historical factors of his territorial jurisdiction before a high profile audience with the Nasarawa State Governor, His Excellency, Engr. A. A. Sule and revered Traditional Council under the leadership of Emir of Lafia, JSC Sidi Bagge (rtd), in attendance. The Tor Tiv stated emphatically that the Tiv people of Nasarawa State are not SETTLERS.

“The President in his response acknowledged the complex Nature of peaceful Coexistence and ethnic hostilities and called for mutual tolerance, and accommodation of diverse interests in promoting National unity. He initiated the process with a directive for a synergy between the State Governments of affected States (Benue and Nasarawa).

“We find the reaction of the Abuja Branch of the Alago Socio Cultural Organization completely misleading towards renewed conflicts in the affected communities. We have no hesitation to conclude that the reaction is evidence that they are fully responsible for the trend of occupational raids that target and have swept away Tiv communities in Nasarawa State.

“The Tiv people of Nassarawa State are a strong factor in evolving political dispensations where they have enjoyed official patronage of elections and appointive opportunities until recently, under the administration of Engr. A.A. Sule. Perhaps, the intensified onslaught to ostracize us is a well coordinated project to depopulate our demography in order to obliterate us on the political map of Nasarawa State.

“The Alago Socio Cultural Organization, Abuja Branch is an elite frontier of the organized Kwararafa oligarchy on a mission to dominate the North Central region.

“We want to state and reiterate our resolve to defend our historical inheritance without contemplating any compromise. We condemn the infantile reaction of a Branch of a Socio Cultural Organization to the statement by the Paramount Ruler of the Tiv Nation,” he said.