Taraba Youths Decry Linking T.Y. Danjuma To Takum Chieftaincy Stool

The Takum Youth Progressive Group (TYPG) in Taraba yesterday has cautioned the Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) on a purported press release indicting Gen TY Danjuma (rtd) over their agitations for the Takum chieftaincy stool.

A press release by the TYPG’s secretary, Emmanuel Tikari said the KYN press release is laced with lies and dominant falsehood about the state government and a respected elder statesman, Gen TY Danjuma, as well as threats capable of undermining the peace efforts of the government under the leadership of Governor Agbu Kefas.

“For the avoidance of doubt, Gen Danjuma’s giant strides in the development of Takum, his fatherland, is not in bargaining for anything as infinitesimal as becoming the Chief of Takum at his age.

“In fact, it is absurd for KYN to say Gen Danjuma, a known global philanthropist of such magnitude, is achieving those giant strides for his community with a motive attached.

“For the records, the process of the selection of the Chief of Takum is guided by the provision of the 1975 Order of the Benue-Plateau State of Nigeria Gazette No. 22, Vol. 9, pg 5-7, which provided that, ‘The Chief of Takum shall continue to be chosen by the traditional selectors from the descendants in the adult male line of the ruling families of Likam, Akente, Dinyi, and Tikari.’

“It further provided that, ‘the traditional selectors shall be the persons holding the following offices, namely; Kuru Kpante, Tunwari, Head of the Tikari family, Head of Likam family, and Head of Akente family.’

“If the law has spelled out the ruling houses that can be made the Chief of Takum of which Gen Danjuma does not belong to any, one wonders how KYN will descend so low to insinuate that Danjuma is to be honoured with the position of Chief of Takum,” the statement read.

The group further called on the state government and the security agencies to watch the activities of KYN as it seems to derive pleasure in peddling lies against personalities and constituted authorities without remorse; an act, the TYPG said, is capable of breaching the peace and tranquility of Takum and Taraba State at large.

It would be recalled that the Yantso Kuteb Association, in a recent press conference, accused the Taraba State governor of planning to abolish the first class chief of Takum (Ukwe Takum) and allegedly tried to impose a kinsman, TY Danjuma, a Chamba tribe extraction to become a first class chief of Takum against the wish of the Kuteb tribes.