The Taraba Tiv People’s Association (TATIPA), Abuja chapter, has urged the Taraba State government, the federal government, and the international community to upgrade all Tiv traditional institutions to the status of chiefdoms and ensure their full representation in the state’s traditional councils.
This appeal was made in a press conference in Abuja, yesterday, where Hon. Orbee Uchiv, a Board of Trustees (BoT) member and former political adviser in Taraba, decried the longstanding marginalisation of the Tiv community in the state.
According to Uchiv, the discrimination goes beyond displacement, highlighting a systematic denial of traditional and political recognition for Tiv people.
He lamented that despite historical acknowledgement by colonial authorities, Tiv traditional rulers have not been elevated to graded chiefdoms, unlike their counterparts in Wukari, Donga, and Takum, who have held First Class Chief titles for decades.
“We are not requesting the creation of new traditional institutions.
“We are demanding the long-overdue upgrade of Tiv traditional institutions that have existed for over a century,” he said.
Uchiv noted that Tiv village heads remain stuck at the lowest rungs of traditional hierarchy, without a single upgrade in over 100 years, describing it as a grave injustice.
He further criticised the exclusion of Tiv leaders from the Taraba State Council of Chiefs and Emirs, calling it a direct assault on justice, equity, and democratic ideals.
TATIPA also appealed for a comprehensive and inclusive plan for the safe return of displaced Tiv people to their ancestral homes, highlighting an escalating humanitarian crisis.
He called on the government to take action on outstanding peace committee reports, clarify the status of proposed military barracks in Ikyaior and Donga, and consult affected communities before any developments.
The group further urged federal agencies like NEMA and the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to respond urgently to the humanitarian needs of displaced Tiv communities.
“Thousands have lost their livelihoods. Our children are being denied education. Women and the elderly lack access to healthcare. Hunger and starvation now threaten the survival of the Tiv population in Taraba,” Uchiv stated.
Also speaking, Hon. Jacob Gbagede, another TATIPA official, insisted that Tiv people are not settlers in Taraba State but indigenous contributors to its development and political history.
“We were in Taraba long before the arrival of some other tribes. We must not be treated as strangers in our own land,” he said.
