TO HRH, TOR TIV THE FIFTH: THE CHALLENGES BEFORE YOU

Terver Songu

Delhi

India

7 March 2017

His Royal Highness

Professor James Ortese Ayatse

Tor Tiv V

Tor Tiv Palace

Gboko

Benue State

Your Highness,

THE CHALLENGES BEFORE YOU

I have chosen to send a straight forward message to you, through this letter, the new ‘Begha U Tiv, Orchivirigh Professor James Ayatse. M sugh kpishi sha er U hingir Tor Tiv u sha Utaan Ken Tar Tiv yô. Aôndo a lu a we gbem shawon.’

I would like to send to you and the entire Tivland an unornamented message and I will be as brief as a woman’s love. I may not be voicing the minds of many Tivs but I have to say the truth as it is seen because the truth, when delayed, plunges into discolouration and could become poisonous.

Tivland has always been

the custodian and mainstay of Benue state, notwithstanding the interment dark moments. It remained a point of reference in many scholarly articles as a fearless nation; a nation undefiled and undiluted by threats (of wars and other external forces.) Our neighbours, who in the past had had a taste of our venom, can, hitherto, attest to our might. To a large extent, the Tiv nation emerged almost always triumphant in unavoidable wars and ethnic clashes of the past until the infiltration of the ‘monster.’ This victories are dated as far back as the earliest recorded European encounter in 1852, when Tiv were found on the banks of the Benue. British occupying forces attempted invading Tivland from the east, when they were called in to protect a Hausa and Jukun enclave that we had attacked. Of course, it is no news to you that we had in 1950,  defeated this British force, and then later invited them in. Such was our might!

Another instance worth talking about was the historic clash that happened between the Kunav people of Vandeikya Local Government Area in the early 1900s and the neighbouring ‘Udam’ people of Utugwan in Cross River state where our enemies were abased to their father land. Regrettably, the recent of such encounters like the Tiv-Jukun clashes left hundreds of Tiv people dead and hundreds more displaced in many parts of Taraba state, which later degenerated between 1991 to 2001, culminating in a purposeful extermination of Tivs in Taraba State. Expectedly, you know much more of this history than I do.  

No doubt, the initial victories were possible because we had traditional leaders who were more interested in maintaining our traditional values than been puppeteered by greedy, and unpatriotic political figures. For some time now, the Tiv people have been sold out to aliens in the name of meaningless and self-enriching trade-by-barter chieftaincy titles to national figures. None of these brought respect or gains for the Tiv nation. Rather, it was better seen as political trading of our heritage for personal aggrandisement. That too is a story for another day.

Hopefully, your refusal to swear by Swem, but the Holy Bible, is a harbinger of good things to trail your leadership in a changing world. Perhaps, the very Swem that defended us in the past has failed woefully and this calls for a change of customs as we can’t keep using the same methods to expect a different result.

Perhaps, with such an uncommon show of courage and guts, suffices to state that you are the messiah the Tiv nation has been waiting for. Many of our people have fallen to myriad of gruesome murders and other heinous crimes that aliens perpetrated right on our soil and went scot-free. Just to refresh your memory to this realities are the series of killings of Tiv people in the far Taraba state in 1991, 1993, and 2003. Similar cases are the incessant killings of Tivs in Nasarawa State. Most regrettably, and unbelievably too, are those that have been carried out on our soil; right under our nose in Guma, Logo, Katsina-Ala, Gwer, Local Government Areas; just to mention but a few, and are still on-going in some remote villages. Many indigenes of Tivland became internally displaced persons in their own states; lost loved ones and property worth millions of naira.

On the contrary, the delivery of your speech in English, rather than Tiv language, was totally unacceptable. As far as I am concerned, and to some extent, the Tiv nation, Swem can become extinct, but certainly not our language. The throne you occupied on this day, is not only a symbol of authority, but most importantly, it is a symbol of ‘our identity’ as Tiv people.  What more can be more important than the identity you took oath of office to represent? This act is also worrisome because we are busy battling with the inability of the current Tiv generation’s inability to ‘use Tiv language efficiently.’

Compounding our problem is the diminishing spirit of ‘ayatutu’ and the culture of ‘ya na angbian.’These duo principles of brotherhood in Tiveland must be revived during you reign to promote a more peaceful co-existence among our people, and entrench oneness as in the days of old.

Another worrisome civil disturbance is the incessant attacks on ‘Kparev’ settlements in Modern Market area of Makurdi Local Government Area. This has been on for a long time and continued throughout the reign of your predecessor. It is hard to believe that this was always happening in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, and Tor Tiv palace was silent, and nobody was punished.

From the foregoing, we can clearly see the urgent need to defend Tivland by taking immediate and necessary steps that will end attacks on Tiv people, and establish parameters of peace and peaceful coexistence, where possible. War and reprisal attacks may not be the solution as there are various avenues to sue for peace in the twenty first century without resorting to the use of arms.

To this end, there is the need to engage in a more active and meaningful dialogue with neighbouring traditional heads in Taraba and Nasarawa states to sign memoranda of understanding to embrace peace and be held accountable for any slightest breach of same by their subjects. They must understand that nobody has monopoly of violence and violence is not beneficial to anyone. This, among other things, must include concerted efforts to halt the renaming of Tiv settlements in Taraba state by the Darius Dickson Ishaku led administration, and to ensure their proper resettlement and sustained safety in these places.

Again, as you assume the mantle of leadership, I would like you to keep away from partisan politics and concentrate on reviving the sinking Tiv traditional values. Thrive to be different from and better than those who had sat on that throne before you. Some had abandoned the business for which they became king and went after things that were for personal aggrandisement. Always remember that Tivland is vast and there are bound to be unavoidable skirmishes and misunderstandings. As the ‘father,’ it is incumbent on you to restore peace in troubled regions, no matter how much this may cost you.

Relatedly, Tivland has had its fair share of the Fulani herdsmen onslaught. This is unacceptable in its entirety and it must stop. The Fulani’s are not from Benue state and will never be. Like Donald Trump of the United State would always say ‘America First,’ so should your desires and policies be unconditionally but deeply rooted on the principle of ‘Tivland first.’if need be, adopt ‘extreme measures’ that will safeguard the lives and property of Tiv people.

Finally, be a twenty first century Monarch, and constantly keep in touch with the Tiv youths on social media platforms. This you can discuss with the Tiv Traditional Council, if need be, and engage some youths to be your eyes. It will not only connect you to the people but also provide you first hand, and unfiltered information about the needs of your people.

Posterity has always spoken for Aper Aku, and it is my wish that your story as Tor Tiv, the Fifth, will not be different.

PS: I crave your indulgence to share the content of this letter with some media outfits within and without Benue state.

Terver Songu

Dheli, India

jtjsmart@gmail.com