A Benue state Socio-cultural organisation, the Mdzough U Tiv, Wednesday appealed to the Taraba states governor, Darius Ishaku, to look for ways to ameliorate suffering and injustice meted out to the Tiv people in Taraba state.
The socio-cultural group in an open letter signed by the president general, Edward Ujege and secretary general Dr Boniface A. Ukende, addressed to governor Ishaku, said the socio-cultural groups has noticed with extreme agony the woeful plight of Tiv people of Taraba state and reviewed the suffering and sometimes injustice meted on them, and decided to call for the intervention of the powers that be.
The group said it was making the appeal considering the fact that the governor will study the letter dispassionately and being a humane and listening person, who has been known to have the people at heart, definitely oblige the request.
It alleged that the Tiv people who have been in Taraba state for time immemorial have been marginalised in almost every sphere.
“It is apparent that Tiv people in Taraba state are being discriminated against in areas of employment, appointments, appointment into chiefdoms, changing the names of Tiv settlement areas, towns and villages and perennial attacks resulting in the loss of lives and in the displacement of the people.
“Recently, during the recruitment of cadets into Police Academy Wudil, many Tiv sons and daughters of Taraba origin were denied opportunities simply because they come through Taraba state.
“In Nigeria, traditional councils are well recognised and play a very prominent role in areas of social values. We therefore question the rationale whereby the Tiv people who constitutes the good population of the Taraba society are not visible at all levels of the Taraba Traditional Councils.
“We wonder what informed the Taraba state government to change the names of Tiv settlements into Kwararafa names. Does this action promote harmony and good neighbourness in Taraba state?
“It has become a re-current event that the Tiv people in Taraba state are attacked, destabilised, sometimes killed or sent into exile at the slightest misunderstanding or for political advantages.
“It is in this regard that instead of keeping silent,. we make bold to bring to your attention the above challenges hoping that you will review them, get at the truth and find remedies,” the group noted.
The Mdzough U Tiv also said the issues raised in the letter were not in any way to antagonize Governor Ishaku and his government or the people of Taraba state, but because individuals rights were not protected as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
The group further noted that they had to bring the issues before the governor considering that he may not be aware of some of the issues raised and may be failing in their duty and responsibility if they do not bring them to his attention / notice.
