The Tiv people of Taraba State are majorly found in Southern Taraba with a good number of them in the Central area of the state. Historical accounts proved the indigeneship in both migratory and constitutional aspects. However, even with its status as one of the major ethnic groups indigenous in the state the Tiv ethnic group has faced alot of derogatory and inhumane treatment from her neighbours, one of which is ethnic profiling. This work look at the negative effect of this ethnic profiling and other derogatory terms used against the Tiv people in Taraba State such as settlers.
As earlier stated the history of Tiv indigeneship in Taraba State predates the creation of Taraba State itself, as one of the states in the Nigerian Federation. As a matter of fact, several writers and scholars such as Akombo, Jibo, Agbu, Shishi e.t.c outrightly acknowledged the indigeneship of Tiv people in Taraba State, an event which predates even Gongola state from which Taraba State was created on August, 1991.
Despite this historical facts, the Tiv are carefully sidelined as part of the state in political and socio-cultural activities on the ground that they’re settlers who are not worth legitimizing in the Taraba State affair. The idea of tagging Tiv as settlers in Taraba State emanated from the southern Taraba area where the Tiv are indigenous in large number, and steadily spread across Taraba State.
The social effect of this derogatory term ” Settlers ” on the Tiv is so much so that, no matter how the friendship between a Tiv boy or girl and a fellow Taraban is, the other moves around with the feeling that the Tiv friend is from Benue State where the Tiv people are largely dominant indigenously. The attempt to make him or her believe that, it is not so makes the Tiv friend appear as forcing himself on Taraba indigenously.
While the settler identity is customized on the Tiv people of Taraba State, they’re economically being crippled by continuous crises. Since 1959, as recorded by different writers the Tiv people in Taraba State have been into one form of crisis to other, all geared towards weakening their economic, political and socio-cultural relevance or development in the state.
Today, more than half percent of Tiv lands in Taraba State are turned into grazing areas as a result of crises perceived to be backed by state powers. Tiv villages such as Tor-Iorshaer, Tor-Musa, Imande-Ade, Tortser, Tor-Damisa, Ananum, Gbor-Ucha, Jandeikyula among several others are finding it difficult to regain their economic strength because continuous crises have weakened the inhabitants.
Even as we speak, some of these villages mentioned above are deserted and Fulani herders are seen grazing on peoples graves as one travels from Wukari to Takum unchallenged.
The most recent agony is the profiling of the Tiv ethnic group by her neighbours and even those in authority who are believed to defend citizens as such powers are accorded to them constitutionally. The Tiv ethnic group in Taraba State is now paraded as kidnappers and criminals including those whose villages are deserted and are trying to reoccupy them. The security architecture in Taraba State now view the Tiv people as a trouble-loving people and criminal-minded people who should be dealt with at any given opportunity.
The prove to the above assertion is not far fetched, as security agents are seen always burning down Tiv communities with the claim of dislodging criminal camps. This incidents are seen with naked eyes and are undeniable even to the newly born babies. The Tiv ethnic group in Taraba has become a target to both her neighbours and security agents for elimination.
The psychological effect of this coordinated crime against an innocent ethnic group whose only crime is that their geographical location found them among people whose minds are not civilised to the evolving nature of human societies, is very disturbing.
With all that has happened and is still happening, one can clear see the endangered life the Tiv people of Taraba State are living.
Torkuma Luper Moses
President, Taraba Tiv Youth Development Forum (TTYDF).
