Tension in Taraba Community Over Planned Demolition of Historic Sites
By Chuwang Dungs
The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN), a cultural umbrella body of Kuteb speaking people in Taraba State, on Saturday, raised alarm over the plan to demolish some of their historic sites in Takum Local Government for the proposed TY Danjuma University.
The community claimed that the state government planned to demolish historical sites consisting of graves, artifacts, a central mosque and the palace of the king (Ukwe) of Kuteb Chiefdom in Takum.
DAYLIGHTREPORTERS reliably gathered that there is tension in Takum since the news of the planned demolition became glaring.
Addressing the press in Jalingo the state capital, Emmanuel Ukwen, the National President of KYN, said the plan demolition will ignite a fresh crisis in the community and urged the government to shelve the plan.
Markus Apwende, who spoke on behalf of Mr Ukwen, noted that “The enemies of peace were at work with the sole intention of provoking the Kuteb tribe.
“I want to inform you that the Engineer, a whiteman, of SCC Construction Nig. Ltd handling the construction of T Y Danjuma University in Takum and some Chamba militia were seen on Thursday October 10 and 11 which was Friday, marking and pegging the Palace and the Takum Central Mosque for demolition.
“This palace together with the mosque which were built in 1912 housed graves of many of our Ukwe Takum who ruled for centuries and died while on the throne and were buried in the palace.
“The palace also housed other traditional artifacts that were historical to Kuteb tradition and customs as well as other items which should not be tempered with,” Mr Apwende stated.
He stressed that Takum had witnessed several crises and queried, “why should there be another round of crisis in the area?”
He argued that the matter of the Takum chieftaincy was before the Court of Appeal, Yola Division, adding that the Kuteb as respecters of the rule of law would not do anything prejudicial capable of interfering with the decision of the court.
He then urged Governor Agbu Kefas and security agencies to intervene in the interest of peace in the community.
He said “any attempt to demolish the palace and the Mosque will be tantamount to direct insult and bastardisation of Kuteb’s cherished customs and tradition, especially that the palace housed the graves of our past traditional rulers.
“Nobody whatsoever will sit and watch the graves of his ancestors being excavated and be happy about it,” he noted.
When contacted, Mr Emmanuel Bello, the Governor’s Special Adviser on Media and Digital Communication, said the governor would speak on the matter at an appropriate time.
