Kuteb Leaders Reject T.Y. Danjuma As Next Ukwe Of Takum, Caution Taraba Govt Of Pending Crisis

By Tom Garba, Yola

The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN), the umbrella body of the Kuteb people from Taraba State on Thursday said that the Kuteb people will not sit back and allow the state government to take the traditional stool of Ukwe Takum and hand it over to General TY Danjuma as compensation for his developmental strides in the State.

The National President of the group, Mr Emmanuel Ukwen, who said this at a Press conference in Jalingo, said TY Danjuma can be honoured with any traditional titles but not the stool of the Ukwe Takum which is an exclusive preserve of the Kuteb people.

He cautioned the Governor against instigating crisis in the State and urged security Chiefs in the State to focus on tackling the prevailing security challenges affecting the area, rather than allow the Governor to stir mayhem in that part of the State.

“The attention of Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria, Likam and Akente ruling houses of Ukwe Takum has been drawn to the outcome of the consultative meeting, His Excellency, Governor Agbu Kefas had with Likam and Akente ruling Houses of Ukwe Takum on Saturday, 20th day of January, 2024 wherein His Excellency told the ruling Houses of his resolve to demolish the Kuteb Takum Dynasty and do something else.

“The determination by the Governor to honour Gen. T.Y. Danjuma for his developmental strides in the State which is not in doubt, we wish to State emphatically that as lofty as such developments are, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma cannot be honored with a traditional stool of UKWE TAKUM or any other traditional Stool in the State. Traditional Stool is distinct and separate from Traditional Title and so cannot be dished out to anybody outside the Royal Families. In this wise, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma can be honoured with a “Traditional Title” not an existing Chieftaincy Stool. Ascention to Traditional Stools being subject to product of native Law and custom are by Inheritance. If this is allowed, even other traditional Stools in the State will one day be given to any person in the State who had performed brilliantly and credibly well in his developmental strides. God forbid.

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“The Kuteb see the UKWE TAKUM STOOL as the inheritance of their Fathers and have no reason whatsoever to give or Share it with any other non-Kuteb under whatsoever guise. We wish to humbly State further that the position of His Excellency recently to destroy the Kuteb Dynasty of Ukwe Takum has no root and is quite unacceptable.

“We also wish to inform His Excellency Gov. Kefas Agbu that Ukwe Takum Stool is not an exclusive affair of the Likam and Akenten Ruling houses but a Kuteb nation affairs as a whole. So by always inviting the Akenten and Likam only to discuss the Ukwe Takum issue is not good enough. The Governor also told Kuteb delegation in a meeting on Sat. 20th January, 2024 that all Kuteb leaders are dead and that Kuteb have enemies around them e.g. Tiv, Chamba, Fulanis, adding that how would they Succeed as they have no one to stand for them. The Governor failed to remind himself that the Wukari people also fought with Tivs, Fulanis and Hausas. Does it then mean that Wukari people will not Succeed?

“We wish to inform our Traditional rulers in the state that they should know that they came to the throne of their fore-fathers through inheritance as such they should advise the Governor on the right things to do in the case of Takum Ukwe Stool. They are Custodians of Tradition and Custom and should protect it anywhere by all cost. they should be mindful of nemesis. To our Security Chiefs we call on them to advise the Governor against instigating violence or crises in Takum. Our Security Chiefs should focus on tackling rampaging Kidnapping and banditry in the State rather than allowing the Governor to cause mayhem in Takum which has being engulfed in crises in which innocent blood have been spilled over the years.

“In this regard, we thank our brothers and friends who understand our plight and always stand by us in the great struggle. We call on Kuteb youths to remain calm, Law abiding and be cautious of the misuse of social media,” the statement reads in part