News Editor
The Alago Ikweyi Gbayi Development Union (AIGDU) Abuja, as a corporate and
responsible socio-cultural organisation that seeks the Development, Sustainable Peace
and Progress of the Alago land in Nasarawa State and beyond, wishes to sympathise
with the people of Nasarawa State and Benue State, over the recent unfortunate deadly
attacks on the inhabitants of Yelwata near the Nasarawa-Benue boarder corridor, during
which several lives were lost. We deeply commiserate with families of the deceased,
associates and other Nigerians that were caught in the sad incidence. In this regard, we
wish to commiserate with Mr. President and sincerely appreciate his intervention and
the subsequent condolence visit to assess the agony of our communities. We pray that
God will give us the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses, and establish stability and
peace in the areas.
However, our attention has been drawn to the social media video of the remarks by His
Royal Majesty, the Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse at the event, in which he made some
claims that are frivolous and quite untrue.
To put the record straight and correct the misrepresentations, the AIGDU finds it
pertinent to highlight the untrue claims and state the obvious truth for posterity as
follows:
1. He claimed that Yelwata is in Guma LGA of Benue State:
The fact is that, although it is currently majorly inhabited by Tiv people, Yelwata is
historically an Alago (Alagon Omere) village within which there are Alago and
Gwandara tribes. The Tiv tribe later joined them, among others. Thus, the area is part
and portion of Keana Local Government Area of Nasarawa State.
Apart from colonial and other modern-day records, recent Google map also confirms
that Yelwata is in Nasarawa State as originally demarcated.
While this claim is not controvertible, our position is not in support of crises and killings
in our land that had peacefully welcomed all Nigerians and foreigners alike to settle
peacefully and together with our people, and pursue their daily quests for livelihood in
harmony. Therefore, claims and counter claims on the remote and immediate causes of
all these skirmishes are unknown to us, hence, left for the authorities to decipher and
find a fair and lasting solution to it.
2. On the Tor Tiv’s claim that the Tiv people were dispossessed of their ANCESTRAL
LANDS in Keana, Obi, and Awe LGAs of Nasarawa State, we assert the age-old maxim
that he who seeks equity must come with clean hands.
The fact is that the Tiv people do not have any ancestral land in Keana, Obi, and Awe.
The Alago founders of Keana and Obi are the ancestors and owners of the lands, while
their descendants are the inheritors and claimants of the ancestral titleship.
The same may be said of areas in Awe Local Government Area.
Historically, and for the avoidance of doubts, Keana was established in 1232 AD and
had its territory stretched up to the North Bank of Makurdi. It was the colonial
administration that reduced Keana territory down to in-between Daudu and Yelwata.
The Tiv, by their own claims, confirmed to have met the Jukun, Alago, and Mighili,
among others, as already existing founders and owners of the area. Ref. Terngu S.N
(IJAPR), 2020, 4 (8) PP26-32. Hal-03548378.
The Tiv people were only brought as artisanal workers into Keana from Abinsi area (in
the present day Benue State) by the 25th Osana of Keana, HRH, Osana Eladoga
Onyatikpo, who ruled from 1852 to 1862. His progeny is in the present day Keana.
After the first arrivals of the Tiv people to Keana, other sets of the Tiv people
subsequently crossed the river Benue and continued to join their Kinfolks and spread to
other communities in the present day Nasarawa State for greener pastures.
Hence, the ancestral land of Tiv people remains in the localities that their ancestors
founded in the present day Benue State.
At this point, we would like to call on Mr. President to expeditiously direct the National
Boundary Commission to carry out the physical demarcation of the already delineated
Boundary between Nasarawa State and Benue State, based on the extant boundary
instruments, so that the authorities and inhabitants of the two states will clearly know
the specific points and extent of their respective jurisdictions for administrative,
political, economic and allied roles in order to avert further infringement of the peace,
security and safety of all the people in the area and the nation at large.
Hon. Mohammed Oshafu
President AIGDU
Hassan A. Ozegya
Publicity Secretary
