Fresh Controversy Erupts Over Appointment of First-Class Chief in Takum

By Bashir ADAMU Jalingo

Fresh Controversy Erupts Over Appointment of First-Class Chief in Takum

By BASHIR, Adamu- Jalingo.

The recent appointment of Barrister Sopiya Gboshi as the First-class Chief of Takum by Taraba State Governor, Kefas Agbu, has sparked renewed tensions as the Kuteb, the predominant tribe in Takum, refuses to recognize the new Chief.

Decades of contention over the traditional Ukwe Takum stool in the Takum local government area reached a climax when Governor Agbu unexpectedly presented the Staff of Office to Gboshi and three other third-class Chiefs at the Government House in Jalingo.

In response, the Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria, representing Kuteb interests globally and the original custodians of the Ukwe Stool, vehemently opposed the appointment. They pledged to challenge the decision through legal channels, citing the traditional selection process conducted by Kuteb kingmakers.

During a press conference in Jalingo, Comrade Emma Ukwen, President General of Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria, denounced the appointment as unjust, emphasizing the historical exclusivity of Kuteb Chiefs in ascending to the Ukwe Takum stool.

The vacancy in the Ukwe Takum stool since 1996, following the death of the last Ukwe Takum, has been a subject of contention, with the Chamba tribe also asserting their claim. Previous attempts by the government to fill the position were thwarted, leading to ongoing legal battles.

Governor Agbu's administration introduced legislation abolishing the Ukwe Takum seat, replacing it with the Chief of Takum title, to be rotated among the Chamba, Jukun, and Kuteb tribes. However, Kuteb stakeholders have rejected this arrangements.

The appointment ceremony, coinciding with a late-night court ruling dismissing a suit challenging the appointment, has raised suspicions of collusion. Festus Idepefo (SAN), counsel to the Kuteb, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment and vowed to contest it in the Court of Appeal.

News of the appointment triggered heightened tensions in Takum, prompting the deployment of security forces to maintain order throughout the night.

Takum, the hometown of former Defense Minister, Gen. T.Y. Danjuma (rtd), remains at the center of this unfolding saga, highlighting the complex interplay of tradition, politics, and legal disputes in the region.