By Emmanuel Awari, Jalingo
A High Court sitting in Jalingo has dismissed a suit brought before it by Kutep Yatso of Nigerian KYN challenging government’s decisions to rotate the first class chieftaincy stool of Takum.
KYN had earlier approached the Taraba State High Court seeking legal interpretation regarding rotational of chieftancy stool of Ukwe Takum.
The suit among others sought a perpatual order of injunction, restraining the Governor of Taraba State from appointing three third class chiefs and one First Class Chief as enshrined in the Taraba State Law 2024
The court however dismissed the suit.
Speaking, Counsel to KYN, Festus Idepefo (SAN), said that his client has rejected the judgement by the Taraba State High Court which dismissed the suit brought before it by Kutep Yatso.
According to him, his client had authourised him to appeal the judgement at the appellate court.
He noted that an aspect of the suit was already before the Court of Appeal, regretting why the state government would go ahead and appoint a new chief of Takum, when the case was not yet discharged.
The Kutep Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) the umbrella body of Kutep world wide said it would not recognize the appointment of Mr Sopiya Gboshi a new First Class Chief of Takum, describing his installation as illegal.
The National President of KYN, Comrade Emma Ukwen, while speaking with newsmen in Jalingo, said that the Kutep had already installed their own Ukwe Takum.
Ukwen described the process by which the state government had adopted in the appointment of the chief of Takum as a charade, a sham and had fallen short of both historical and traditional standard.
“We will not honor any king imposed into us by the state government.
He called on the Kutep people to remain calm as the matter was already before the court.
“We Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN), have described the appointment of the new chief as a gross act of injustice and broadlight attempted theft of our heritage that will be resisted vehemently using every legal means.
“The Kuteb nation will ever dissociate it self from the charade that took place last night at the Government House.
“We have a substantive Ukwe Takum that has been selected in line with our tradition and culture.
“He is the only Ukwe Takum that we will recognise. We have already instructed our lawyers to proceed on appeal – he said.
“Let me appeal to all our people to remain calm as we are exploring every legal means to make sure that we get justice and our ancestral heritage is not bastardised.
“This is culture and a traditional stool. It can not be politicised – he added.