By Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Taraba State House of Assembly has passed the bill to establish a rotation of Takum Traditional stool.
The Chairman of the Committee on Local government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Abel Peter Dish, while presenting the Committees report, said that the decision taken by the committee is in the interest of the people of Takum local government and the entire state.
The report reads:
REPORT OF THE HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT. IRS ON THE TARABA STATE TRADITIONAL AND CHIEFTAINCY AFFAIRS ON THE TARABA STATE ESTABLISHMENT OF ONE ROTATIONAL FIRST CLASS CHIEF AND THREE 3RD CLASS CHIEFS BILL, 2024.
Honourable Chairman,
Honourable Members,
You may wish to recall that, this Honourable House during its sitting on Monday 19th February, 2024 received an Executive communication on the Establishment of One Rotational 1st Class Chief and Three (3) 3rd Class Chiefs Bill, 2024.
The Honourable House went further and considered the general Principles of the Bill. After an exhaustive debate the Bill was referred to the Committee on Local Government, Traditional and Chieftaincy Affairs for further Legislative actions.
METHODOLOGY:
The Honourable Chairman and Honourable Members, the Committee swung into action by placing advertisements on NTA, TTV and TSBS inviting members of the public, interest groups and stakeholders to submit written memoranda to the Committee on the Bill and to appear before it on Wednesday 21st February, 2024 for a public hearing which was held as scheduled.
I am pleased to inform this Honourable House that the response of stakeholders to our call for memoranda and invitation to the public hearing was highly commendable.
For the avoidance of doubt, the following organizations attended the public hearing to make oral and written submissions.
They include: –
Taraba State Council of Chiefs, Ministry of Justice,
Bureau for Local Governments & Chieftaincy Affairs, Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria, Tiv Cultural and Social Association, Taraba State, Jukun Takum, TEKAN/ECWA, N.C.W.S Taraba State, Chamba Takum, Kuteb Youths of Nigeria, Ukwe Takum Royal Palace, Jibu Ruling House under Jukun Takum and Jalingo Development Foundation.
NOTE: In their submissions during the public hearing, the Taraba State Council of Chiefs, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), the Jukun Takum, Chamba Takum, Ministry of Justice all expressed their total support for the Bill; stressing that, it will put to rest the lingering chieftaincy tussle in Takum.
On the other hand, the Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria, Ukwe Takum Royal Palace, Kuteb Youths of Nigeria, NCWS Taraba State vehemently opposed the Bill as they view the Bill as an attempt to deprive the Kuteb race of their inheritance as they consider the Ukwe stool as their exclusive preserve.
OBSERVATIONS:
In the course of the public hearing, the following observations were made: –
(1). That the word “Kuru” be removed from the title of the proposed Bill and the entire Short Title and the Long Titles of the proposed Bill be redrafted.
(2). That, the definition Sections are not elaborate enough, others definition be included to make it elaborate.
(3). The word “Selector” should be replaced with “Kingmakers”
(4). That, there is no Section created for the appointment of the Chief of Takum, therefore a Section be created to accommodate the appointment of the Chief of Takum and subsequently the Section be renumbered appropriately.
(5). That Section 5 of the Principal Bill did not state the number of days to notify the Bureau in case of vacancy in the seat of Chief of Takum.
(6). There is no Section creating Takum Traditional Council.
(7) The Principal Bill did not take congnisane permanent incapacitation of the Chief the interim. of the event of the death or of Takum and who should act in
RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Committee, after a careful observation hereby make the following recommendations:
1.(a) That the Short Title of the Bill should be as follows:
Taraba State establishment of One Rotational First Class Chief and Three 3rd Class Chiefs Bill, 2024.
1.(b) The Long Title of the Bill should be as follows:
A Bill for Law to provide for the establishment of One Rotational First Class Chief and Three (3) Third 3rd Class Chiefs in Takum among the tribes of Kuteb, Chamba and Jukun Takum respectively and for other matters connected therewith.
2. The committee concur with the observation two above and include
other definitions in the proposed Bill as follows:-
“Bureau” means the Bureau for Local Government, Traditional and Chieftaincy Affairs, Taraba State.
“Chairman” means the chairman of Takum Local Government.
“Chairman Kingmakers” means one person selected from among the kingmakers in Section 4 of this Bill.
“Governor” means the Governor of Taraba State.
“Kingmakers” means those people mentioned in Section 4 of this Bill.
“President in Council” means the first class Chief of Takum.
“Takum Traditional Council” means the traditional council created under
Section 10 of this Bill.
“Chamba Takum” means persons of Dinyi and Tikari decent of Takum town.
“Jukun Takum” means persons of Kpanten and Jibu of Takum town.
“Kuteb Takum” means persons of Likam and Akenten decent of Takum town
Traditional Kingmakers” means Kingmakers created under Section 5 of this Law.
3. That the word “Selectors” should be replaced with the word “Kingmakers” in the proposed Bill.
4. The committee concur with observation 4 above and redrafted a new Section 5(1) and 5(2) as follows.
Section 5(1).
The appointment of the Chief of Takum shall be among the three (3) Third 3rd Class Chiefs and shall be on rotational basis provided that no any 3^{rd} Class Chief shall be appointed twice if any of the other 3^{rd} class chiefs has not been so appointed to the office of the Chief of Takum.
Section5(2). Where the Governor approve the nomination of any 3^{rd} Class Chief to be appointed as the Chief of Takum, the ruling family from which such a nominee was drawn, shall nominate a replacement within three (3) days.
5. The committee agreed with observation 5 above and redrafted Section 5(1), 5(2),5(3) 5(4), 5(5) and 5(6) in the proposed Principal Bill to be renumbered as Section 6(1), 6(2), 6(3),6(4), 6(5) and 6(6) respectively.
6. That Section 9 of the Principal Bill be redrafted to be renumbered as Section 10(1), 10(2), 10(3) and 10(4) as follows:-
Section 10(1). There is hereby established Takum Traditional Council with the Chief of Takum as the president with the following members.
(a) The three 3rd Class Chiefs are:-
(i) Gar of Chamba Takum (ii) Tsohon of Jukun Takum
(iii) Kwe of Kuteb Takum
(b) All graded Cheifs under Takum Local Government area.
(2) The representative of the Bureau shall forward in written the nominations of the Chief of Takum by the Traditional Kingmakers to the Governor, the Governor shall appoint one of the nominees as the Chief of Takum
(3) The Governor shall at all times retain the discretion to approve or disapprove the candidature of any nominee.
(4) The 3rd Class Chief appointed under Section 10 shall be known and addressed as:-
(b) Tsohon of Jukun Takum
(a) Gar Chamba Takum
(c) Kwe of Kuteb Takum
CONCLUSION
Mr. Chairman, my distinguish colleagues, it is with great sense of humility that I, on behalf of this esteem Committee sincerely appropriate Mr. Speaker and the entire leadership of this Honourable House for giving us this opportunity and support to execute our assignment within the shortest time allocated to us. May I commend the efforts, unity and the contributions of the members of this Committee who worked tirelessly and diligently towards making this assignment a success. We as part of this Honourable Institution of government will always and willingly continue to avail ourselves for any further assignment we may be called upon to perform.
COMMITTEE MEMBERS
Rt. Hon. Peter Abel Diah- Chairman, Hon. Veronica Alhassan, Hon. Abubakar J. Tanko Yusuf, Hon. Abubakar Musa Abdullahi, Hon. Joshua Urenyang Rikupki, Hon. Joseph Kannoh Kassong and Mr. Manasis N. Karl.
Recall that Kuteb Residents of Jalingo on 20 February, 2024 Storm the State House of Assembly to opposed government opinion on rotation of Takum Traditional stool.
They expressed their dismay by wearing black to show their disapproval during the public hearing at the Taraba State House of Assembly on the rotation of Ukwe Takum.
The assembly held a public hearing on the proposal submitted by the state Governor to start the rotation of the Ukwe Takum traditional stool, the original traditional stool of the Kuteb people and also changing its title from Ukwe Takum to “Chief of Takum”.
The State House of Assembly committee on local government and chieftaincy affairs heard different views from various ethnic groups from Takum, religious groups, and the general public on the subject matter.
The atmosphere was tense as emotions ran high among the residents.
“The Kuteb people are clearly opposed to the rotation of their traditional stool and are determined to fight for its preservation.
“The issue of the Ukwe Takum has drawn alot of views and critics from individuals, people of the state and outside, wondering why the present day government in Taraba State is embarking on the lane of rotating the traditional stool of the Kuteb people with other ethnic group and also changing the title from “Ukwe” to “Chief”.