Where is the future of the Tiv?
This question is posed by people when they want to take their compass bearing and determine the next direction of their progress. Wantaregh Paul Iyorpuu Unongo also asked the question during military rule when Nigeria was recovering from the Civil War. At that time, the Tiv had little problems of internal unity, and the problem was to develop and strengthen Nigerian national unity. Nigeria was trying to overcome the forces of tribal, religious, and regional friction that resulted in the civil war that nearly split the nation. General Gowon headed the reunification effort, and his motto was, “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done!”
Although the civil war restored Nigerian unity, the forces of disunity are never far from the surface. With substantial new income from petroleum, the struggle for cornering resources soon grew, and again, the factors of disunity—regionalism, region, and tribalism have become established and are growing. They reached dangerous heights during President Buhari’s regime. Although the Nigerian Constitution provided that government activities must reflect the country’s federal character, Buhari defended his nepotism by saying he was appointing the people “he knew.” The atmosphere that drove people back to their “ethnic groups” (tribes) was enhanced. De-tribalized people are admired but often reminded that “Charity Begins at Home!”
Security
Tiv villages are not walled, and their houses do not have fences. They do not have armed units while their adversaries are reputed to have well-armed militias. The previous administration created Community Volunteer Guards, while the present one has just established Civil Protection Guards (Anyam Nyôr). Each governor started with many vehicles—cars and motorcycles, uniforms, and many supposedly well-trained operatives, with the governors wearing bright and impressive uniforms as generals! Has there been evidence that any of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps have been restored to their farms and villages in the last nine years?
For security, Tiv depends on federal, state, and local governments. With the possible coming of State Police and strengthening of Local Governments, we expect that armed attacks on unarmed villagers, often misnamed “farmer-herder clashes,” will be stopped. Unfortunately, they continue.
Farming
The Tiv are basically farmers, so land is of enormous importance. It is not sold but inherited from one generation to another within families. The greatest danger to the Tiv is the loss of farmlands to modern conquerors called “nomadic herders.”
There is an urgent need for industrial processing of agricultural products. Many products are wasted every year because they are not converted from a perishable state to a form that can last for years or be exported. We urgently need factories to process yams, oranges, and mangoes to avoid heavy annual wastage. It would be sensible to mechanise production. There is also the need to resume the production of millet, shea nuts, soya beans, cotton, and beniseed, which we used to export. They should be processed right here at home. Production of pepper, tomatoes, ginger, and many other crops can be done on an industrial scale.
Benue can live up to its reputation of being “the food basket of the nation,” not just in name but in real terms. Processed agricultural products can be produced in sufficient quantities for home consumption and for export, bringing prosperity to our people and to the nation. National and state security services must competently and adequately protect farmers and their lands.
We need farmers to organise themselves into Cooperatives that can use their union strengths to purchase fertilisers, increase their output by acquiring simple hand-held agricultural machines, and start irrigation and dry-season farming. Most farmers in developed countries use irrigation all year. No serious farmer depends on the weather.
Education
Tiv must regard education as the way forward in Nigeria and the entire world. English is the gateway to science and world literature. Tiv is best spoken at home, especially before the child starts school; it is the foundation of our culture. Presently, many Tiv families do not talk to their children in the Tiv language, and many educated Tiv people can no longer speak Tiv language without unnecessary admixture with English. I say “unnecessary” because Tiv language need not coin new awkward words to replace those already absorbed into the language like makeranta, takeda, pensul, university. At the same time, we need to borrow and adapt more.
Culture
Tiv has a rich culture that, to my knowledge and delight, is surviving. Unfortunately, SWEM, the name we call the article for formal ritual swearing, is being mistaken as a form of idolatry to be discarded when one adopts the new imported religions. Swem is not and never has been a god. Tiv has never practised idolatry. People swear on the Bible and some on the Quran, but these, too, are not gods. Swem is too central to Tiv culture to be discarded.
Politics
Politics should be a loom on which the unity of the Tiv should be beautifully woven together as a beautiful band that makes the national flag. Because people have different strategies, politics starts with political parties. In Tiv land, party politics has become a big, long, and merciless sword of division. Whether two people are biological or political siblings, the sharp sword of party politics can make them mortal enemies. Party politics should bring opponents working together for the good of the people. There is no horizontal cooperation, Tiv people in federal and state services do not dialogue. There is no vertical cooperation. Each successive governor does not want to continue where his predecessor left off. They start afresh and are reluctant to continue the programs of their predecessors.
Prominent citizens and politicians are surrounded by fiercely protective supporters and praise singers who would immediately maul anyone approaching their hero with any opinion short of hero worship. This is, unfortunately, the pattern all over Nigeria, and people of goodwill are shy of giving advice.
Politics today seems more about cornering the federal allocation and sharing it among a few friends and relatives. Politicians would not be fighting one another if it were about helping our people in towns and villages attain sovereignty and better efficiency in production. Let the Tiv people in positions of influence and power show good examples to Nigeria by reorienting politics to the development of the land and uniting the people.
Unity
Unity of Tiv in Benue will never be complete if we do not include other ethnic groups that also call Benue their home. The Idoma and Igede must be included in the circle we draw to enclose the Tiv. Tiv tradition requires sharing with minorities (ya na wangbian u ke jime), and democracy demands that all people must have equal opportunities. If the Tiv marginalise our very important comrades in Benue, it shall never go well with the tribe.
Aya Tutu Ka Unô?
“Ya” is singular, “Uya” and “Aya” are plurals of ya.
“Tor” is singular, and “Utor” and “Ator” are plurals of tor.
“Aya tutu” means plenty of settlements. The leader of fighters assembled to go into battle would remind his people that their numbers are huge so that no enemy can defeat them. That is why he would shout to them,
“Aya tutu ka unô?” (who is responsible for these profuse settlements?) His people would reply back, “Ka se!” (it is us!)
The leader reminded them to be brave because the enemy could not defeat them.
Prof Shima Gyoh presented this position as a Guest Speaker on the 2024 Kyegh Sha Shwa (KSS) Cultural Festival Makurdi
