The Egbura ethnic group in Nasarawa State has commended the ongoing efforts by the state governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura to unite the various warring ethnic groups in the state.
Lately, rivalry among the various ethnic groups in the state had triggered communal clashes, leading to avoidable deaths of innocent villagers and destruction of property.
In a move to stem the trend however, Governor Al-Makaru, had, last week, met with the leaders of the Bassa ethnic group in Abuja over the group’s recent clash with a rival Egbura ethnic group.
At the meeting with the governor, the Bassa leaders were said to have demanded the creation of a separate chiefdom as one of the conditions for peaceful coexistence with other groups in the state.
But the Egbura ethnic group, while commending the Governor for the peace deal, cautioned against indiscriminate creation of chiefdoms for any group, saying chiefdoms evolve through historical traditions.
The President of the Egbura National Development Association (ENDA), Prof Ibrahim Aguye, called for wider consultation with genuine stakeholders, adding that the governor should be guided by history and tradition.
In a statement he signed and copies of which were made available to journalists in Abuja on Thursday, Prof Aguye said, “Since creation of chiefdoms all over the world is rooted in history and tradition, the Governor, in his quest to bring a lasting solution to the seemingly intractable situation, is hereby called to be guided by the history and tradition of the land.
“This can only be achieved when the Governor involves geniune stakeholders from both sides in the process leading to such weighty decision. It is in this light that we further welcome the idea of a tripartite meeting proposed by His Excellency.
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“It is also noteworthy to point out at this juncture that chiefdoms are never really created or formulated. They get recognized and upgraded based on ancestral heritage. Suffice it to say that any artificial creation will only be a contraption that may be difficult to stand”.
The ENDA President called on the state government to convene a tripartite meeting that would involve genuine stakeholders with verifiable claims to the indegenship of the state.
Stating the strategic importance of the proposed tripartite meeting, Prof Aguye noted that most of those that spoke for the Bassa ethnic group at the previous meeting with the governor were not bona fide indegenes of the state.
According to him, they could not be said to have spoken from informed position, adding that for a lasting solution, there was need for the government to get to the root of the communal clashes.
Blaming the Bassa for the recent bloody clash in the area, Prof Aguye said, “What we find hard to understand is that why would an ethnic group take up arms against its neighbour just because history has not favoured them traditionally on chieftaincy matters? How does taking up arms against the Egburas recompense for circumstances established by history?
“History has created certain circumstances such as traditional settlements, chiefdoms, traditional leadership and so on. To create a big change in this circumstance may create upheavals.
“But minor insertions may be tolerated by great and accommodating minds like that of the Egbura people who initially welcomed a major displaced population into their land”.
The ENDA faulted the failure of the state government to condemn what it described acts of aggression and attacks allegedly being unleashed on the Egbura by the Bassa since April.
It called on the arrest and prosecution of persons involved in the incessant attacks and their sponsors. It also called on the security agencies to redouble in the affected areas.