Wukari Federation | |
|---|---|
  Wukari Federation Location in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates: 7°51′N9°47′E / 7.850°N 9.783°E | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| State | Taraba State |
| Government | |
| • Aku Uka | Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi Kuvyon II |
The Wukari Federation is a traditional state in Nigeria, a successor to the Kwararafa state of the Jukun people. The state is based in the town of Wukari in Taraba State, in the south of the Benue River basin. The ruler takes the title "Aku Uka". [1]
Wukari Federation | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| c. 1840–c. 1900 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
| Status | Federation | ||||||||
| Capital | Wukari | ||||||||
| Common languages | Jukun Takum language | ||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||
• Established | c. 1840 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | c. 1900 | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The Jukun were established in Wukari as early as the 17th century. [2] The town was one of the southern centers on a trading route that connected via Bauchi to the northern states of Katsina, Kano and Bornu. Large caravans would bring goods transported from north of the Sahara, exchanging them for slaves, salt and ivory. [3]
It is debatable whether the Jukun were ever the military leaders of the broader Kwararafa state, as is sometimes claimed, or whether the Aku's role was more a symbolic or ritual leadership of the different peoples of the Benue river basin. [4] Clearly the Aku Uka of Wukari had considerable influence. For example, in 1780 the leader of a group of migrants from Bornu felt it necessary to apply to the Aku Uka for endorsement and recognition of his rule over their new settlement at Lafia, to the northwest. The Aku Uka agreed and gave him the title of Sarkin Lafia Bare-Bari. [5]
The Aku Uka of Wukari became the regional power in the 1840s after the once-powerful Kwararafa state had been destroyed during the Fulani jihad (1804–1810) and its aftermath. [2] The consolidation of Wukari as an independent state may have been given impetus by pressure from the Chamba people, who were pushing westward down the Benue at that time. [4]
When the British incorporated the state into the protectorate of Nigeria around 1900, it was multi-ethnic, including Tiv and Moslem Hausa-Fulani people as well as the original Jukun. [2] The British delegated much authority to traditional rulers in the Northern Region. In 1958 the Aku Uka of Wukari was one of four such rulers serving as a minister without portfolio in the Executive Council of the region, the others being the Sultan of Sokoto, Emir of Katsina and Emir of Kano. [6]
Traditional Jukun beliefs and rituals are complex, with unique elements. For example, they thought that in their migration from Yemen to Kwararafa around 596 AD they were assisted by giant crocodiles, who were therefore protected, and still have a shrine in the Marmara pond at Wukari. [7] The Jukun religion includes belief in the divine right of kingship, with the Aku Uka being considered son of a god. Of several gods, the sun god is paramount. The religion includes belief in communicating with the souls of the dead. [8]
These similarities to Egyptian beliefs have led some anthropologists to speculate that the Jukun originally came from Sudan. [8] The Kuteb people, who speak a related language and live just to the south of the Jukun, have a tradition that they migrated from Egypt about a thousand years ago, but their religion is very different. [9]
The Wukari people adhered to their traditional religion for many years after loss of independence, and some still practice it. The first Christian missionaries arrived in 1905, and the first mission station was opened on 29 May 1906. In 1914 one of the missionaries at the station, Rev. W. Maxwell, published the St. Mark's gospel in the Jukun dialect of Wukari Wapan. Progress was slow, with a small congregation and no indigenous pastors as late as the 1950s. [10] Although many of the Jukun are now Christian, some are animist and some are Muslim. [11] [12] The Aku Uka, Shekarau Angyu Masa Ibi is a Christian and worships in the Chapel established in the Palace by The Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRCN). [13]
Wukari is multi-ethnic. While the Jukun consider that it is their traditional homeland, other ethnic groups including the Tiv and Hausa have been present for over 200 years. [14] In the 1910s, the colonial authorities encouraged immigration of Tivs to the region, although they were considered an "inferior group" with no history of central state administration, and were placed under the authority of the Jukun Aku Uka. Continued Tiv expansion into Wukari was due in part to population pressure, and in part to unsustainable slash-and-burn farming methods. [15]
In the 19th century, the Tiv allied with the Jukun to fight the Hausa/Fulani. [16] More recently, the Tiv and the Hausa have at times allied against the Jukun. However, under the First Republic (1963–1966), the Jukun and Hausa supported the Northern People's Congress, while the Tiv supported the rival United Middle Belt Congress, often leading to violent conflict.[ citation needed ] During the Second Republic (1979–1983) both the Tiv and the Jukun supported the National Party of Nigeria. [17]
There were clashes in 1990 and 1991 related to whether Wukari should become part of Tiv-dominated Benue State or Jukun-majority Taraba State. In June 1992, a Jukun member of the Taraba state assembly, the only woman, was assassinated. The Jukun accused the Tiv of the murder, and further violence broke out. During this period, as many as 5,000 people may have been killed and many more forced to move. [17] In 2001 and 2002 there were again clashes between the Jukun, Tiv, Kuteb and Fulani people of the Federation. The Aku Uka of Wukari, Dr. Shekarau Angyu Masa-Ibi Kuvyo II, was reported as saying "They (the Tiv) came here to farm; we allowed them, gave them chieftaincy titles... Now that their population has increased, they believe they are many enough to colonise us." [18]
In August 2010 there was further fighting, this time along religious rather than ethnic lines. Christians disputed the construction of a mosque at the Wukari Police divisional headquarters, and started rioting a few days before a planned visit of the Moslem Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III. [19] Lives were lost and property destroyed. [20] The Aku Uka of Wukari and chairman of the Taraba State Traditional Council, Dr. Shakaru Angyu, had reportedly warned the Area Commander against the building of the mosque, which was destroyed during the disturbances. [21]
On a more positive note, Wukari traditions such as the rituals of the crocodile shrine are of interest to tourists. [7] The annual Nwonyo Fishing Festival, which has its origins in 1826, includes boat and canoe racing, diving, swimming, and traditional dancing, and there is a prize for the person who catches the heaviest fish. [22] The competition takes place at the Nwonyo lake, said to have been discovered in 1816 by the founder of Ibi, Buba Wurbo, and the first public festival was held during the reign of Abgumanu II (1903–1915). [23] After a ritual to appease the gods of the river, when the fishing contest began in April 2010 the winner caught a fish weighing 318 kg. [24]
Jukun rulers of the Wukari Federation, with title "Aku Uka", were: [25]
| Start | End | Ruler |
|---|---|---|
| 1833 | 1845 | Zikenyu Tsokwa Tasefu |
| 1845 | 1860 | Agbumanu I Agbu |
| 1860 | 1871 | Ashumanu II Jibo Kindonya |
| 1871 | 1903 | Awudumanu I Abite |
| 1903 | 1915 | Agbumanu II Agbunshu |
| 1915 | 1927 | Ashumanu III Ali |
| 1927 | 1940 | Agbumanu III Amadu |
| 1940 | 1945 | Ashumanu IV Angyu Masa Ibi |
| 1945 | May 1960 | Agbumanu IV Atoshi |
| 1960 | 1970 | Ashumanu V Adi Byewi |
| 1970 | 1974 | Awudumanu II Abe Ali |
| 1974 | 1976 | Agbumanu V Adda Ali |
| 1976 | 2021 | Shekarau Angyu Masa Ibi Kuvyon II |
| 2022 | Manu Ishaku Adda Ali [26] |
Benue State is one of the North Central states in Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in 2006 census. The state was created in 1976 among the seven states created at that time. The state derives its name from the Benue River which is the second largest river in Nigeria after the River Niger. The state borders Nasarawa State to the North; Taraba State to the East; Kogi State to the West; Enugu State to the South-West; Ebonyi and Cross-Rivers States to the South; and has an international border with Cameroon to the South-East. It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv, Idoma and Igede. Minority ethnic groups in Benue are Etulo, Igbo, Jukun peoples etc. Its capital is Makurdi. Benue is a rich agricultural region; popularly grown crops include: oranges, mangoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, soya bean, guinea corn, flax, yams, sesame, rice, groundnuts, and Palm Tree.
Tiv is a Tivoid language spoken in some states in North Central Nigeria, with some speakers in Cameroon. It had over 5 million speakers in 2020. The largest population of Tiv speakers are found in Benue state in Nigeria. The language is also widely spoken in the Nigerian states of Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, and Abuja. It is by far the largest of the Tivoid languages, a group of languages belonging to the Southern Bantoid languages
Tiv are a Tivoid ethnic group. They constitute approximately 2.4% of Nigeria's total population, and number over 5 million individuals throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. The Tiv language is spoken by about 5 million people in Nigeria with a few speakers in Cameroon. Most of the language's Nigerian speakers are found in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Cross rivers, Adamawa, Kaduna, and Abuja States. The language is a branch of Benue–Congo and ultimately of the Niger–Congo phylum. In pre-colonial times, the Fulani ethnic group referred to the Tiv as "Munchi", a term not accepted by Tiv people. They depend on agricultural produce for commerce and sustenance.
Taraba is a state in North Eastern Nigeria, named after the Taraba River, which traverses the southern part of the state. Taraba state's capital is Jalingo. The main ethnic groups are the Fulani, Tiv, Mumuye, Mambilla, Wurkuns, Jukun, Kuteb, Yandang, Ndola, Itchen, Tigun and Jibu. The northern parts is mainly dominated by Fulani of Muri emirate. The southern parts are dominated by the Jukun, Chamba, Tiv, Kuteb and Ichen.The central region is mainly occupied by the Fulani, Mambilla and the Jibu peoples. There are over 77 different tribes, and their languages in Taraba State.
Nasarawa State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the east by the states of Taraba and Plateau, to the north by Kaduna State, to the south by the states of Kogi and Benue, and to the west by the Federal Capital Territory. Named for the historic Nasarawa Emirate, the state was formed from the west of Plateau State on 1 October 1996. The state has thirteen local government areas and its capital is Lafia, located in the east of the state, while a key economic centre of the state is the Karu Urban Area—suburbs of Abuja—along the western border with the FCT.
Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962, it acquired the territory of the British Northern Cameroons, which voted to become a province within Northern Nigeria.
Jukun are an ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. The Jukun are traditionally located in Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States in Nigeria and parts of northwestern Cameroon. They are descendants of the people of Kwararafa. Most of the tribes in the north central of Nigeria trace their origin to the Jukun people and are related in one way or the other to the Jukuns. Until the coming of both Christianity and Islam, the Jukun people were followers of their own traditional religions. Most of the tribes, Alago, Agatu, Rendere, Goemai in Shendam, and others left Kwararafa when it disintegrated as a result of a power tussle. The Jukuns are divided into two major groups; the Jukun Wanu and Jukun Wapa. The Jukun Wanu are fishermen residing along the banks of the river Benue and Niger where they run through Taraba State, Benue State and Nasarawa State. The Wukari Federation, headed by the Aku Uka of Wukari, is now the main centre of the Jukun people.
Ibi is a town and administrative district in Taraba State, Nigeria. The town is located on the south bank of the Benue River, opposite the influx of the much smaller Shemankar River. Both the Taraba River and the Donga River flow into the Benue within the LGA.
Kororofa was a multiethnic state and/or confederacy centered along the Benue River valley in what is today central Nigeria. It was southwest of the Bornu Empire and south of the Hausa States. They rose to prominence before 1500, were in conflict with their more powerful neighbours in the 17th century, and reduced to a small tribute state by the 18th century. It is believed that Kwararafa was either a confederacy conquest state, led by the modern Jukun people or perhaps a collective name given by their Muslim foes for a number of pagan peoples to their south.
The Jukunoid languages are a branch of the Benue-Congo languages spoken by the Jukun and related peoples of Nigeria and Cameroon. They are distributed mostly throughout Taraba State, Nigeria and surrounding regions.
Wukari is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Wukari on the A4 highway. The Donga River flows through the area and the Benue River forms a boundary with Nasarawa State to the northwest. It has an area of 4,308 km2 and a population of 241,546 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 670.
Takum is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Takum, it is created out of Wukari local government in June 1976, at 7°16′00″N9°59′00″E. Takum borders the Republic of Cameroon in the south, Ussa Local Government to the west, Donga Local government to the north, District within Takum are Angwan Dutse, Angwa Abuja, Tikari, Fadama, Gahwetun, Akenten, Acha Nyim, Chanchanji (Peva), Sufa, Shimta, Kufi, Muji, Akenten, Lufu, Kashimbilla, Kpaasan, Likam, Bete, Malumshe, Jidu, Tampwa, Dumse, Nyayirim, Barki Lissa,Acha Sarka, Sabon Gida Yukuben etc.
Gassol is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Mutum Biyu on the A4 highway at8°38′00″N10°46′00″E.
The Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria (CRC-N) is a Christian church that was established in 1951 under the name "Ekklisiyar Kristi a Sudan (EKAS) Lardin "Benue" meaning, "The church of Christ in Sudan, Benue region", and known under its current name since 1976. It belongs to the Fellowship of Churches of Christ in Nigeria and the World Communion of Reformed Churches.
Nigerian traditional rulers often derive their titles from the rulers of independent states or communities that existed before the formation of modern Nigeria. Although they do not have formal political power, in many cases they continue to command respect from their people and have considerable influence in their community.
The Kuteb people are an ethno-linguistic group in West Africa, who speak Kuteb, a Jukunoid language. Most of the Kuteb people reside in Taraba State, Nigeria.
The Zaki-Biam massacre was a mass execution of hundreds of unarmed Tiv civilians by the Nigerian Army between 20 and 24 October 2001. The massacre was a surreptitious operation of the Nigerian army to avenge the killing of 19 soldiers, whose mutilated bodies were found on 12 October 2001, near some Tiv villages in Benue State. The massacre took place in villages including Gbeji, Vaase, Anyiin, Iorja, Ugba, Tse-Adoor, Sankera, Kyado and Zaki-Biam.
Kuvyon II was the 27th Aku Uka of Kwararafa and 13th since the founding of the Wukari Federation, a Jukun tradition state in Middle Belt, Nigeria. He is also the chairman, Taraba State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chancellor, Federal University Dutse. He died on October 10, 2021, at the age of 84.
Usman Danjuma Shiddi is a Nigerian politician and legislator currently representing the Ibi/Wukari Federal Constituency of Taraba State at the Federal House of Representatives in Nigerian National Assembly. In 2019 he won the House of Representative seat with 39,312 votes defeating his closest rival, Yakubu Aliyara of Action Alliance (AA) who got 22,147 votes. Shiddi is the Chairman House Committee on Internal Security of the 9th Nigeria House of Representative Assembly and in 2020 defected to the All Progressives Congress.
The Nwonyo Fishing Festival is a festival celebrated by the Ibi people in Taraba State, Nigeria. The lake is located 5 kilometres North of Ibi community, it is an annually celebrated festival where Ibi and its neighboring community comes together to fish and re-unite. The lake is said to be the largest in west Africa as it run 15 kilometres to the Benue River. The name Nwonyo means Hide-out for huge and dangerous aquatic Animals such as Crocodiles, Snakes, Hippopotamus and many more.
