₦airaland Forum

DESPITE APPEAL COURT RULING, THE HAUSA CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY OF GIDAN MADUGU KWANGA IS RIGHT NOW AT THE POINT OF LOSING THEIR LAND AND THEIR ENTIRE SETTLEMENT TO KUBAU LGA OF KADUNA STATE, FOR REFUSING TO SHARE THEIR LEGALLY OWNED LAND WITH THE MUSMLIM MAN THAT THE APPEAL COURT WARNED NEVER TO EVEN STEP HIS FOOT ON THE LAND.
What is going on again for Christ Sake, why this injustice in a broad day light? They say that there are no Hausas that are Christians yet we live in our Millions in Northern Nigeria. They call us infidels (arna; kafirai) and so, they prevent us from enjoying every entitlement every Nigerian should enjoy, and we kept quiet and continue to help ourselves with the little we can do for ourselves. They refuse us employments, good roads, health care facilities, electricity and even security. Yet we kept looking up unto God who has never failed us in all we need. Now as if such maltreatments were not enough, our young girls and married women are forcefully kidnapped, converted to Islam, our men and women are kidnapped and asked to pay huge ransom before they get released. Our settlements that we have been living in for generations are now under siege. We live every day in uncertainty of tomorrow. Our lives have been marred by one calamity to another just because we are Followers of Jesus Christ. Farming has been the major occupation of the Hausa Christians. It is very common to see graduates in our communities depending on farming because the government will not consider them eligible for employment because they are Christians. The farm that has been serving as a means of livelihood for the Hausa Christians in Nigeria are now being forcefully collected by either Traditional rulers or the Local Government Authorities. Imagine telling a particular settlement that has been living for hundreds of years to relocate just because they are Christians. Whenever we are confronted with such cases of injustice, we lack where to run to, because the constituted authorities always gang up against us. Cases are prolonged in the Courts, judgments are biased, the little resources we have will be drained by the police or the court and yet the judgment will be twisted against us. Even when on rare occasions, judgments are passed in favour of the truth, they will still go against it, and do everything possible to molest and abuse our people, and authorities that supposed to protect us will not do anything.
This is the condition of the people of Gidan Madugu Kwanga of Kubau LGA of Kaduna State, a Hausa Christian community that is now under the threat of losing the very land and community they know and owned for their entire lives.
There was a land dispute between the Hausa Christian community of Gidan Madugu Kwanga belonging to Mr. Bawa Yaro and one Alhaji Habibu Maidoki who seems to be above the law of the who Country and keeps enjoying the continuous support and protection of the entire political and traditional leaders and even Islamic leaders of Kubau Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, Nigeria. He came from nowhere claiming that the land they have been cultivating for hundreds of years belongs to him, an issue that took them from different courts of law up to the Appeal Court. The Appeal Court gave a verdict in favour of our Hausa Christians Community on 29th April, 2016 (APPEAL NO. CA/K/63/2013; SUIT NO. KDH/Z/14/2013) giving the people the go ahead to cultivate their lands, which they did. When the owners of this land went to farm on it, the Muslim Communities descended on them and started beating our people who sustained different degrees of injuries. Another case that took them to HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE KADUNA STATE IN THE KADUNA JUDICIAL DIVISION HOLDEN IN AT KADUNA. Instead of the LGA Authority of Kubau to abide by the verdicts of these two Courts, in order to appease Alhaji Habibu Maidoki and his Muslims Communities, decided to disregard the Court Order and threaten to cease the Land if the Hausa Christian Community will not agree to share their land with the Muslims Community. And so, the Muslims keep attacking our people so as to give the LGA Authority the impression of violence as long as the land is cultivated by our people. The very land in question is very strategic to the survival of the entire Community of Madugu Kwanga. Once it is collected or ceased, their days of living in that community are numbered as long as they want to survive and not die.
We officially wrote to the LGA Authority on the implications of their biased actions and the need to follow the rule of law and due process. But they ignored it. Today being 6th of September, 2017, the Local Government Authority of Kubau has sent Tractors with armed Police men and Soldiers to bulldoze the entire farm land and erect a Signboard of the LGA claiming ownership of the land. The worst has now been done, the hope of our people is dashed, their farm produce which they spent huge money to cultivate has been destroyed, and their farm has been seized by force for the simple reason that they refuse to share what belongs to them with someone that the Court of Appeal ordered not to even step his legs into the land. All these are happening to us just because we are Christians.
They might continue to do all the evils to us but we will not falter or give up in any way. For us, to live is Christ and to die is a great gain. A GREAT ONE IN DEED! NO MATTER THE PAIN AND HUMILIATION WE WILL NEVER BOW.
We really wonder when and how the Authority of Kubau Local Government Area (LGA) becomes a court that is superior to the judgment of the court of Appeal of Nigeria. As civilized citizens and as people who respect the rule of law, we expect the man and the Local Government Area (LGA) who are clearly showing partiality to do all things possible in favour of their Alhaji brother to take the case further to the Supreme Court of the Country. We believe the Supreme Court can finally decide the course of justice since they feel not satisfied with the judgment of the Appeal Court. Rather than taking laws into their hands and infringing on the rights of our people on the land that lawfully belongs to them, they should respect and follow the rule of the law.
Taking the land forcefully from our people simply because they are Christians will not give birth to peace and we believe that such an act is a threat to our judicial system as a country, and we utterly condemn such ungodly act. By law and by right, Mallam Bawa Yaro and the entire Christian Community of Madugu Kwanga have the right to use their land as said by the judgment of the Appeal Court. More so, what will happen to the huge amount of money they invested in on the farm? They have been asked never to step into the land after cultivating it, what is the meaning of that and how will such an act give birth to peace in that community?The land is the major means of the livelihood of that community and once it is taken from them, they have no option than to relocate to another unknown place. When will the Muslims accept the truth that Nigeria belongs to all Nigerians? When will the Hausa Christians be regarded as human being, when will our leaders learn to lead in the interest of every Nigerian? The truth is already established and it should sink down into the heart of everybody that Nigeria is for Nigerians and no individual or group of people should regard anybody to be superior or inferior. We therefore want to make the following very clear to anyone whose joy is in causing us pains and trouble all the time:
1. We are not in support of any contrary step taken by the Local Government Area (LGA) of Kubau outside the judgment delivered by the Federal Court of Appeal of the country. We will not accept injustice in a broad day light. We demand that Mallam Bawa Yaro and the entire community of Madugu Kwanga should be allowed without any further delay to use their land and all damages be fully paid.
2. If anything should be done to endanger the lives and properties of our people, the Alhaji Habibu Maidoki and the Local Government Area (LGA) Chairman of Kubau should be held responsible
3. We must live in the North, it is also ours. We utterly hate and disregard any form of injustice to our people because of religious differences. We are Hausas and We are Christians and nothing can ever change that not even persecution or the pains anyone can cause us.
4. This is democracy and our leaders should understand and respect that. Our obedience to the Constitution of this country is not out of fear but out of Love, Our decision to duly follow the rule of law is not synonymous to being coward. If taking laws into people’s hands is lawful as seen in this matter, then everybody can do same lawfully.
We therefore, call for immediate justice and fairness and strict adherence to the rule of law and court process if they are not satisfied with the verdict of the Appeal Court. The Land is and will forever be for Mallam Bawa Yaro and the entire Christian Community of Madugu Kwanga. The LGA Authority or the said Alhaji Habibu Maidoki doesn’t have the right to share or seize.

https://web.facebook.com/VEHCIN/?ref=br_rs
source: Voice For The Emancipation Of The Hausa Christians In Nigeria

Culture

Benue State possesses a rich and diverse cultural heritage which finds expression in colourful cloths, exotic masquerades, supplicated music and dances. Traditional dances from Benue State have won acclaim at national and international cultural festivals. The most popular of these dances include Ingyough, Ange, Anchanakupa, Swange and Ogirinya among others.

The socio-religious festivals of the people, colourful dances, dresses and songs are also of tourist value. The Alekwu ancestral festival of the Idoma people, for instance, is an occasion when the local people believe their ancestors re-established contact with the living in the form of masquerades.

The lgede-Agba is a Yam Festival, marked every year in September by the lgede people of Oju and Obi local government areas. Among the Tiv, the Tiv Day, marriage ceremonies and dance competitions (e.g. Swange dance) are often very colourful. Kwagh-hir is a very entertaining Tiv puppet show.

Social life in Benue State is also enriched by the availability of diverse recreational facilities. Apart from parks, beaches, dancing and masquerades mentioned above, the big hotels in Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo are equipped with several indoor sporting facilities. There are golf clubs, the Makurdi Club, Railway Club, Police Club and Air Force Club, where, apart from the sale of drinks and snacks, various types of games are played.

There is a standard Arts Theatre, a modern Sports Complex which includes the Aper Aku Stadium, which has provisions for such games as tennis, basketball, volleyball and handball, an indoor sports hall and Olympic size swimming pool in Makurdi. A Smaller stadia exist in Gboko (J. S. Tarka Stadium), Katsina-Ala, Adikpo, Vandeikya and Otukpo. The BCC Lawn Tennis tournament attracts players from all over the country. Benue State has three teams in the professional soccer ranks, Lobi Stars F.C. in Division One, BCC Lions FC in Division Two, Mark mentors as the basketball premier league team.

Traditional Rulers

The Benue State Government accords high respect to traditional rulers in recognition of their role as custodians of culture and as agents of development. Also, their roles in enhancing peace and order at the grassroots level are also recognised. To enhance their contribution to the affairs of the state, government has established a three-tier traditional council system made up of Local Government Area Traditional Councils, Area Traditional Councils and the State Council of Chiefs with the Tor Tiv (Tiv king) as chairman.

The two Area Councils are the Tiv Traditional Council and the Idoma Traditional Council. The former has the Tor Tiv(Tiv King) as chairman of all the traditional rulers from the Tiv dominant Local Government Areas, while the latter has the Och' Idoma (Idoma king) as the chairman of all the traditional rulers from the Idoma dominant Local Government Areas.

The State Council of Chiefs had the Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Professor James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse (Tor Tiv V) ([4]), with Och'Idoma and all second class Chiefs/Chairmen of the Local Government Traditional Council as members.

Relief and Drainage

The land is generally low lying (averaging 100m-250m) and gently undulating with occasional inselbergs, Knoll, Laterite etc. It is only at the boundary area with Cameroon, also Kwande and Oju Local Government Areas that hilly terrain with appreciable local relief is encountered. Here, the terrain is characterised by steep slopes, deep incised valleys and generally rugged relief. Elsewhere, gradients average less than 4°. River Benue is the dominant geographical feature in the state. It is one of the few large rivers in Nigeria. The Katsina-Ala is the largest tributary, while the smaller rivers include Mkomon, Amile, Duru, Loko Konshisha, Kpa, Okpokwu, Mu, Be, Aya, Apa Ogede and Ombi. The flood plains which are characterised by extensive swamps and ponds are good for dry season irrigated farming.

Though Benue State has high drainage density many of the streams are seasonal. Hence, there is an acute water shortage in the dry season in Local Government Areas such as Guma, Okpokwu, Ogbadibo, Gwer West (Naka, Nigeria) and Oju.
People and culture

The state is populated by several ethnic groups: Tiv, Idoma, Igede, Etulo, Abakpa, Jukun, Hausa, Igbo, Akweya and Nyifon. The Tiv are the dominant ethnic group, occupying 14 local government areas with the Etulo and Jukun , while the Idoma, Igede, Igbo, Akweya and Nyifon occupy the remaining nine local government areas.

Most of the people are farmers while the inhabitants of the river areas engage in fishing as their primary or important secondary occupation. The people of the state are famous for their cheerful and hospitable disposition as well as rich cultural heritage.

Geology and Environment

Benue State lies within the lower river Benue trough in the middle belt region of Nigeria. Its geographic coordinates are longitude 7° 47' and 10° 0' East. Latitude 6° 25' and 8° 8' North; and shares boundaries with five other states namely: Nasarawa State to the north, Taraba State to the east, Cross-River State to the south, Enugu State to the south-west and Kogi State to the west. The state also shares a common boundary with the Republic of Cameroon on the south-east. Benue occupies a landmass of 34,059 square kilometres.
Geology

Based on Köppen climate classification, Benue State lies within the AW climate and experiences two distinct seasons, the Wet season and the Dry season. The rainy season lasts from April to October with annual rainfall in the range of 100-200mm. The dry season begins in November and ends in March. Temperatures fluctuate between 21 – 37 degrees Celsius in the year. The south-eastern part of the state adjoining the Obudu-Cameroun mountain range, however, has a cooler climate similar to that of the Jos Plateau.

Much of Benue State falls within the Benue Valley/trough which is believed to be structurally developed. During the Tertiary and possibly the Interglacial periods of the Quaternary glaciation, the Benue and Niger Valleys, otherwise known as the Niger/Benue trough, were transgressed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, marine sediments form the dominant surface geology of much of Benue State.
Mineral Resources

Benue State is blessed with abundant mineral resources. These resources are distributed in the Local Government Areas of the state. Of these mineral resources, only Limestone at Tse-Kucha near Gboko and Kaolinite at Otukpo are being commercially exploited. Other mineral deposits include Baryte, Gypsum, Feldspar, Wolframite, Kaolinite, mineral salts and Gemstone etc.
Natural Resources

Benue State is the nations acclaimed food basket because of its rich agricultural produce which include Yam, Rice, Beans, Cassava, Sweet-potato, Maize, Soybean, Sorghum, Millet, Sesame, cocoyam etc. The state accounts for over 70% of Nigeria's Soybean production.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, engaging over 75% of the state farming population. The State also boasts of one of the longest stretches of river systems in the country with great potential for a viable fishing industry, dry season farming through irrigation and for an inland water highway.

The vegetation of the southern parts of the state is characterised by forests, which yield trees for timber and provide a suitable habitat for rare animals types and species. The state thus possesses potential for the development of viable forest and wildlife reserves.

History of Benue State
Population Structure and Distribution

The State has a total population of 4,253,641 in 2006 census, with an average population density of 99 persons per km2. This makes Benue the 9th most populous state in Nigeria. However, the distribution of the population according to Local government areas shows marked duality.

There are areas of low population density . such as Guma, Gwer East, Ohimini, Katsina-Ala, Apa, Logo and Agatu, each with less than seventy persons per km2, while Vandeikya, Okpokwu, Ogbadibo, Obi and Gboko have densities ranging from 140 persons to 200 persons per km2. Makurdi LGA has over 380 person per km2. The males are 49.8 percent of the total population while females constitute 50.2 per cent.
Settlement Pattern and Urbanization

Benue State region was depleted of its human population during the slave trade. It is largely rural, with scattered settlements mainly in tiny compounds or homesteads, whose population range from 630 people, most of whom are farmers.

Urbanization in Benue State did not predate the colonial era. The few towns established during colonial rule remained very small(less than 30,000 people) up to the creation of Benue State in 1976.

Benue towns can be categorised into three groups. The first group consists of those with a population of 80,000 to 500,000 people. These include Makurdi, the State Capital, Gboko and Otukpo the "headquarters" of the two dominant ethnic groups (125,944 and 88,958 people respectively). The second group comprises towns with a population of between 20,000 and 50,000 people and includes Katsina-Ala, Zaki-Biam, Ukum and Adikpo, Kwande. These are all local government headquarters. The third category comprises towns with a population of 10,000 to 19,000 people and includes Vandeikya, Lessel, lhugh, Naka, Adoka, Aliade, Okpoga, lgumale, Oju, Utonkon, Ugbokolo, Wannune, Ugbokpo, Otukpa, Ugba and Korinya. Most of these towns are headquarters of recently created Local Government Areas and/or district headquarters or major market areas. Some of the headquarters of the newly created LGAs have populations of less than 10,000 people. Such places include Tse-Agberaba, Gbajimba, Buruku, Idekpa, Obagaji and Obarikeito. Apart from earth roads, schools, periodic markets and chemists(local drug stores), the rural areas are largely used for farming, relying on the urban centres for most of their urban needs. Benue State has no problem of capital city primacy. Rather, three towns stand out very clearly as important urban centres which together account for more than 70 per cent of the social amenities provided in the state and almost all the industrial establishments. These centres are Makurdi, Gboko and Otukpo. They are amongst the oldest towns in the state and are growing at a much faster rate than the smaller younger towns.

Makurdi doubles as the capital of the state and the headquarters of Makurdi LGA, while Gboko and Otukpo double as local government and ethnic headquarters (i.e. for Tiv and Idoma tribes respectively). All the roads in the state radiate from these three centres. As an administrative unit, Benue State was first created on 3 February 1976. It was one of the seven states created by the military administration headed by General Murtala Mohammed, which increased the number of states in the country from 13 to 19. In 1991, its boundaries were re-adjusted with the creation of Kogi State. The new Benue State of today has twenty (23) local government areas, which are administered by local government councils.

Benue State
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the tributary of the Niger River, see Benue River.
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Benue State
State
Nickname(s): Food Basket of the Nation
Location of Benue State in Nigeria
Location of Benue State in Nigeria
Coordinates: 7°20′N 8°45′ECoordinates: 7°20′N 8°45′E
Country Nigeria
Date created 3 February 1976
Capital Makurdi
Government
• Governor
(List) Samuel Ortom (APC)
• Deputy Governor Benson Abounu
• Senators David Mark
George Akume
Barnabas Andyar Gemade
Area
• Total 34,059 km2 (13,150 sq mi)
Area rank 11th of 36
Population (1991 census)
• Total 2,780,398
• Estimate (2006) 4,253,641
• Rank 7th of 36
• Density 82/km2 (210/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)
• Year 2007 (estimate)
• Total $6.86 billion[1]
• Per capita $1,592[1]
Time zone WAT (UTC+01)
ISO 3166 code NG-BE

Benue State is a state in the mid-belt region of Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in 2006 census. It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv and Idoma peoples, who speak the Tiv language and Idoma, respectively. The Tiv's comprises the Etulo's while the Idoma's comprises the Ufia's (Utonkon), the Igede's, and the Agatu's. There are other ethnic groups, including the Igede, Etulo, Abakwa,[2] Jukun, Hausa, Igbo, Akweya and Nyifon. With its capital at Makurdi, Benue is a rich agricultural region; some of the crops grown there are potatoes, cassava, soya bean, guinea corn, flax, yams, sesame, rice, and groundnuts.

Benue State is named after the Benue River and was formed from the former Benue-Plateau State in 1976, along with Igala and some part of Kwara State. In 1991 some areas of Benue state (mostly Igala area), along with areas in Kwara State, were carved out to become part of the new Kogi State. Igbo people are found in the boundary areas of Ebonyi State and Enugu State in local government areas like the Obi, Oju etc.

Samuel Ortom is the governor and Benson Abounu is the deputy governor. Both are All Progressives Congress (APC) members.[3]

Benue state has three universities: Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State University, Makurdi, and University of Mkar, Mkar, Gboko. It has two polytechnics: Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo and Fidei polytechnic, Gboko as well as the Akperan Orshi college of Agriculture Yandev. There are about four colleges of education which are Federal College of Education Agasha, College of Education Oju, College of Education Kastina Ala. Benue State as it exists today is a surviving legacy of an administrative entity which was carved out of the protectorate of northern Nigeria at the beginning of the twentieth century. The territory was initially known as Munshi Province until 1918 when the name of its dominant geographical feature, the 'Benue River' was adopted.

Contents

1 History of Benue State
1.1 Population Structure and Distribution
1.2 Settlement Pattern and Urbanization
2 Geology and Environment
2.1 Geology
2.2 Mineral Resources
2.3 Natural Resources
2.4 Relief and Drainage
3 People and culture
3.1 Traditional Rulers
3.2 Culture
4 The State Capital
5 Local Government Areas
6 Economy
6.1 Agricultural production
6.2 Commerce and industry
6.3 Infrastructure and Transportation
6.4 Power supply
6.5 Telecommunications
6.6 Tourism and Recreation
7 References
8 External links

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