₦airaland Forum

Once upon a time on a hilly place in South Africa. There lived an influential man who was called Takuruku, married to Aliwe and had many children. The last of whom he named Tiv, translated means" my own" in Bantu language.
Takuruku loved Tiv more than his many sons because Tiv was hardworking and had great love for his parents and as the child of his dotage. As the family multiplied in numbers, frequent family squabble arose and Tiv who was cool headed left home ( twev) to Congo on Takuruku's demise.
Tiv married Ayaaya with four children, three sons and a daughter Gbe (first) , Ichongo (second) and Ipusu ( third ) and Anadenden (daughter). Gbe left home shortly on their arrival in the Congo to find a new homestead and never returned and Tiv was left with Ipusu and Ichongo working as brothers.
To this present day, the Tiv tribe would share anything even meat and a piece is thrown to the ground with the words " de mvande nan Gbe". Same is done with drinks before others can drink keeping with the tradition the eldest must first be given the share of anything.
Tiv passed away leaving Aya ( wife ) as the children fondly called her and his two sons Ipusu and Ichongo with their families who were outstanding members of d community to the chargrind of thier host who then hatched a plot to attack and annihilate the entire Tiv family. Information was leaked as fate would have it and the Tiv family fled but on reaching Congo River got stranded not knowing how to get across and escape their enemies. A mysterious snake the " Ikyalem" a green snake sacred to the Tiv tribe to this day appeared and spread itself across the River for the Tiv people to cross over the river Congo to safety until they got to the mountains straddling the border between Nigeria and Cameron. It is a taboo to kill the Ikyalem ( green snake ) and when a Tiv man comes across a dead Ikyalem he would pour sand over it to symbolize burial rite.
Tiv migrated from Congo through various places and eventually reached the Benue Valley, from the east over the Cameroon mountains in the area called Swem and settled in the South Eastern region of the border between Nigeria and Cameron.
The Tiv tribe settled in Swem many years and were greatly blessed with fertile land, animals for hunting, clean water, no disease but had to migrate to the heart of the Benue Valley. Tiv had to vacate Swem when the tribe was domiciled at Swem abode they designated a place of worship and sacrifice known as Ilyum a rock that had two jutting angles. Around this Ilyum rock was planted Ayande a Lean stemmed vegetable plant with large leaves, the Ilyum was considered sacred and protected the Tiv from evil influences, diseases and their enemies.
The Ilyum was polluted by Karagba family of Nongov clan when the patriach of the family took the dead body of his daughter and laid it on the Ilyum rock demanding that the gods should avenge the death of his child whom according to him was caused by the entire tribe.

As a result of this sacrilege, the Kwaragba family was cursed but it also ment that the Tiv tribe had to move away from the Swem homeland for fear of the retributions that may follow the desecration of the Ilyum rock. Between 1500AD and 1600AD due to the hostilities from the bush tribes "Ugenyi" the Tiv moved out of Swen into Ikyurav in present day Kwande LGA from the point they occupied the Benue Valley through conquest by pushing into various directions of other setteler tribes.
After the invasion, Tiv moved first across River Kastina-Ala and dispersed spreading out, and it was the process of "coming down" that they met the Fulani with whom they lived for a time with symbiosis and parted peacefully. The Tiv would not allow their daughters to marry the Fulani tribe because when there give birth that child would be more of Fulani descent so the Tiv elders decided to move on in search of another homestead (twev) .Tiv were careful not to separate from the Fulani under any form of antagonism so they informed the Fulani of their move and so the Fulani though were not pleased Tiv leaving but as a sign of good faith the Fulani gave the Tiv some Cows ostensibly so that Tiv would learn how to keep cows too. The Tiv duely collected these cows and moved on but they lacked the patience and skill of the Fulani in rearing cattle so they slaughtered the cows and ate them.
The Fulani who was nomads again met with the Tiv when they did not see the cows sought to know what had happened to the cows asked, the Tiv constrained by language barriers in the language of the Fulani simply replied "M chii"(I have eaten them).This answer greatly amused the Fulani and they began calling the Tiv people MUNCHI to this present day
Shortly after the Tiv tribe had reached the Benue valley and settled down they noticed an influx of ATOATIEV(other tribes)who came and settled all around placing Tiv in a vulnerable position in the middle and the (atoatiev)were armed with menacing weapons. These Atoatiev (other tribes) were IDOMA, IGEDE, UDAM and ALAGO. They had been part of the Jukun Kwararafa Empire,their affiliation with the Jukun tribe whether related or slaves is not clearly known. Eventually the Borno Empire declared war on the Kwararafa Empire and killed the Jukun King (Angyu)which led to the Atoatiev fleeing to different directions and encamped in the Benue Valley around the Tiv.
Tiv where worried one day these Atoatiev(other tribe) would declear war on them and cart away with their women and son's as slaves so the Tiv decided to take the war to them. The Tiv secretly fashioned weapons like arrows and spears in preparation for war,when satisfied with enough arms the Indyer was sounded to summon the entire Tiv tribe for strategies to go to war against the Atoatiev since the Atoatiev were so many, without strategy they will be defeated. Every clan was to attack the Atoatiev closest to them., Jechira was to face Udam, Masev had to contend with the Idoma while Ihyarev attacked the Alago.A war song was also fashioned which is still sang to this present day.
{TIV WAR SONG}
Mnyam chier m er uke mile
o o uke mille
Mnyam MA chier m er uke mile
o o uke mile
Ishima yam ngi awambe! awambe!
o o awambe! awambe!!

On the appointed day, Tiv picked up the chorus of this war song and launched a surprise attack on the Atoatiev on all fronts, they fled in great fear before the Tiv warriors. Jechira pursued the Udam n Igede until they took refuge in the forest, this is why Kunav, Gaav n Shangev tiev are located where they are now. Masev fought with Idoma who reiterated until they came up into Igala n Igbo territory with no place to run to they stood their ground to hold their present position. Ihyarev pursued the Alago until they crossed the River Benue.

https://m./1523443444650956/permalink/2670707476591208/

proudlyngwa
Dansuqi
Senatordave01

[b] The Tiv would not allow their daughters to marry the Fulani tribe because when there give birth that child would be more of Fulani descent so the Tiv elders decided to move on in search of another homestead (twev) .Tiv were careful not to separate from the Fulani under any form of antagonism so they informed the Fulani of their move and so the Fulani though were not pleased Tiv leaving but as a sign of good faith the Fulani gave the Tiv some Cows ostensibly so that Tiv would learn how to keep cows too. The Tiv duely collected these cows and moved on but they lacked the patience and skill of the Fulani in rearing cattle so they slaughtered the cows and ate them.The Fulani who was nomads again met with the Tiv when they did not see the cows sought to know what had happened to the cows asked, the Tiv constrained by language barriers in the language of the Fulani simply replied "M chii"(I have eaten them).This answer greatly amused the Fulani and they began calling the Tiv people MUNCHI to this present day[/b]

Hmmm
The Fulanis and the Tivs, what happened over the years, good friends turn enemies

Kyase:
Hmmm
The Fulanis and the Tivs, what happened over the years, good friends turn enemies

Nice Read, I will certainly keep it in my archives and ask some people I know questions.

As for what happened I doubt if anything happened, communal clashes, inter and intra are bound to happen even in biblical times.
Remember Ife modakeke, aguleri umuleri, ijaw ilaje, ijaw itsekiri, ijaw urohbo. We knew all this because that was where the mainstream media wanted to focus, now we have social media to bring the travails of northerners which rarely had coverage to limelight.
The fulanis are nomadic and has a larger footprint than others, therefore will be the center of more hostilities.
There will always be clashes but it will only get worse if we keep on politicising and adding religious tones to it for cheap publicity stunts.

Proudlyngwa:
Nice Read, I will certainly keep it in my archives and ask some people I know questions.

As for what happened I doubt if anything happened, communal clashes, inter and intra are bound to happen even in biblical times.
Remember Ife modakeke, aguleri umuleri, ijaw ilaje, ijaw itsekiri, ijaw urohbo. We knew all this because that was where the mainstream media wanted to focus, now we have social media to bring the travails of northerners which rarely had coverage to limelight.
The fulanis are nomadic and has a larger footprint than others, therefore will be the center of more hostilities.
There will always be clashes but it will only get worse if we keep on politicising and adding religious tones to it for cheap publicity stunts.

You have said it all sir.....
The Fulanis too are not helping themselves

Kyase:
You have said it all sir.....
The Fulanis too are not helping themselves

No, the media is not helping matters.
We have rogue fulanis yes, but we also have them in other tribes too, like I said fulanis will have more clashes with different people because they cover more ground.
Where I believe the nomadic fulanis have a problem is refusal to evolve.
Other than that we all have our negative beans to grind.

Proudlyngwa:
No, the media is not helping matters.
We have rogue fulanis yes, but we also have them in other tribes too, like I said fulanis will have more clashes with different people because they cover more ground.
Where I believe the nomadic fulanis have a problem is refusal to evolve.
Other than that we all have our negative beans to grind.

That's the Truth and that will make Dem have more problem to settle, nobody wants to be pushed to the wall again, no matter how tiny...

Kyase:
That's the Truth and that will make Dem have more problem to settle, nobody wants to be pushed to the wall again, no matter how tiny...

While I quite agree, nobody should also upset the cart, don't back the wall, push someone and then say you don't want to be pushed to the wall.
I support allowing the law to run its course, because except in extreme situations I despise retaliatory attacks.
But it is not a sign of weakness when someone is more powerful than you and more organized than you to let things slide, while you restrategize for the future.
Let's all find means to leave in peace it is very possible.

Proudlyngwa:
While I quite agree, nobody should also upset the cart, don't back the wall, push someone and then say you don't want to be pushed to the wall.
I support allowing the law to run its course, because except in extreme situations I despise retaliatory attacks.
But it is not a sign of weakness when someone is more powerful than you and more organized than you to let things slide, while you restrategize for the future.
Let's all find means to leave in peace it is very possible.

Some of the media stories are true whereas some are blatant lies, sometimes you see and feel even the lies are true, like the story of the government sponsoring the herdsmen and their attacks.

The government is not doing enough to curtail this menace....

please how many percent of Benue population does TIV people make, and also are TIV people Indigenous to other states in the NC?

I want to check something.

Kyase:
Some of the media stories are true whereas some are blatant lies, sometimes you see and feel even the lies are true, like the story of the government sponsoring the herdsmen and their attacks.

The government is not doing enough to curtail this menace....

Media sensationalism is a big issue this days, unfortunately most things are online and spread through social media so it becomes almost impossible for government to do anything.
As far as we are multi cultural we will always have clashes, how fast we escalate or de-escalate it is a function of both media and government unfortunately the media wants negative news, the government seems not to care as far as it is not them or their relatives in the crossfire.

Proudlyngwa:
Media sensationalism is a big issue this days, unfortunately most things are online and spread through social media so it becomes almost impossible for government to do anything.
As far as we are multi cultural we will always have clashes, how fast we escalate or de-escalate it is a function of both media and government unfortunately the media wants negative news, the government seems not to care as far as it is not them or their relatives in the crossfire.

The government should try and regulate the media in total

Kyase:
The government should try and regulate the media in total

Nonsense talk, so you want to deniel people freedom of speech

gregyboy:
Nonsense talk, so you want to deniel people freedom of speech

Freedom of speech, doesn't translate to freedom of missinformation, they should regulate it in a way it won't affect those with real content

LukasPodolski:
please how many percent of Benue population does TIV people make, and also are TIV people Indigenous to other states in the NC?

I want to check something.

Tiv are 80% of Benue.
Tiv have 30% population in taraba
Tiv have 35% population in nassarawa
Tiv have 8% population in plateau state

Kyase:
Freedom of speech, doesn't translate to freedom of missinformation, they should regulate it in a way it won't affect those with real content

They have always been misinformation before the internet came, we the people would always dicpher the truth at the end trying to curtail our speech is against human right, after such law is passed the government will begin using it for their purpose and be silencing both the truth and the lies

Any true information they dont want out, would be tagged misinformation

gregyboy:
They have always been misinformation before the internet came, we the people would always dicpher the truth at the end trying to curtail our speech is against human right, after such law is passed the government will begin using it for their purpose and be silencing both the truth and the lies

Any true information they dont want out, would be tagged misinformation

I know the government can use that to their advantage, but with strong institution, that can't happen...

Kyase:
I know the government can use that to their advantage, but with strong institution, that can't happen...

Misinformation has always been there since mans time on earth..

If there is a misinformation the best tool, is to fight back with the truth and not arrest


If we try controlling it, it would be terrible

gregyboy:
Misinformation has always been there since mans time on earth..

If there is a misinformation the best tool, is to fight back with the truth and not arrest


If we try controlling it, it would be terrible

And those misinformation caused a lot of wars, if not curtail, it will again

Kyase:
And those misinformation caused a lot of wars, if not curtail, it will again

Trying Curtailing it will cause more,

gregyboy:
Trying Curtailing it will cause more,

I don't think so.......
Watch china or any of these asian countries
Even some europeans countries too

Kyase:
Tiv are 80% of Benue. Tiv have 30% population in taraba Tiv have 35% population in nassarawa Tiv have 8% population in plateau state

good.
apparently the TIVs are the largest ethnic group in the NC.

LukasPodolski:
good.

apparently the TIVs are the largest ethnic group in the NC.

Yes that's the fact

Kyase:
The government should try and regulate the media in total

It has gone beyond government control.

We are in a democratic dispensation , opposition will just use it as free campaign material.
What the government needs to do is aggressive reorientation while bringing perpetrators to book and making it open.

Kyase:
I know the government can use that to their advantage, but with strong institution, that can't happen...

Nigeria doesn't have a strong institution

Etinosa1234:
Nigeria doesn't have a strong institution

Yes, the reason why we need a strong institution, and with the regulation, the institution will become strong with time.....

Proudlyngwa:
It has gone beyond government control.

We are in a democratic dispensation , opposition will just use it as free campaign material.
What the government needs to do is aggressive reorientation while bringing perpetrators to book and making it open.

But the government is not doing so
And it will be another round of cry.