By Callistus Agwaza in Jalingo
The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN), an umbrella body for the Kuteb ethnic nationality in Taraba, has kicked against plans to demolish the Palace of their traditional ruler, the Ukwe Takum.
Addressing a press conference on Sunday in Jalingo, the Taraba state capital, an official of KYN, Markus Apwende, alleged that there are plans to demolish the Palace to pave way for the construction of the T.Y Danjuma University in Takum.
Apwende called on the Taraba state governor, Agbu Kefas and peace loving individuals in the state to intervene in order to avoid any outbreak of ethnic crisis in Takum.
According to him, the KYN has uncovered plots to demolish the Ukwe Takum Palace and the Central Mosque.
He said the old Palace of the traditional ruler is a repository of the history of the Kuteb nation.
He said, the planned demolition of the Palace and the Mosque came to fore
on Thursday, 10th and Friday, 11th October 2024, when the site engineer handling
the construction of the university was seen marking and pegging the Palace and Mosque, accompanied by the Takum Divisional Police Officer (DPO) and some people people in vigilante uniforms.
The group maintained that the demolition of the Palace will eliminate the history of the Kuteb people.
Apwende called on the Taraba state government and security agencies “to note that plans are on by enemies of peace to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and Ukwe Takum Palace in Takum town.
“We got the wind of the wicked plan but initially ignored it until Thursday, 10th and Friday, 11th October, 2024, when we saw the site engineer for the ongoing construction of T.Y Danjuma University Takum, a white man, who is also the Head of ACC Construction, in company of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Takum, and some uniform vigilante, marking and pegging the Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum Palace.
“We wish to inform the whole world that the plot to demolish the Takum Central Mosque is a clear move by enemies of peace to wipe out the historical Islamic Worship in Takum Local Government.
“We wish to call on the whole world to note that the Ukwe Takum Palace houses the graves of the many past Ukwe Takum who ruled Takum for over a century.
” It also houses other traditional artifacts that are historical to Kuteb Tradition and Custom, and other items which must not be tampered with.
“The move to demolish the Palace and the Mosque is the highest level of provocation against the Kuteb Traditional Institutions, right to freedom of worship and other peace loving people of Takum and its environs.
“The Takum Central Mosque was constructed in 1912, by Ukwe Ahmadu Gankwe and subsequently renovated by Ukwe Ali Ibrahim Zorto Kufang (II ), who were Muslim.
Apwende said, “Takum has witnessed a lot of crises and tension is already high in the area and we will not like a situation in which there will be breakdown of law and order or chaos.
“An appeal against the decision of the High Court of Taraba State on the Takum Chieftaincy dispute and the preservation of the Palace is pending before the Court of Appeal, Yola. As law abiding citizens, we are bound by the Rule of Law.
“We wish to call on the Taraba State Government and security agencies to intervene and ensure that nothing happen to the Mosque and Palace, as this will be tantamount to insult and bastardization of Kuteb cherished customs and tradition especially that the Palace houses the graves of our past traditional Rulers.
“We also appeal to all peace loving and spirited individuals to intervene to stop this devilish plan, just as we also appeal to all Kuteb Youth to remain calm and law abiding, and wait the response of the authorities on the matter”.
