Tiv community in Peva-Chanchanji demands recognition, says “We have lived here for centuries”

By Johnson Arua

The Tiv people of Peva-Chanchanji in Takum Local Government Area of Taraba State have called on government authorities and the global community to acknowledge what they describe as their centuries-old ancestral presence in the area.

In a strongly worded statement issued at the weekend and made available to journalists, the community said it was imperative to “let the world know we exist,” insisting that they are not strangers in Chanchanji but an indigenous population with deep historical roots.

“For over 200 to 300 years, our ancestors settled in the Chanchanji area as farmers, hunters, and peaceful community builders,” the statement read. “We are not visitors. We are an indigenous people with rich traditions and a history woven into the soil of this land.”

The community noted that historical migration accounts place Tiv movements across the Benue Valley long before colonial boundaries were created, adding that Tiv clans had established settlements in parts of what is now Taraba State—including Takum, Wukari, Donga and Bali—by the 18th century.

According to the statement, Tiv families had built permanent homes, farmlands, and trade routes in Peva-Chanchanji by the mid-1800s, leaving behind cultural shrines, ancestral burial grounds, and farming traditions that still exist.

“Our elders still recount stories of the Ityo-Ugondo, Ityo-Tyev, and Ityo-Iharev lineages who settled along the fertile river plains,” the group said. “We have coexisted peacefully for generations with Jukun, Kuteb, Chamba, Hausa, and other neighbouring communities.”

The community emphasized that its appeal was not an expression of hostility but a demand for truth and historical justice.

“We speak not in anger, but in truth: Let no one erase our identity. Let no one deny our history. Let no one claim we have no roots in the land we have nurtured for centuries,” the statement declared.

They stressed that Tiv contributions to Takum LGA, especially in agriculture, commerce, cultural heritage and community development, are undeniable and should be recognised.

“Our presence is not recent, not borrowed, and not temporary. It is ancestral,” the statement added. “We stand as peaceful citizens who desire coexistence, unity, and security for all.”

The community urged government at all levels and the wider public to “recognize and protect” their historical existence and rights within Peva-Chanchanji, saying doing so would strengthen peace and stability in the area.