Afizere Accuses Berom Of Occupying Their Farmlands, Land-Grabbing, Land Disputes And Incursions

Yakubu Busari

A rejoinder on behalf of Afizere Cultural and Development Association (ACCDA), has accused the Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO) of land grabbing and land dispute, incursion in Plateau state and illegal installation of traditional heads of Beroms title outside their districts.

Spokesman of the Afizere Cultural and Community Development Association (ACCDA), Prof. Atu made this disclosure at the Town hall conference in Lamingo Area of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state.

He warned the Berom to stay clear of Afizere communities, as they have been compelled by the prevailing circumstances to set the records straight by reacting to the full text of press conference by Berom.

According to him, “inglorious immediate past administration of the state ,was directed by former Governor Jonah Jang for deliberately placing the Afizere people at a disadvantaged position by denying them legally constituted traditional institutions in Jos- North and Jos -East Local Government Areas but rather terminated appointments of their sons and daughters in government without genuine reasons.

He explained that the Afizere are the owners of Old Airport, Rayfield ,Dadin Kowa ,Anglo Jos ,Gigiring ,Dong ,Tudun WADA and Gyese House which was grabbed by the Jang regime ,adding he said records show that the Afizere received compensation from government in 1927 to 1948 but the last group of farmlands, settlements were encroached when Jang step into power and arrogated it’s to Du district which used to be under Foron district of Barkin Ladi LGA.

Prof. Danladi said, with references from authenticated historical documents they will elucidate more on their territorial boundaries with Berom and Anaguta ,”report signed on 30th June,1914 by Mr S.E.M Stobart ,then the Assistant District officer titled, Assessment Report on Anaguta and Jarawa tribes of Bukuru District ,Naraguta division “,stobart stated.

“The Anaguta Tribe and that portion of the Jarawa (Afizere ) which inhabits the town of Jos reside among the hills overlooking the Government station and Hausa settlements of Naraguta and Jos respectively ,which they form in the fertile basin formed by the Delimi river,. They are bounded on the East, North -East and South East by the Burrum (Kibyen “Berom” and on the west are the Rukuba tribe “, he added.

He disclosed further that the Berom started making incursion into their territorial land as it is obvious that they had not lived in the same domain with them prior to pacification.

Atu stressed that on the basic of good neighborliness and peaceful inter-tribal relationship, due to the period there was much hunger in their territorial areas, shortly after one generation, and the demise of their parents they migrated to occupy this said lands.

It was gathered that the Berom started drifting to their vast farmlands which they were tenants and we allowed them on the spirit of good neighbors and peaceful inter-tribal relationship, because at that time, there was much hunger for land grabbing.

Prof Atu complained that after the demise of their parents, the children of Berom extraction started laying claims to their ancestral farmlands to the extent that it resulted to litigations and crisis which is gradually pushing us away.

“The Bukuru town itself was founded about 200 years ago, partly by the people from Gabon hill, which is situated between Ngel and Miango and was probably the first occupied site on the Plateau; Berom encroached into Miango, Afizere and Anaguta lands in Jos North and South respectively.

“We therefore challenge BECO to produce any evidence of litigation between the Afizere and the Berom on the judgment that was entered into with the Plateau state government, only the Anaguta are presently in court challenging it, except if the Berom are now telling the world that the Anaguta went to court on their behalf or they are representing them”, he noted.

 Read The Full Text Of The Press Conference Below:

RE- TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE PRESIDENT OF BEROM EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION (BECO) DA ERICSON E. FOM HELD ON WEDNESDAY 8TH FEBRUARY, 2017 AT BECO NATIONAL SECRETARIAT OFF RAYFIELD ROAD, BUKURU

– A REJOINDER BY THE NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF AFIZERE CULTURAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION (ACCDA) ADA LUKA MADAKI ON…..

Distinguished ladies and Gentlemen

Gentlemen of the Press

Let me start by expressing the sentiments of our appreciation on behalf of Izere Nation for honoring our request for this press conference. Indeed, the press has always provided a veritable platform for citizens to air their views on matters that affect their wellbeing and the nation at large. That explains why the Afizere people always take recourse to this rare privilege provided by the press to react and air their views to issues that affect them in particular or to nation building. This of course is in consonance with the peaceful and humane disposition of the Afizere people.

INTRODUCTION

Gentlemen of the Press, kindly transmit these sentiments of appreciation of the Afizere (Jarawa) people both within and in the Diaspora to the Gbong Gwom Jos, His Majesty, Da Jacob Gyang Buba for the show of solidarity and love during the coronation of Rev. (Dr) Isaac Wakili, the Agwom Izere. We have equally watched with keen admiration his mentorship to him since assumption of office as the Agwom Izere on first class status. This deep-rooted relationship between the two traditional rulers will no doubt re-enact the long standing brotherhood and fraternity between the two ethnic nationalities. For the Afizere people, it deepens our faith in His Majesty’s acclaimed pursuit of justice and peaceful Co-existence amongst the people of Plateau state and Nigeria at large. It is hoped that this philosophy of His Majesty will yield mutual benefit for both communities. We hope to see more of these fraternities and liberation of smaller ethnic nationalities by His majesty, the Gbong Gwom Jos Da Jacob Gyang Buba.

May we equally use this medium to congratulate the Berom Educational and Cultural Organization (BECO), Berom Elders’ Council, Berom Youth Movement (BYM) and Berom Women Organization (BWO) for coming back to life after over eight years of lull and dormancy? It is our utmost desire that we shall all join hands to promote peaceful co-existence amongst our people and reduce to the barest level all areas of conflicts and squabbles between the two ethnic groups, and indeed with the other ethnic Nationalities of Plateau state.

To us the Afizere people, there is no better time than now because the state is presently blessed with a humble and servant Governor, Rt. Hon. Barrister Simon Lalong, whose cardinal philosophy is the pursued of peaceful co-existence among the people of Plateau state as well as objectively upholding justice and liberation of all ethnic nationalities, communities and social groups on the Plateau.

Mr. Governor sir, may you live long to see your dream for a better Plateau come to reality. On our part, we shall continue to express the peaceful disposition of our people for which we are known for in addressing all areas of misunderstanding, provocation and mis-representation as they relate to the Afizere people. Here in lies also the purpose of our press conference today.

It is in the light of the foregoing that the Afizere Cultural and Community Development Association (ACCDA) is compelled by the prevailing circumstance to set the records straight by reacting to the full text of press delivered by the President of BECO one Ericson E. Fom on Wednesday, 8th February, 2017 at the BECO National Secretariat, Bukuru on behalf of the Berom nation.

As a community, we believe that in pursuing and upholding justice and liberation of all peoples, every community must be seen to be a beneficiary of the process. That is why it behooves on us as a people to not only place issues raised by BECO in correct perspective but to equally bring out objectively the historical and social records to the fore for both governmental and non- governmental actors who are genuinely concerned with the task of upholding justice and liberation of all peoples as is being witnessed today on the Plateau. We therefore make bold to address the issues raised by BECO within the following framework:

Re-citation at the coronation ceremony of Agwom Izere. Historical exposition of the facts. Justification of Jos Izere Chiefdom

Debunking the frivolous allegations; assertions, misrepresentations and contradictions in the BECO full press text

RE-CITATION AT THE CORONATION CEREMONY OF AGWOM IZERE

Gentlemen of the Press, the statement “… inglorious immediate past administration of the state” was directed at Da Jonah Jang, the then governor of Plateau State who during his administration, did not only deliberately placed the Afizere people at a disadvantage position by denying us our legally constituted traditional institutions in Jos-North and Jos-East Local Government Areas, but terminated appointments of our sons and daughters in government without reason and also denied us appointments. As a matter of fact, Jang debased our personalities and rendered us as second class citizens of Plateau State. This explains why we referred to his administration as ‘inglorious’. In any case, the statement was not targeted at the Berom people but on Jang government except if the Berom are saying that it was a Berom government implementing a Berom agenda or receiving instructions from them.

HISTORICAL EXPOSITION OF THE FACTS

The Afizere of Jos North LGA are known to be in direct possession of the land we now occupy, for hundreds of years, without challenge as nobody was inhabiting them. Our forebears did not meet any resistance by any group when they settled here. It was, infact, virgin land. These areas include: Gwash, Nupis, Gwafan (Lamingo), Fudawa, Kwanga “b”, Katon Rikkos, Rikkos, Kubob (Gangare), Guash (Jos or the area now occupied by Nigerian Airways Office, NITEL, Ministry of Works Yard, Museum, St. Theresa’s Church and Boys Primary School, Bank of the North, Post Office etc. and all the surrounding farmlands stretching miles away), Gyese (Tudun Wada), Kabong, Rimado (Mado or Jos Wildlife Park) and Dong.

An interesting phenomenon with Afizere settlements in the past, and as still seen in rural areas of Jos East, is scattered homesteads, instead of nucleated villages or towns. Thus, apart from the semi nucleated settlement of Jos (Guash) around the hill now bordered by Jos Museum, NITEL, Ministry of Works Yard, Nigerian Airways Office, St. Theresa’s, Central Bank, COCIN Headquarters etc. and the surrounding farmlands, scattered settlement spanned from Gwash in the East across to Tudun Wada (Gyese), Kabong and Dong to the West covering all our territorial domains mentioned above. As mixed farmers, they needed such expanse of land for farming and tending their large herds of goats and sheep.

Our immediate neighbours then were Afizere of Jos East to the East, Anaguta to the North, Rukuba to the West, and Berom to the South. Our shared natural boundary with the Berom was the stream immediately North of Bukuru town, which runs from the East to the West. (See Map M 60 of January 1927 and its extract: Map of Jos North and Jos South LGAs showing Gwong District of Jos North, indicating the exact area of naraguta District which later became Gwong District named after the amalgamation of Anaguta and Afizere of Jos North into one District. The words Gwong being an Afizere derivative from “Gwung”, meaning to combine, join, amalgamate or merge).

Gentlemen of the press, other areas occupied by our people then were Old Airport, Rayfield, Dadin Kowa, Anglo Jos and Gigiring, which was actually part and parcel of Tudun Wada (Gyese). It is essential to note that as from 1927 to 1948, this last group of our settlements and farmlands were encroached upon and arrogated to Du District at different times.

The following quotations and references from authenticated historical documents will elucidate more on our territorial boundaries with our neighbours, the Berom and Anaguta.

(a)In a report signed on 30th June, 1914 by Mr. S.E.M. Stobart, Assistant District Officer titled: “Assessment Report on Anaguta and Jarawa Tribes of Bukuru District, Naraguta Division”, Stobart stated:

“The Anaguta Tribe and that portion of the Jarawa (Afizere) which inhabits the town of Jos reside among the hills overlooking the Government Station and Hausa settlements of Naraguta and Jos respectively, which they farm in the fertile basin formed by the Delimi River. They are bounded on the East, North-East and South East by the Jarawa Tribe of Bauchi Emirate, on the North-West by the Narabunu on the South west by the Burrum (Kikyen) and on the west by the Rukuba Tribe”.

Furthermore, under the sub-title: “Historical and Ethnological” of the same report Stobart stated: “The people of Jos belong to Jarawa tribe and migrated from Fobur about a century ago”…. The Jos people speak the language of the Hill Jarawa but they are mixing with the Burrum (Kibyen) Tribe….”.

Certainly, this was the time our neighbours, the Berom, started making incursions into our territorial land as it is obvious that we had not lived in the same domain with them prior to pacification. After pacification of Plateau Tribes, the Berom started drifting to our vast farmlands, initially, as tenants. We allowed them, principally, on the basis of good neighbourliness and peaceful inter-tribal relationship, because at that time, there was much land hunger in their territorial areas. Shockingly, after just one generation, and the demise of their parents, the children started laying claims to these farmlands to the extent that we became litigants over land and territorial matters for two generations now as the Berom have never allowed us sleep.

(b)In a similar report on the Berom, Mr. Stobart wrote inter-alia” “Neighbouring tribes on the North are the Jarawa and Rukuba, on the East, the Jarawa and Pyem, on the South by Kaleri, Baron and Sura people and on the West the Ganawuri and Irigwe”.

In another paragraph under the sub-title “Historical and Ethnological” Stobart stated:

“The Bukuru town itself was founded about 200 years ago, partly by the people from Gabon Hill, which is situated between Ngel and Miango and was probably the first occupied site on the Plateau,…”.

By this description, “Gabon Hill” which the Berom always associate with Kabong appears to be two different places. While Kabong is located North-East of Dong, Gabon Hill by this description is located somewhere South West of Dong. This is more so that when the Afizere migrated to Kabong, no tribe was found inhabiting the place. Secondly, if the area of Kabong had been a territory of the Berom, Stobart’s reports and those of his British compatriots would have indicated that Afizere of Jos and Anaguta were bounded by the Berom Tribe on the West and NOT the Rukuba Tribe.

(c)Mr. E.W. Thomstone, Assistant District Officer in his “Reassessment Report on the Anaguta and Jarawa Tribes of Jos Division”, in 1920 wrote:

“The jarawa (Afizere) are bounded on the North by the Anaguta, on the South by the Burrum, on the East by the Jarawa of Bauchi and on the West by the Rukuba”.

(d)Likewise, in defining the Berom territory, Mr. H.A. Prankerd, D.O. in File NO. SNP9 3/69/1921 under the title, “Burrum Tribe” found at the National Archives, Kaduna stated:

“Its inhabitants are situated round Bukuru Hausa town, and South-East and South-West of it”.

(e)Similarly, other ‘documentors’ e.g. Harold D. Gunn in his Ethnological survey of Africa, West Africa Part VII, “ People of the Plateau Area of Northern Nigerian London International African Institute 1953, page 63, footnote 1 which states inter alia:

“… The conjecture is perhaps more interesting when it is noted that the migration from Fobur, to which the foundation of Jos is attributed went as far as Chawai, according to tradition”.

Surely this statement also reinforces our assertion that our settlements spanned from present Jos town location to include Tudun Wada, kabong, Mado and Dong, where, west of these villages we are bounded by the Rukuba and Irigwe.

(f)Anthony Dung Bingel (a Berom man) in his book, “Jos Origins and Growth of the Town 1900 to 1972, University of Jos, Department of Geography, Publication No. 1 Nigeria, 1978 pages 2 – 3. He did not mince words when quoting from Col. Laws reported, as follows:

“…. A small village called Guash, occupied by the present location of Jos Hausa traders who arrive supposedly mispronounced Guash for Jos and the name stuck”.

Borrowing from Harold D. Gunn, he stated: “… The original native village of Guash was founded by the Afusare people of the Jarawa tribe who are sometimes called the Afusare or Jarawan Jos”.

All these reports are consistent with our assertion that the Berom only came to settle among us after pacification and at the beginning of colonization. Prankerd’s report is even more specific and conforms to the fact that our boundary with Berom was the Bukuru stream. That is to say, the Berom were only located South West and South East of Bukuru town and not anywhere north of the town.

In a memo to the secretary, Commission of Inquiry into the disputed Land areas of Du, Gwong and Gyel dated 22nd May, 1991, Ujah Jauro Magaji asserted that “one of the nine villages that make up Gwong District is a village called Gwafan….the village head of Gwafan as well as Zangam, Nabor has ward heads at kabong. All the inhabitants of kabong pay their tax through the District head of Kabong”. This statement buttresses the fact that kabong is not part of Du. It is in the light of the above that Ada Ama Atang was remiting his tax to then Gwong District as a village head before the stool was elevated to a district by the Dariye administration in 2004. Dong and Tudun Wada (Gyese) also benefitted from the same exercise as shown in the Plateau state Gazette No. 4 Vol of 22nd June, 2006. This gave us the legal backing to install district heads in those areas.

JUSTIFICATION OF JOS IZERE CHIEFDOM

Gentlemen of the press, following the decision of the Dariye administration to create new chiefdoms and Ditricts  in order to liberate its people, the Afizere and Anaguta ethnic groups initially lobbied for the creation of one chiefdom to be named as Gwong Chiefdom, the two ethnic groups however mutually agreed to seek for their separate chiefdoms. It was on that basis that the Afizere people (with five Gazetted villages in Jos-North) sought for the creation of Jos Izere chiefdom on second class status while the Anaguta sought for the creation of Anaguta chiefdom. Jos Izere chiefdom, which is presently on second class status, as shown in the Plateau state Gazette No.4 Vol: 10 of 12th May, 2005 have eleven districts namely: Jos Jarawa, Fudawa, Gwafan, Gwash, Nukpis, Rikkos, Furaka, Tudun wada (Gyese), Dong and Kazumung-Kabong. It is a fact that the rescue administration of Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong administration recognizes this Gazette as a legal document.

The spurious allegation by BECO that the chiefdom was created three days to the end of the Dariye administration is false as can be seen from the Gazette quoted above, in addition, the first paramount ruler of Jos Izere chiefdom was the Late ada Innocent Bala (May God rest his soul) who was on the throne on government salary for two years before his demise. How then can two years suddenly shrink to three days?

DEBUNKING THE FRIVOLOUS ALLEGATIONS; ASSERTIONS, MISREPRESENTATIONS AND CONTRADICTIONS IN THE BECO PRESS CONFERENCE

On Districts/Jos Izere Chiefdom of Izere people of Jos North

It beats our imagination for BECO to recognize their Gwom Reis all across Jos South, Riyom and Barkin Ladi but do not recognize the 2nd class status of Jos Izere Chiefdom in Jos North when both were created under the same Law. Or is it a case of all animals are equal but some are more equal than others?

On having a court case with the Berom

We are not aware of having any court case with the Berom, or perhaps it only exists in their imagination.

On the creation of Jos Izere chiefdom without districts and villages BECO mischievously disclosed that “… Curiously, this creation (of Jos Izere chiefdom) was without corresponding districts and village areas in Jos North”. We make bold to say that Jos Izere chiefdom was created with the full compliments of districts and villages as shown in the Plateau state Gazette No.4 Vol: 10 of 12th May, 2005 pg 39-40,

On peaceful disposition of the Berom

According to BECO “…the issues raised in this press conference should not be viewed as minor as they have the capacity to generate avoidable chaos, disharmony and violence amongst our peoples”. This statement shows that the Berom do not want peace with the Afizere people as their antecedents attest to the fact that they have at one time or the other had crisis with Mwaghwavul, Bokkos people, Ganwuri people, Irigwe, Pyem and Afizere people in Fursum district of Jos East LGC ( all of whom are their neighbours). The Afizere people on the other hand are known for peaceful co-existence with our neighbours. Who are then the “war mongers and conflict merchants amongst us”? Your guess is as good as ours.

On shared values and common destiny

In what way did the Berom influence the creation of Jos North LGA in favour of the Afizere during General Ibrahim Babangida’s regime when it was the same community that addressed a press conference in Abuja in Protest of the creation of Jos South LGA?

What was the contribution that they made in establishing the first class stool of Izere chiefdom when it was the inglorious regime of Jang that suspended the stool simply because it was a first class stool which to him the Afizere did not merit?

Abuse of Local Government authority by past and present Afizere chairmen of Jos North

We make bold to state that all past and present Jos North local government chairmen of Izere extraction have always acted according to the dictates of their office by carrying everybody along without any form of discrimination. The facts are there for all to see.

The same can however not be said of Jos North Local Government Chairmen of Berom extraction as they discriminated against Afizere people not only in terms of employment but by refusing to sign their indigene forms, they always deploy berom people from Jos South; Riyom and Barkin Ladi LGAs to seek indigenship in Jos North. No wonder, Timothy Buba who was councilor in Jos South was imported and imposed as chairman in Jos North. Who is abusing office then?

As to the status of Ada Ama Atang (Acting District Head of Kabong), Ada Kaze (District head of Dong) & Ada Peter Nyam (Acting District head of Tudun Wada)

The Plateau state Gazette No.4 Vol: 10 of 12th May, 2005 pg 40 clearly spelt out Kazumung-Kabong as a district which is under the territorial jurisdiction of ADAGWOM AMA ATANG and he has his letter of Acting District head from government.

Thus, Adagwom Ama Atang had the powers to have appointed the Garkuwan Kabong. It is also false that he purchased his palace from a Berom family, as a matter of fact; his palace is on his ancestral piece of land not purchased from anybody. Conversely, The Gwom Berom in Kabong is exclusively that of the Berom extraction that is answerable to Du in Jos South and not Jos North as is the case with the Afizere traditional rulers of Kabong, Dong and Gyese (Tudun Wada).

For tribal reasons, the stool of Gwom Berom in Kabong was created by the then Gbong Gwom Jos, Late Da Rwang Pam for the purpose of collecting community tax from his Berom extraction who left their villages and settled in Afizere land in Jos. This practice still persists till date, it is however unconstitutional because there is nowhere in the Nigerian constitution that allows a local government to collect taxes in another Local government.     Similarly, The Plateau state Gazette No.4 Vol: 10 of 12th May, 2005 pg 40 also spelt out without ambiguity that Dong and Tudun Wada (Gyese) are districts in Jos North LGA, Ada Kaze Nyam and Ada Peter Nyam are their respective district heads.

Ladies and Gentlemen, historical antecedents, oral, written and even the traditional occupation of Dong, Gyese (Tudun Wada) and Kabong attest to the fact that these areas were God given to the Afizere, but the Berom still want to illegally claim them. It is also a known fact in recognition of the indeginship of the Afizere people, the political structure of Jos LGA between 1979 to 1983 shows that Jos Jarawa electoral ward spanned from Nukpis (New JUTH), Tudun Wada (Gyese), Dong to Kabong.

The Afizere people are aware of the trade of engaging on unnecessary controversies by the Berom, this does not add value to anyone, because it appears BECO wants to create ethnic tension by stirring the nest of melee and discord. For the information of BECO, threatening the peaceful Afizere people in order to re-write history will neither shift us from our God –given land nor remove our Government recognized traditional rulers. We should rather come together and explore ways of how to move our communities out of the present socio-economic problems confronting us. What we need is peace and not rancor.