By Bala Dan Abu in Abuja
The Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku,has pleaded with Tiv leaders in Benue and Taraba States to assist in facilitating the on-going peace initiative of his administration in Southern Taraba.
Gov. Ishaku made the plea in Abuja during the marriage of his daughter, Clara Kairi Ishaku and Dooyun Stephen Ugbor, an Air pilot and a Tiv from Benue State.
The Reporters, an online publication, reports that Tiv and some ethnic groups in Southern Taraba, including the Jukun, have been in crises that have persisted for several years and claimed many lives, houses and farm produce.
Ishaku, who said several people had asked why he allowed his daughter to marry from an ethnic group killing his people, said his answer had always been that the crisis was not enough reason for him to stop his daughter from marrying the man she loved.
The governor said rather, he encouraged the union as a means of building bridge of friendship and understanding between the warring groups.
He, therefore, urged the Tiv and the other groups involved in the crises to take advantage of social interactions such inter-ethnic marriages, to resolve their differences.
Gov. Ishaku expressed sadness over the decision of the Tiv group not to cooperate with the Judicial Commission of Inquiry he set up to resolve the crises.
He noted that the setting up of a judicial commission of Inquiry had always featured, constantly, on the demand list by the Tiv for ending the crisis.
The governor expressed surprise that the same people would now turn round to reject and work against the success of the commission that they had always asked for.
Ishaku urged the Tiv to return to the Commission, adding that “it provides them the best opportunity to state their case.”
Bala Dan Abu, is the Special Adviser to the Governor of Taraba State on Media and Publicity.
