It has been quite sometimes I have not been heard especially since the eruption of another unprovoked attacks on Tarok people in Wase. My silence is pregnant with a lot of reflections and boardroom diplomacy to unravel what actually went wrong.
Sadly, these round of attacks took the patterns of history of Tarok struggle in Wase. It has always been in contention by those who met Tarok in Wase that they are settlers. Anytime they observed peace, progress and social stability among the Tarok people they will instigate some confusion around the status of Tarok in Wase to provoke crisis which will force the people to flee for safety.
In the last four decades it has always occur whenever there is a political question to determine with votes then they will suddenly remember that Tarok are settlers. Who is a settler in Wase, the man who arrived in 1804 and met Tarok people in Wase or the Tarok man who was met there?
In 1983 general elections there was an attempt to kill late Baba Siman Mavo in Wase because of the same political reasons which consequently led to near war but for the intervention of the Late Emir of Wase who gave Tarok people justice and blamed the fulanis for trying stir the wasp nest. But six months after him in 2001 those who wanted to experiment the expulsion of Tarok from their land has bitter history to tell.
However, it is said that history has no lesson for Nigerians, here we are again with the same game plan and tactics simply because the Local Government elections is at the corner and Tarok will use their strength to determine leadership. Then Wase extremist want to activate their war machinery again against the Tarok man.
Is a Tarok man a settler in Wase let's be honest with ourselves? History has it that Ndam Lakan, Ponzhi Kumbuang was coronated in Jalingo Muri with the Emir of Wase on the same day. They were of the same status and both took their taxes and attend traditional council meetings in Jalingo. How can settlers be accorded such status by the colonial administration? The then Emir of Wase tried to dominate Ponzhi Ndam Lakan but the Tarok leader placed him appropriately.
Sadly, after the demise of this visionary father figure, Tarok people mortgaged this status for a ward head and till date it has remained so. Irritably, the Emir of Wase now coronates Ponzhi Kumbuang and in his palace. Where does he derived the authority except for our self greed and tall ambition we sold our birth right for a cup of fura. How will a Tarok man submit his head to be turban in a palace where in 2001 Tarok elders were murdered in cold blood. Today, the palace of Wase has not known peace because of the blood of Hon Gabriel Zhimwang, Inspector Danjuma Laven and others.
Even after the 2001 crisis and the return of grave yard peace, the Tarok in Wase did not help situation because they exposed their underbelly by embarking on internal war. This personality feud actually de mystified the Tarok war myth. Some of them wrote petition against themselves and were alleging that Ponzhi Kadarko has an armoury equivalent to a division of Nigerian army. They went to the extent of demanding for the suspension of Kadarko Chiefdom simply because they lost their bid to the throne or dislike the person of Ponzhi.
As a result, two prominent Tarok leaders were arrested, Rev. Musa Nanbut and Chief Lot Nden and detained for 3 and 5 months respectively. This was how bad Tarok squandered the goodness of God and his favour. Till date there are Tarok in Wase that are loyal to the Emir of Wase and are advocating for the creation of Mavo district in place of Kadarko chiefdom. Officially, today the district head of Mavo is the acting district head of Kadarko and there are Tarok that pays homage to him.
Anyway, the God of Tarok is living. All should know and note that Tarok owns Wase alongside other tribes they have been living with before the arrival of Madaki Hassan in 1804. No man born of a woman can move Tarok out of his land therefore it is advice able we embrace peace and live in harmony. For those who believe that they will trade their inheritance for material or political benefits they should remember that they will die and Tarok remains.
To me Governor Jang is responsible for all that is happening because he suspended our chiefdom which gave rise to this round of crisis.
Lets us look up to God and refrain from acts that could turn the face of God from us. It shall be well with us.
Bu dok utarok bu ya mako. Re upon a tim zing ku Tarok.
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