By Takuruku Emmanuel, Lafia
Governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule has reiterated the determination of his administration to protect lives and property and give equally rights to all citizens of the state.
He stated this at a special summit of Tiv summit at Akwanga, the headquarters of Akwanga Local Government Area of the state Saturday said the present administration was working hard to unite all ethnic nationalities in the state .
Represented by his Special Adiser on Youth and Sports, Yakubu Kwanta, governor Sule said the Tiv summit was in line with his administration effort to unite all ethnic groups in the state and urged them to live in peace with their neighbors.
The Tiv people in Nasarawa state were locked at a special summit on Saturday in search for peace, unity and progress of the tribal extraction in the state and beyond.
Tagedd: ‘Ate U Nasarawa Unity Summit’ brought together some notabe indigent Tiv personalities in Nasarawa both a home and diaspora at Kini Country Guest In, Akwanga, headquarters of Akwanga Local Government Area of the state.
Convener of the summit, Hon. Jonathan Ipaa in his welcome address said that the summit aimed at addressing the bleaking future of the Tiv nation in the state and build new bonds of peace and unity among his kinsmen.
He observed that the division among the Tiv people in Nasarawa state had caused set back economically, politically and socially, hence the need for the summit.
According to the convener, the Ate U Nasarawa would bring to this Hall of Fame the stars of the Tiv nation whose contribution has reunite the elites with the people, mobilizing the peasant farmers to understand and embrace government policies, educate them on the path of peaceful Coexistence among other things.
The convener expressed happiness that all the stakeholders in the Tiv project have agreed and resolved to unity and to present a common front and support government inititives in the development of Tiv community in the state.
Chairman of the summit, Sen Tilley-Gyado, in his address urged theTiv people of Nasarawa state to shun all forms of division and unity themselves for the peace, progress and development in Tiv communities in the state.
He said: ” you have to close up the present division. You must unite to convince that you are now united , determine to pull back the past and forge ahead. I will want to appeal to you all to respect your leadership especially, those representing you in government and make further sacrifices by leanrning how to forgive oppoents ”
Other paper presenters at the event, Prof Emmanuel Kucha, former Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi and former commissioner of Environment and Natural Resources, Barr. Gabriel Akaaka and Prof. T. Dugeri, all stressed the need for the unity of the Tiv people in the state.
They all called on the present administration in the state to create more village and ward areas ,just as urged Tiv indigenes in the state to support the government of the day inorder to benefit from the dividend of democracy.