Kuteb Yatso Rejects Appointment of Chief of Takum
By Lynn Adda
The Kutep Yatso of Nigeria, KYN says it would not recognize the appointment of Mr Sopiya Gboshi as the new First Class Chief of Takum.
The National President of the group, which is the umbrella body of the Kutebs Worldwide, Mr Emma Ukwen, while addressing Journalists in Jalingo, the Taraba State Capital, said the Kuteps had already installed their own Ukwe Takum.
He described the process adopted by the Taraba state government in the appointment of the Chief of Takum as a charade, a sham and fallen short of both historical and traditional standards.
The KYN President appealed to the Kutep people to remain calm, saying the matter was already before the court.
“We Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN), have described the appointment of the new chief as a gross act of injustice and broadlight attempted theft of our heritage that will be resisted vehemently using every legal means.
“The Kuteb nation will ever dissociate itself from the charade that took place last night at the Government House.
“We have a substantive Ukwe Takum that has been selected in line with our tradition and culture.
“He is the only Ukwe Takum that we will recognise. We have already instructed our lawyers to proceed on appeal.
“Let me appeal to all our people to remain calm as we are exploring every legal means to make sure that we get justice and our ancestral heritage is not bastardised.
“This is culture and a traditional stool. It can not be politicised,”.
The Counsel to the Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria, KYN Barr. Festus Idepefo, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN told newsmen that his client has rejected the judgement of the Taraba State High Court which dismissed the suit brought before it by Kutep Yatso.
According to him, he has been mandated by his client to appeal the judgement at the appelate court,
describing the installation of the new Chief of Takum as illegal.
He regretted why the Taraba State Government would go ahead and appoint a new Chief of Takum while an aspect of the case is already on appeal.
The Kutep king makers had approached the Taraba State High Court seeking legal interpretation regarding the rotation of the chieftaincy stool of Ukwe Takum.
The Kuteb king makers among others sought a perpetual order restraining the Governor of Taraba State from appointing three third class chiefs and one First Class Chief as contained in the Taraba State Law 2024 passed by the Taraba State House of Assembly and assented to by the Governor.
