Tension in Takum over alleged plans to demolish Ukwe Palace, Central Mosque

 He said there is also tension in the town because of the planned   demolition of the mosque and the Ukwe palace, which  filtered into the town…..

By Faruk Bamalli, Jalingo

The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN), a cultural umbrella body of Kuteb worldwide, has alleged that the Taraba state government is planning to demolish the Ukwe Palace and the Central Mosque.

The president of the Kuteb Association, Mr. Emmanuel Ukwen said during a press conference in Jalingo that the Kuteb has opposed the planned demolition of Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum’s palace in Takum local government area of Taraba.

He said there is also tension in the town because of the planned   demolition of the mosque and the Ukwe palace, which  filtered into the town.

Emmanue Ukwen  stated  that the planned demolition of the aged Long Mosque and palace of Ukwe Takum was aimed at triggering a fresh crisis in Takum town.

Mr Ukwen, who was represented by Mr Markus Apwende, President KYN during  the press conference  cried out that the enemies of peace were at work with the sole intention to provoke the Kuteb tribe.

He alleged  that a white man handling a project was seeing on Friday along with heavy security and some armed militia  marking and pegging the Palace and the Takum Central Mosque for demolition.

“This palace together with the mosque which were built since 1912 and it  housed graves of many of our Ukwe Takum who ruled Takum for centuries and died while on throne and were buried in the palace. 

” This  palace also housed other traditional artifacts that were historical to Kuteb tradition and customs as well as other items which should not be tempered with.” Mr.Ukwen said 

The president also  recalled that Takum had witnessed a lot of crisis and tension,  and that was  why the Kuteb community would not want another round of crisis in the area.

He said the matter as related to Takum chieftaincy was already at the Court of Appeal, Yola Division, adding that the Kuteb as respecters of the rule of law would not do anything prejudicial capable of jeopadising the out come of the suit.

The president called on the Taraba government as well as security agencies to intervene  on that planned demolishing of the Ukwe palace and the Central Mosque in order to ensure that nothing happened to Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe palace.

He stated further that “any attempt to demolish the palace and the Mosque will be tantamount to direct insult and bastardisation of Kuteb’s cherished customs and tradition, especially that the palace housed the graves of our past traditional rulers.

Mr Ukwen said no body whatsoever will sit and watch the graves of his ancestors being excavated and be happy about it

A resident of Takum town who would not like his name mentioned told Our Correspondent via telephone interview that a white man handling a  multi billion Naira project in the was seeing along with heavy security and militia marking and pegging the Ukwe Palace and the Central Mosque.