Shitile Land: Where Did The People Get It Wrong? What Is The Way Forward?

The Shitile people are one of the largest subgroups of the larger Tiv people in the Benue-valley. They are found predominantly in Katsina-Ala and Logo local government areas of Benue state as well as Takum, Donga and Bali local government areas of Taraba state with more than one thousand communities.

They are principally subsistence farmers whose staple crops are yams, millet, Guinea corn, cassava etcetera. Shitile land is the biggest resource of the people; very fertile for agriculture and endowed with varied and abundant human and natural resources. In its bowels, great minerals like gold, lithium, tantalite etcetera are embedded.

The Shitile people are classified to the Tiv lineage of IPUSU along side with KPAR, UKUM and TONGOV. Shitile have two sons KPAV and GAAMBE.

In the past, Shitile land was known to be a place of peace, unity, security and progress. These factors created conducive atmosphere that enabled economic and businesses activities to thrive for the people. The issue of insecurity was not pronounced because the leaders then had ways of guiding their children to ensure that they were engaged in handwork and live in peace.

Today, the situation is no more the same. The Shitile land has changed and the situation is no longer what it used to be.

The question now is; Where did Shitile get it wrong? What is the way forward for an improved security, peace and harmony in Shitile land?

Before now, every Shitile community cherishes peace and security, that is why there abound local security outfits known today as vigilance group. In the olden days, some Shitile communities sustained peace and security through the age grade system, where a particular able bodied youthful age grade is entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring that peace, security and unity of the community is ensured.

Now most communities in Shitile land can no longer secure themselves because youths have become lawless and are hardly found in their villages, coupled with the fact that most towns have become semi-urban centres and therefore do not require the type of security that existed in the past.

In those days, almost every youth grew up in the village and earned his living there. These days, those who reside in the villages are mainly elderly people and they cannot do much in terms of security. However, then the elderly people organize peace and resolutions committees who meet at the residence of the oldest man in the village to deliberate on issues concerning them. Those found to be threats to peace and security are usually fined and warned and if they continue with the habit are excommunicated from the people.

These social control and order of maintenance no doubt played a great role in the unity and progress of the Shitile people. Obviously, colonialism disrupted some of these conflict management mechanisms. Yet Shitile people still value some of them and, are still making efforts in resuscitating and rejuvenating some of the neglected traditional organs of peace and conflict management.

The craze for wealth, politics, land disputes as well as individualism has created divisions in Shitile communities to the extent that people no longer care for their brothers and kinsmen.

Like other groups, Shitile people now play politics with everything including security and welfare of their communities unlike what was obtainable in the past.

In the past, the Shitile people did things through the communal way. Their communities jointly tackled issues of community development, welfare, security and even gave assistance to the down-trodden.

In the past, the Shitile traditional and community leaders enforced laws and punished offenders; but today it is mostly determined by the youths and party leaders in the community. Today, most people are even afraid to visit their communities because of insecurity. In the past, the communities were the most secured place. Today, some people, even traditional rulers, do embezzle community funds without being called to order.

Parents now hardly have time to train their children leading to them joining bad company because everyone is pursuing wealth. Many families in Shitile land have bitter feuds about land disputes while community leaders take sides. Many things have gone wrong; we have lost our core values.

THE WAY FORWARD FOR SHITILE PEOPLE
There is need to revive the old spirit of brotherhood which the Shitile people was known for in the past, as such action would enhance peace and security in the land.

Shitile people must stop politics of divisiveness and return to the old days where even land and business disputes were settled by the community with no one taking sides.

Shitile people must revive the old spirit of brotherhood and love for the other person. Those who commit offences must be punished according to the law, no matter their status.

Disunity breeds insecurity. Shitile people should not allow themselves to be divided-and-ruled by others or by their corrupt and conscienceless elites.

Shitile traditional rulers, community leaders and other institutions should strive to leave legacies, respect laws, shun divisive tendencies and lead with the fear of God.

Shitile people should make efforts in resuscitating and rejuvenating some of the neglected traditional organs of peace and conflict management.

Above all, we need a united people to have peace and security and we must restore our values. Unless we do all this and many more, we will still be missing the virtues through which the Shitile people were known for.

Citizen John Akevi,
Bauchi State,
Nigeria.
07037017010, 08110175216