MESSAGE OF PEACE, ENCOMIUMS, AS CHIEF SHAAKAA CELEBRATES LIFE AT 77
From Sarah Mudwa
On the 15th August of every year, Chief Tegh Tegh Shaakaa calls out friends, political associates and people of like-minds to celebrate the day of his birth.
Chief Shaakaa, is a Jalingo based business tycoon as well as a Special Adviser to the Governor of Taraba State. He is also the Founder and Coordinator of Taraba Tiv Peace Advocacy Group. The primary aim of the group, a Non-Governmental Organization, is to promote and work for peaceful co-existence among the Tiv people and other ethnic groups in the State and beyond. Based on his antecedents as it manifest in community development and peace building efforts, in Taraba state and beyond, he has earned the respect of the people across the state’s social stratification, hence his appellation as a respected community leader. It therefore not a surprise that he was draped with a traditional title of Tine Bem I Tiv Taraba (Peace Pillar of Tiv Taraba ) by the Taraba State Tiv Traditional Leaders Council, in December last year.
Just like the celebration of his birthdays in the past, there was a session of celebration, in a ceremony that can be described as low-key in a convenient venue, located at one of the highbrow areas of Jalingo, Taraba State capital. Contrary to the former arrangements, where the ceremony were based on the Octogenarian’s initiatives. This time a group of young men and women, mostly well-wishers and political associates, organized the event and handed it out as a surprised package.
The leader of the initiative, who spoke with our reporter, but craved anonymity, spoke in glowing terms on the impact of the celebrant who they described as a father figure of Tiv people in Taraba State.
“We in the state, especially the younger ones are benefiting from this wisdom, which he has earned at different stages of his life. He is a peace lover and his desire in life is to see a united community, especially the Tiv people and their neighbours, wherever they are.
“He is not just wishfully thinking, he is walking the talk. He gives us tips on how we can mend, or recover our lost relationships with our friends of yore, especially the Jukuns and the Fulanis in Taraba State.
“We saw a lot of substance in him and such leaders are difficult to get in communities these days. That is why we took advantage of his birth day to celebrate with him. And by doing this, we are identifying with him and the values that he represents.” He added.
The visible happy Chief Tegh-tegh Shaakaa, jocularly described the event as an ambush, saying that, the surprise packaged is a moral booster and a tonic in his veins for the peace and peaceful existence agenda which he has been driving for many years.
“At my age and this moment in time, I’m a fulfilled man to a large extent, especially at the family level. I’m very grateful to God for positioning them in a manner that they can live well and support their younger ones. Where I don’t sleep with my eyes closed is in the area peaceful co-existence, because I’m yet to see the quality of peace that I envisage.
“My dream is to see our people, our natural friends, including Jukun, Fulani, Chamba, Kuteb, cohabiting in a friendly mode as they were doing in the past. The moment we begin to see ourselves as brothers and sisters, half of our problems, including insecurity, unstable political leadership, and economic retardation, will be solved” He said.
While thanking the group for the birthday bash, Chief Shaakaa expressed optimism that with the solidarity of the youths, his dream for lasting peace in the state and beyond is on the verge of being realized.
Highlight of the event was words of encouragement and flow of goodwill messages. Wine glasses were clicked amidst gales of jokes and backslapping. It was an event wrapped in an ambience of joy and happiness, as if they were saying: we would have done this long ago.