# Taraba State

Taraba is a state in north-eastern Nigeria, named after the Taraba River, which traverses the southern part of the state. It is known as "Nature's Gift to the Nation". Its capital is Jalingo. The state's main ethnic groups are the Fulani, Mumuye, Mambilla, Jukun, Kuteb, Karimjo Wurkun, Tiv, Yandang, Ndola, Ichen, Jenjo, Tigon, and Jibu. The northern part is mainly dominated by the Fulani, Wurkun, Mumuye and Sho. The southern part is dominated by the Jukun, Tiv, Chamba, Kuteb and Ichen. The central region is mainly occupied by the Fulani, Mambilla, Ndola, Tigon, Jibu, Wurbo, and Daka people. There are about 80 distinct ethnic groups and their languages in the state.

## History

Taraba state was created out of the former Gongola state on 27 August 1991 by the military government of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. The state is an amalgamation of three former divisions: Wukari, Mambilla, and Muri.

## Geography

Taraba state is bordered in the west by Nasarawa state and Benue state (for 109 km), northwest by Plateau state for 202 km (126 miles), north by the Bauchi state for 54 km and Gombe state for 58 km, northeast by Adamawa state for about 366 km and south by Northwest Region in Cameroon for about 525 km.
The Benue, Donga, Taraba and Ibi are the main rivers in the state. They rise from the Cameroonian mountains, draining almost the entire length of the state in the North and South directions to link up with the River Niger.

## Climate

The climate of Taraba state is marked by an annual average temperature of 33°C but high level of cold in January and an increased rainfall in August. The percentage of rainfall in Taraba state is 40.35% with 54.98% relative humidity. The state is usually very warm in March with 40.44°C, and an average wind of 8.84 km/h.

### Flood

Many homes and commercial buildings in Taraba State are affected by flooding, including those in the suburbs.

## Healthcare

Taraba State has several hospitals and health care centers, some of them are:
* Courage Hospital
* Federal Medical Center (FMC)
* Gateway Hospital
* General Hospital, Bali
* Sauki Hospital and Maternity
* Totus Hospital and Maternity
* Albert Healthcare Company
* Taraba Specialist Hospital
* Kwararafa Hospital and maternity
* Federal Polytechnic Bali Medical Center
* First Referral Hospital
* Biyama Hospital

## Local government areas

Taraba State consists of sixteen (16) Local Government Areas (LGAs), which are governed by elected chairmen. The local government areas are listed as follows:
* Ardo Kola
* Bali
* Donga
* Gashaka
* Gassol
* Ibi
* Jalingo
* Karim Lamido
* Kurmi
* Lau
* Sardauna
* Takum
* Ussa
* Wukari
* Yorro
* Zing

## Languages

Languages of Taraba state listed by LGA include:
| LGA | Languages |
| Ardo Kola | Fulfulde; Mumuye, Jibu (Jukun Kona), and Hausa |
| Bali | Fulfulde; Ichen Language Fam; Gbaya, Northwest; Jibu; Jukun Takum; Kam; Mumuye; Ndoola; Chamba Dakka; chamba leko; Tiv; Hausa. |
| Donga | Ichen Language, Ekpan, Chamba Leko, Tiv. |
| Gashaka | Fulfulde, Jibu, Ndola, Chamba Daka; Yamba,Tiv and Hausa. |
| Gassol | Fulfulde, Wapan, Tiv |
| Ibi | Fulfulde Duguri; Dza, Tiv, Wanu |
| Jalingo | Fulfulde; Mumuye; Jibu (Jukun Kona), and Hausa |
| Karim Lamido | Fulfulde; Dadiya; Dza; Jiba;Sho (bandawa); Jiru; kodei; Kulung; Kyak; Laka; Munga Lelau; Loo; Mághdì; Mak; Munga Doso; Mumuye; Nyam; Pangseng; Wurkun-Anphandi; Shoo-Minda-Nye; Yandang; Hõne; Kwa; Pero. Hausa. |
| Kurmi | Ndoro; Ichen language; Tigun language; Abon; Bitare. |
| Lau | Fufulde; Dza; Loo; Yandang, Laka and Hausa. |
| Sardauna | Mambila; Kaka; Banso; Kambu; Fulfulde; Tiv. |
| Takum | Mashi; Bete; Ichen Language, Chamba Daka; Jukun Takum; Kapya; Kpan; Kpati; Kuteb; Lufu; Acha language Acha; Tiv; Yukuben |
| Ussa | Kuteb |
| Wukari | Wapan, Ichen Language; Ekpan; Kpati; Kulung; Tarok; Tiv; |
| Yorro | Fulfulde; Mumuye, Hausa |
| Zing | Mumuye, Nyong; Rang; Yandang |
Other languages spoken in Taraba State are Akum, Bukwen, Esimbi, Fali of Baissa, Jiba, Njerep, Tha, Yandang, Yotti, Ywom.

## Education

Taraba State has many schools and education centers.

### Universities

* Federal University, Wukari
* Taraba State University
* Kwararafa University, Wukari

## Transport

Federal highways are:
* A4 for 292 km north from Benue State near Kado as the Wukari-Murtum Biyu Rd across the Taraba River at Tella and Jalingo to Adamawa State at Mayo Lane, and
* a stretch of A8 south from Burtol 166 km to Gembu, unconnected to A8 Highway in Adamawa State.
One road to Cameroon east from A8 at Gembu to N6 at Banyo.
Other major roads include
* The Bachumbi Rd east from Plateau State at Zurak via Muri, Banyam and Bambuka to Adamawa State,
* The Wukari-Ampei Rd north to Ibi on the Benue River,
* The Garin Kunini-Zing Rd southeast from Dzhu’a-Khore via Pupule to Adamawa State at Bisa as the Zaridi-Mayo Belwa Rd,
* South from Jalingo via Sunkani, Garbe Shege, Bajabure, Pangri and Mai Fula to Dogari Tiv,the Wukari-Takum Rd,
* The Katsina Ala-Takum road west to Benue State at Dogon Gawa,
* The Garin Jatau Bali Rd east from Takum across the River Donga at Manya and northeast to Mararaba,
* The Rafin Kada-Gembu Rd southeast from Donga via Mararaba, and
* The Mambila-Plateau Rd.
Airports include
* Jalingo Airport

## Agriculture

The major occupation of the people of Taraba state is agriculture. Cash crops produced in the state include coffee, tea, groundnuts and cotton. Crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, and yam are also produced in commercial quantity. In addition, cattle, sheep and goats are reared in large numbers, especially on the Mambilla Plateau, and along the Benue and Taraba valleys. Similarly, the people of Taraba state undertake other livestock production activities like poultry production, rabbit breeding and pig farming in fairly large scale. In February 2024, the World Bank in Nigeria announced plans to empower 5,200 female livestock farmers in the state. Communities living on the banks of River Benue, River Taraba, River Donga and Ibi, engage in fishing all year round. Other occupational activities such as pottery, cloth-weaving, dyeing, mat-making, carving, embroidery and blacksmithing are also carried out in various parts of the state.

## Natural resources

Taraba state has abundant natural resources for industrial and commercial use, these include:

### Mineral raw materials

* Barytes
* Bauxites
* Graphite
* Limestone
* Gypsum
* Kaoline
* Feldspar
* Mica
* Pyrite
* Uranium
* Gemstone

### Agro-raw materials

* Maize
* Millet
* Sorghum
* Rice
* Groundnut
* Cassava
* Fish
* Gum Arabic
* Cotton
* Timber
* Palm oil
* Cocoa
* Citrus
* Sugarcane
* Soy Beans

## Culture

The government has made concerted efforts to improve areas of tourist attractions like Mambilla Tourist Center, Gumpti Park and game reserve in Gashaka. Karimjo Abedahh festival and the Nwunyu fishing festival in Ibi, all this is usually held in April of each year where activities such as canoe racing, swimming competition and cultural dances are held. Other festivals are Purma of the Chamba in Donga, Takum and Jibu culture dance in Bali, the Tagba of Acha People in Takum, Kuchecheb of Kutebs in Takum and Ussa, Kati and Bol of the Mambilla and host of others. Taraba is called "Nature's gift to the nation" as the state is rich and has many ethnic groups, including Kuteb, Chamba, Yandang, Mumuyes, Mambila, Karimjo, Wurkums, Jenjo, Jukun, Ichen, Tiv, Kaka, Pena, Kambu, Kodei, Wawa, Vute, Fulani, Hausa and Ndola.
A striking historical fact about the State is that it encompasses part of the Mambilla Region which is famed as the Bantu cradle, having been occupied for some five millennia to date (Schwartz, 1972; Zeitlyn & Connell, 2003).

## Gallery

* Cijin Lake in GembuTransportation In river Lamido, Taraba State
* A Mountain in Mambilla
* The Mambilla Plateau
* Donga River, Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State
* Loop traditional dancers from Taraba State
* Gwagir Lake (SGEN or Tunga) in Mambilla, Taraba State
* Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Mambilla Plateau, 2012
* Gashaka-Gumti National Park Taraba State

## Notable people

* Late Aisha Alhassan - Former Nigerian Minister of Women Affairs, Former Senator of Northern Zone of Taraba
* Emmanuel Bwacha - Former Senator Representing Southern Taraba.
* Shaakaa Chira - Auditor-General of the Federation
* Theophilus Danjuma - Retired General, Politician, Businessman, Nigerian Chief of Army Staff (1975–1979), Minister of Defence (1999–2003)
* Anna Darius Ishaku - Barrister, Wife to the former governor, Darius Ishaku
* Darius Ishaku - Former Governor of Taraba state
* David Jimkuta -Current Senator Representing Southern Taraba.
* Archbishop Ignatius Ayau Kaigama - The current Archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Abuja
* Agbu Kefas - Current Governor of Taraba State
* Abdullahi Bala Lau, popularly known as Sheikh Balalau, is a Nigerian Islamic scholar, cleric, mufassir, and preacher.
* Shuaibu Isa Lau - Senator representing Taraba North
* Saleh Mamman - Nigerian minister of power
* Haruna Manu - Senator Representing Taraba Central, Former Deputy Governor, Former Member House of Representative, Representing Bali Gassol Federal Constituency
* Mahmud Mohammed - Nigerian Jurist and former Chief Justice of Nigeria
* Jolly Nyame - Former Governor of Taraba state
* Danbaba Suntai - Nigerian pharmacist, Politician, Former Governor of Taraba state
* Abbas Njidda Tafida - Current Emir of Muri
* Yusuf Abubakar Yusuf - Former Senator Representing Central Taraba, Member of the All Progressive Congress(APC), Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC)

## Politics

The state government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with members of the state's House of Assembly. The capital city of the state is Jalingo.

## Electoral system

The governor of the state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive a plurality of votes and over 25% of votes in at least two-thirds of the state and local government areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government areas.