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 nicknamed "Nature's Gift to the Nation". The state capital is Jalingo. It is home to a diverse population including about 80 distinct ethnicities and their languages.
WWW Official Site

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 on the west by Nasarawa state and Benue state for 109 km, northwest by Plateau state for 202 km, 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.

Rivers

The Benue, Donga, and Taraba are the main rivers in the state. They begin in the Cameroonian mountains, draining almost the entire length of the state on their way North, before heading west to link up with the Niger River.

Climate

Taraba state has an annual average temperature of 33°C. It receives 100.64 millimeters of rainfall a year, with increased rainfall around August, and has an average relative humidity of 54.98%. The state is hottest in March and April with an average high of 40.44°C.

Flood

In April 2023, many homes and commercial buildings in Taraba State were affected by flooding.

Government

Local government areas

Taraba State consists of sixteen Local Government Areas, 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, and Zing

Politics

The state government is led by a democratically elected governor and 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 state and local government areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round is held between the two candidates that received a plurality of votes in the most local government areas.

Healthcare

Taraba State has several hospitals and health care centers, including:
  • Courage Hospital
  • Federal Medical Center
  • Gateway Hospital
  • General Hospital, Bali
  • Sauki Hospital and Maternity
  • Totus Hospital and Maternity
  • Albert Healthcare Company
  • Federal University teaching Hospital wukari
  • Taraba Specialist Hospital
  • Kwararafa Hospital and maternity
  • Federal Polytechnic Bali Medical Center
  • First Referral Hospital
  • Biyama Hospital

Languages

Languages of Taraba state, listed by LGA, include:
LGALanguages
Ardo KolaFulfulde; Mumuye, Jibu (Jukun Kona), and Hausa
BaliFulfulde; Ichen Language Fam; Gbaya, Northwest; Jibu; Jukun [Takum language|Jukun Takum]; Kam; Mumuye; Ndoola; Chamba Dakka; chamba leko; Tiv; Hausa.
DongaIchen Language, Ekpan, Chamba Leko, Tiv.
GashakaFulfulde, Jibu, Ndola, Chamba Daka; Yamba,Tiv and Hausa.
GassolFulfulde, Wapan, Tiv
IbiFulfulde Duguri; Dza, Tiv, Wanu
JalingoFulfulde; Mumuye; Jibu, and Hausa
Karim LamidoFulfulde; Dadiya; Dza; Jiba;Sho ; Jiru; kodei; Kulung; Kyak; Laka language|Laka]; Munga Lelau; Loo; Mághdì; Mak; Munga Doso; Mumuye; Nyam; Pangseng; Wurkun-Anphandi; Shoo-Minda-Nye; Yandang; Hõne; Kwa; Pero. Hausa, Bambuka, Jenjo, Karimjo, Gomu, Panya.
KurmiNdoro; Ichen language; Tigun language; Abon; Bitare.
LauKunini; Fufulde; Dza; Loo; Yandang, Laka and Hausa.
SardaunaMambila; Kaka; Banso; Kambu; Fulfulde; Tiv.
TakumMashi; Bete; Ichen Language, Chamba Daka; Jukun Takum; Kapya; Kpan; Kpati; Kuteb; Lufu; Acha language Acha; Tiv; Yukuben
UssaKuteb
WukariWapan, Ichen Language; Ekpan; Kpati; Kulung; Tarok; Tiv;
YorroFulfulde; Mumuye, Hausa
ZingMumuye, Nyong; Rang; Yandang

Other languages spoken in Taraba State are Akum, Bukwen, Esimbi, Fali of Baissa, Jiba, Njerep, Tha, Yandang, Yotti, Ywom.

Demographics

The state's primary ethnic groups are the Jukun, Jenjo, Fulani, Mumuye, Mambilla, Kuteb, Karimjo Wurkun, Tiv, Yandang, Ndola, Ichen, Tigon, and Jibu. The northern part of the state is mostly Fulani, Mumuye, and Sho. The southern part of the state is primarily Jukun, Wurkum, Tiv, Chamba, Kuteb, and Ichen. The central region is mainly occupied by the Fulani, Mambilla, Ndola, Tigon, Jibu, Wurbo, and Daka people.

Education

Taraba State has many schools and education centres. Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges include:

Transportation

Federal highways

Major roadways

  • 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
  • The Wukari-Takum Rd, south from Jalingo via Sunkani, Garbe Shede, Bajabure, Pangri and Mai Fula to Dogari Tiv
  • 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
  • The Mambila-Plateau Rd

Airports

Economy

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, such as 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 the Benue River, Taraba River, and Donga River engage in fishing all year round. Other occupational activities such as pottery, cloth-weaving, dyeing, mat-making, carving, embroidery, and blacksmithing are carried out in various parts of the state.

Natural resources

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

Mineral raw materials

Agro-raw materials

Culture

The state government has made improvements to tourist attractions, such as the Mambilla Tourist Center, and Gumpti Park and game reserve in Gashaka. The Karimjo Abedahh festival and Nwunyu fishing festival in Ibi are usually held in April each year, with activities such as canoe racing, a swimming competition, and cultural dances. Other festivals are the Purma of the Chamba in Donga, Takum and Jibu culture dance in Bali, Tagba of Acha People in Takum, Kuchecheb of Kutebs in Takum and Ussa, Kati and Bol of the Mambilla, and a host of others.
The State encompasses part of the Mambilla Region, which is the Bantu cradle, and area occupied for approximately five millennia to date.

Notable people