Taraba State is one of the 36 states that constitutes the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The State derived its name from the Taraba River which traverses the southern part of the state.
Nicknamed the “Nature’s Gift to the Nation”, Taraba State was created on the 27th of August 1991 and has its capital in
- Date of creation of Taraba: August 27, 1991
- Capital of Taraba: Jalingo.
- Slogan: Nature’s Gift to the Nation
- Geopolitical zone: North East
The current governor of Taraba State is Darius Dickson Ishaku of the People’s Democratic Party, alongside his Deputy Haruna Manu.
History
Taraba was carved out of the former Gongola State in 1991 during the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida.
Geography
The State is close to the likes of Nasarawa State and Benue State (to the West), Plateau State (to the Northwest), Bauchi State and Gombe State (to the North), and Adamawa State (to the Northeast).
The major rivers in Taraba are the Benue, Donga, Taraba and Ibi. They rise from the Cameroonian mountains, straining almost the entire length of Taraba in the North and South direction to link up with the River Niger.
Local Government Areas
There are 16 Local Government Areas in Taraba, and they are:
- Ardo Kola
- Bali
- Donga
- Gashaka
- Gassol
- Ibi
- Jalingo
- Karim Lamido
- Kurmi
- Lau
- Sardauna
- Takum
- Ussa
- Wukari
- Yorro
- Zing
Agriculture
There are a lot of farmers in Taraba State who cultivates cash crops like coffee, tea, groundnuts and cotton.
They also cultivate a lot of food crops like maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, and yam in commercial quantity.
Also, many of the inhabitants of the State rears cattle, sheep and goats in large numbers.
Those residing beside rivers like Benue, Taraba, Donga and Ibi engage in fishing all year round.
In Taraba, there are those who also indulges in pottery, cloth-weaving, dyeing, mat-making, carving, embroidery and blacksmithing.
Culture
The government of Taraba has tried her best to improve areas of tourist attractions like Mambilla Tourist Center, Gumpti Park and game reserve in Gashaka.
Some popular festivals being celebrated in the State are:
- Purma of the Chamba in Donga
- Takum and jibu culture dance in Bali
- The Puje of Jukuns
- Kuchecheb of Kutebs in Takum and Ussa
- Kati of the Mambilla
The State was given the nickname “Nature’s gift to the nation” as she is bountifully rich and have many ethnic groups.
Some of the ethnic groups in Taraba are the:
- Jenjo
- Jibana
- Kuteb Chamba
- Yandang
- Mumuyes
- Mambila
- Wurkums
- Fulanis
- Jukun
- Ichen
- Tiv
- Kaka
- Panso
- Kambu
- Wawa
- Vute
- Tikari
- Hausa
- Ndola
Past Governors Of Taraba State
Here is a list of past governors of Taraba State (both military administrators and elected civilians):
- Adeyemi Afolahan: Afolahan was the first military administrator of Taraba State (28 August 1991 to January 1992)
- Jolly Nyame: Jolly Nyamewasthe first civilian elected Governor of the State (January 1992 to November 1993)
- Yohanna Dickson: After the country returned to military rule, Dickson became the next administrator (9 December 1993to 22 August 1996)
- Emmanuel John: John succeeded Dickson as the next military Administrator of Taraba State (22 August 1996to August 1998)
- Bala Nuhu: He was the next military Administrator of the State (August 1998 to May 1999)
- Jolly Nyame: He was the second civilian elected Governor of Taraba State (29 May 1999to 29 May 2007)
- Danbaba Danfulani Suntai: He succeeded Jolly (29 May 2007 October 2012). He couldn’t complete his tenure as he crashed while piloting himself from Jalingo to Yola
- Garba Umar: He stepped up to become the Acting Governor of the State (October 2012 to 2013)
- Abubakar Sani Danladi: Acting Governor(2013to 29 May 2015)
- Darius Dickson Ishaku: May 25, 2015 and Current Governor of Taraba State.