Taraba State

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.

File:Donga River, Taraba state.jpg

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.{{Citation |last=Fay |first=Robert |title=Niger River |date=2005-04-07 |work=African American Studies Center |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.42716 |access-date=2024-07-11 |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0-19-530173-1}}

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.{{Cite web |title=Worlddata |url=https://www.worlddata.info/africa/nigeria/climate-taraba.php}} 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.{{Cite web |title=Tcktcktck.org |url=https://weatherandclimate.com/nigeria/taraba}}

Many homes and commercial buildings in Taraba State are affected by flooding, including those in the suburbs.{{Cite web |last=Mkom |first=John |date=2023-04-25 |title=Flood Submerges 300 Houses In Taraba |url=https://leadership.ng/flood-submerges-300-houses-in-taraba/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-08-21 |title=Flood: Taraba Govt issues alert to 6 LGAs |url=https://guardian.ng/news/flood-taraba-govt-issues-alert-to-6-lgas/ |access-date=2023-09-23 |website=The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News |language=en-US}}

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{{Cite web |last=Mkom |first=John |date=2022-10-16 |title=Mosquitoes: Patients Berate Taraba Specialist Hospital Over Poor Environmental Sanitation |url=https://leadership.ng/mosquitoes-patients-berate-taraba-specialist-hospital-over-poor-environmental-sanitation/ |access-date=2023-01-04 |language=en-US}}
• Kwararafa Hospital and maternity
• Federal Polytechnic Bali Medical Center
• First Referral Hospital
• Biyama Hospital

{{see also|List of villages in Taraba State}}

Taraba State consists of sixteen (16) Local Government Areas (LGAs), which are governed by elected chairmen. The local government areas are listed as follows:

{{div col|colwidth=10em}}

• Ardo Kola
• Bali
• Donga
• Gashaka
• Gassol
• Ibi
• Jalingo
• Karim Lamido
• Kurmi
• Lau
• Sardauna
• Takum
• Ussa
• Wukari
• Yorro
• Zing

{{div col end}}

Languages of Taraba state listed by LGA include:{{Cite news|url=https://www.ethnologue.com/country/NG|title=Nigeria|work=Ethnologue|edition=22|access-date=2020-01-10}}

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

Taraba State has many schools and education centers.

{{Further|List of Tertiary Institutions in Taraba State}}

• Federal University, Wukari{{Cite web |title=Federal University Wukari Convocation: Buhari Tasks Graduates On Innovation – Independent Newspaper Nigeria |url=https://independent.ng/federal-university-wukari-convocation-buhari-tasks-graduates-on-innovation/ |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=independent.ng|date=21 February 2022 }}
• Taraba State University{{Cite web |last=Daniels |first=Ajiri |date=2022-07-31 |title=Taraba varsity to establish model ranch – VC |url=https://www.sunnewsonline.com/taraba-varsity-to-establish-model-ranch-vc/ |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=The Sun Nigeria |language=en-us}}
• Kwararafa University, Wukari{{Cite web |last=admin |date=2017-03-13 |title=Kwararafa University, Wukari, Steps Out |url=https://intervention.ng/6859/ |access-date=2023-01-06 |website=Intervention |language=en-US}}

File:Transportation In river Lamido, Taraba State.jpg

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

File:A_man_weeds_his_rice_crop.jpg

The major occupation of the people of Taraba state is agriculture. Cash crops produced in the state include coffee, tea, groundnuts and cotton.{{Cite journal |last=Edon |first=Aboki |last2=Abubakar |first2=Kara H. |last3=Ashindo |first3=Zubairu E. |date=2023-12-01 |title=Analysis of Financial Profitability of Tomato Growers in Taraba State, Nigeria |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.61090/aksuja.2023.015 |journal=AKSU Journal of Agriculture and Food Sciences |volume=7 |issue=3 |pages=25–36 |doi=10.61090/aksuja.2023.015 |issn=2651-5679}} Crops such as maize, rice, sorghum, millet, cassava, and yam are also produced in commercial quantity.{{Cite web |title=About |url=https://www.tarabastate.gov.ng/about/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=TARABA STATE GOVERNMENT |language=en-GB}} In addition, cattle, sheep and goats are reared in large numbers, especially on the Mambilla Plateau, and along the Benue and Taraba valleys.{{Cite web |title=Rotational grazing meets technology on Mambilla Plateau |url=https://earthjournalism.net/stories/rotational-grazing-meets-technology-on-mambilla-plateau |access-date=July 11, 2024 |website=Earth Journalism Network}} 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.{{Cite web |last=Reporters |first=Our |date=2024-02-07 |title=FG, W’Bank empowers 5,000 Taraba, A’Ibom farmers |url=https://punchng.com/fg-wbank-empowers-5000-taraba-aibom-farmers/ |access-date=2024-07-11 |website=Punch Newspapers |language=en-US}} 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.{{Cite web |date=2024-05-17 |title=Taraba – Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid landscapes (ACReSAL) project |url=https://acresal.gov.ng/?page_id=1386 |access-date=2024-07-11 |language=en-US}}{{cite web|title=Jobs in Taraba State|url=https://www.myjobmag.com/jobs-location/Taraba/1990|access-date=25 February 2022}}

Taraba state has abundant natural resources for industrial and commercial use, these include:{{Cite web |title=Natural Resources Natural Resources Available in Taraba State |url=https://www.tarabastate.gov.ng/natural-resources/ |access-date=2022-12-30 |website=TARABA STATE GOVERNMENT |language=en-GB}}

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

• Maize
• Millet
• Sorghum
• Rice
• Groundnut{{Cite web |last=Hunkuyi |first=Magaji |date=2022-10-29 |title=How groundnut boosts economy of Taraba town |url=https://dailytrust.com/how-groundnut-boosts-economy-of-taraba-town/ |access-date=2022-12-31 |website=Daily Trust |language=en-GB}}
• Cassava
• Fish
• Gum Arabic
• Cotton
• Timber
• Palm oil
• Cocoa
• Citrus
• Sugarcane
• Soy Beans

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,{{cite web |url=http://www.kuteb.tripod.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609040015/http://kuteb.tripod.com/ |archive-date=9 June 2013 |title=The Kuteb People - The Kuteb People}} 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.

File:Mambilla Tribe Taraba State.jpg

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).

File:Transportation In river Lamido, Taraba State.jpg|alt=Gashaka-Gumpti-National-Park-Taraba-State|File:Cijin Lake in Gembu, Taraba state, Nigeria.jpgTransportation In river Lamido, Taraba State

File:Gembu Beautiful Mountain.jpg|A Mountain in Mambilla

File:The Mambilla Plateau, Nigeria 09.jpg|The Mambilla Plateau

File:River Donga.jpg|Donga River, Mambilla Plateau, Taraba State

File:Loop traditional dancer from Taraba State 1.jpg|Loop traditional dancers from Taraba State

File:Cijin Lake in Gembu, Taraba state, Nigeria.jpg|Gwagir Lake (SGEN or Tunga) in Mambilla, Taraba State

File:Nigeria, Taraba State, Mambilla Plateau, Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, 2012.jpg|Ngel Nyaki Forest Reserve, Mambilla Plateau, 2012

• 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{{Cite web |date=2021-06-06 |title=Taraba governor's wife gets award for empowering youths {{!}} The Nation Newspaper |url=https://thenationonlineng.net/taraba-governors-wife-gets-award-for-empowering-youths/ |access-date=2022-12-25 |language=en-US}}
• 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{{Cite web |last=Online |first=Tribune |date=2022-11-25 |title=Appeal Court affirms Kefas as Taraba PDP governorship candidate |url=https://tribuneonlineng.com/appeal-court-affirms-kefas-as-taraba-pdp-governorship-candidate/ |access-date=2022-12-25 |website=Tribune Online |language=en-GB}}
• 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)

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.{{Cite web |last=Oguntola |first=Tunde |date=2022-09-27 |title=2023: Next President, Govs Must Get Two-thirds Spread, Says INEC |url=https://leadership.ng/2023-next-president-govs-must-get-two-thirds-spread-says-inec/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |language=en-US}}

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.{{Cite web |last=Oguntola |first=Tunde |date=2022-09-27 |title=2023: Next President, Govs Must Get Two-thirds Spread, Says INEC |url=https://leadership.ng/2023-next-president-govs-must-get-two-thirds-spread-says-inec/ |access-date=2023-02-24 |language=en-US}}

{{reflist}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• {{official website|http://www.tarabastate.gov.ng/ }}
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20091007011423/http://www.nipost.gov.ng/PostCode.aspx Nigerian Post Office- with map of LGAs of the state]

{{Taraba State}}

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