The Tiv community in Dutse, Jigawa State capital, has elected a new president. He is Stanilus Adi Duniya.
He was elected on December 6, in a ceremony attended by the Tor Tiv in Jigawa State, Mr Patrick Gum.
The event, which featured traditional displays and the swange dance of the Tiv people, was also graced by friends and well wishers.
In an interview, Gum said the Tiv community has been playing a big role in uniting the Tiv people in Jigawa state, and looking out for their well being.
The swange dance at display at the event
“We help ourselves. We help each other. In the things one person cannot do, we come together to do it. If any of our members is in a problem, we come together to lend a shoulder. We unite with other tribes also to build friendship and solidarity in Jigawa State,” he said.
Stanilus Adi Duniya, the newly elected president, said he would further entrenched the spirit of friendship and solidarity between the Tiv people and other communities in Jigawa State, including the host.
“My goal is to foster the aim for which the association is formed, that is, to unite the Tiv sons and daughters that have left their places of origin and are resident in Jigawa state to seek means of livelihood. I intend to foster that unity and ensure peaceful coexistence with other tribes and the host community,” he said.
Duniya said he would continue to take as priority the empowerment of the Tiv community in Jigawa state, especially in the areas of supporting members with start up capital for small scale businesses.
“Almost all the Tiv people residents here are engaged in one thing or the other. This is because we ensured that everyone gets something doing. We assist them to start small scale businesses like laundry and dry cleaning services, salon, food vendors, restaurants and so on. We have local contribution from which we support them with soft facilities to get started,” he said.
On partnership with the Jigawa state government in the entrenchment of social harmony in the state, Duniya said the governor, Muhammadu Badaru, has embraced every ethnic groups in the state, for which the Tiv community appreciates and would want it taken to a higher level.
