KSS: Stitching The People’s Social Fabric
By Eric Adah and Maike Ortserga
Hundreds of Tiv sons and daughters in Nigeria and in the diaspora gathered on Friday 27th December, 2024 to celebrate Kyegh Sha Shwa (KSS), a popular, annual Tiv cultural festival aimed at promoting commonality, reconciliation, and coexistence.
Speaking at this year’s edition of the festival, the Benue State Governor, Rev Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia said the kyegh Sha Shwa (KSS) cultural festival reminds the Tiv people of their heritage. He enjoined Tiv sons and daughters to always strive to come to KSS where they would meet and talk with one another as brothers and sisters.
Gov. Alia expressed satisfaction with the level of cultural display at the event featuring songs, drama, and distinctive traditional values of the Tiv people.
He promised, on behalf of the government of Benue State, to support the initiative of KSS and turn it into an expanded event that would embrace a lot more than what people have been seeing.
While thanking the founder, of KSS, Rev. Fr. Solomon Mfa Ukeyima for his commitment to maintaining the cultural values of the Tiv people, Governor Alia called on the president General of Mzough u Tiv, Chief CP Iorbee Ihagh (Rtd), to liase with the Tiv paramount ruler and come out with a date for the entire Tiv nation to be meeting in Gboko to celebrate Tiv day.
He also advised Benue youths to invest in agriculture by forming young farmers Clubs (YFC) and farmers’ cooperatives through which his government would give them farm inputs and fertilizers free of charge to boost food production and enhance their livelihood.
The Governor reiterated his determination to reducing poverty in the state, praying that KSS should unite the Tiv people and give them the spirit of forgiveness.
He thanked all those who attended the event, particularly those who presented different performances, encouraging them to keep showcasing their talents for their benefits and the benefits of Benue state at large.
Also speaking, the speaker, Benue State House of Assembly, Rt.Hon. Hyacinth Aondona Dajoh appealed to the Governor to domestic Tiv Day and make it a cultural fiesta that would attract the presence of Tiv sons and daughters across the globe.
The senator representing Benue Northwest, Dr Titus Zam, and Prof, Stephen S.K Ggyoh, also called for peaceful coexistence among the Tiv people both at home and in the diaspora.
In chat with The Transmitter, Miss, Iveren Torkigh, a participant expressed happiness with the beautiful display of the Tiv cultural heritage and thanked the founder for such a wonderful initiative even as she prayed for the sustenance of the event.
Also speaking Mr. Bem Vincent Kwaghngu, who came all the way from Finland, expressed happiness, and said the fun he had as he watched Tiv dances and heard beautiful renditions of Tiv songs from different artists, and also drank the local corn beer, burukutu, after more than 15 years was unquantifiable.
Mr Kwaghngu also appealed to the organizers to look for ways of improving the event and making it more colourful such as bringing horses and donkeys for people to ride during the event.
Many of the participants thanked the convener for the initiative that has brought Tiv people together from far and near to celebrate their cultural heritage.
In a chat with our correspondent, The KSS Convener, Rev. Fr. Solomon Mfa Ukeyima, explained that “Kyegh Sha Shwa is an annual Tiv cultural festival aimed at uniting the Tiv community while promoting commonality, reconciliation, and peaceful coexistence. It provides an opportunity for Tiv people to come together and celebrate their rich cultural heritage.”
KSS is the only avenue that is still uniting the Tiv Nation, may God continue to bless Fr Solomon Ukeyima Mfa for making sure Tiv culture doesn’t go in to extinction. May he live long and make ways for this to continue even after his exist on Earth when he is done serving humanity.