OBADIAH ORKOR’S REQUEST ENDS AS JAMES WAYO IS CROWNED TYOOR MBAYONGO
By Tim Cuttings Agber
Taraba State was created on 27th August, 1991 from Gongola State, a former administrative division in Nigeria, which was split into Adamawa and Taraba. Regrettably, the creation of the state was soon greeted with a perennial crisis between the Tiv and Jukun. The area has had a gamut of ethnic, religious, communal and geo-resources prompted crises since 1959 before it becoming a State. The 1959 crises were occasioned by the frowning of the Tiv against British Colonialists’ political exclusion and biased policies and Northern oligarchy orchestrated by colonial government, which majority of the Jukun identified with or were conscripted into it. Innocent people were murdered but the crisis was not murdered, the reason for which its zither and dangled its ugly face from time to time including the mayhems of 1980, 1981, 1982, 1990-1993, 2001 and 2019. In any case, it was the Tiv and Jukun crisis of 1991 that displaced the celebrated Tiv Singer Obadiah Orkor from Taraba State to Benue where he lived most of his life till his death on Tuesday 27th August, 2024 exactly 33 years after the creation of Taraba State. Obadiah believed that he was born on 7th March, 1957; he died 27th August, 2024 and was buried the same day. The last time I visited Obadiah Orkor was on 1st July, 2024 and he made mention of a few of those he mentioned in his songs during his active performances including Augustine Tyôakaa Akighir Maa Agemba Tali and James Wayo.
In one of his song Obadiah Kehemen Orkor Orze Goji solicited for someone to help carry his message to James Wayo to keep empty rooms or make room reservation so that even when he comes to celebrate with him WITHOUT NOTICE, he would sleep since no one has given him a date; but that Tom Ikpa Imbishi and James Wayo would not be taken by surprise. “Yô or à kaa’m James Wayo, or à kaa’m James Wayo,/ à ver ayou à gbirinigh, er iyange me va, à lu gangan kpa me tsa yô/ ABURABUR kpa, Ikpa Imbishi oo,/ or tese’m iyange ga Tom Ikpa Imbishi…” Essentially, this is the James Iormough Wayo who recently emerged as the “Tyoor u Mbayongo.”
The Mbayongo People are predominately found in what is today Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State; but Mbayongo are also found across majority of the Tiv Speaking Local Government Areas out of 14 in Benue State, Nigeria. The Mbayongo in Kwande are found in Kumakwagh District and HRH Oson D.I. was installed their Ortar on 4th August, 2010. Azaibo Nombagu is their Headquarters. In Katsina Ala, HRH John Kuji was installed Tyoor of Mbayongo on 7th September, 2017 and Gbishe Akô is their Headquarters. In Guma Local Govertnment Area, the Mbayongo (Mbayongu) are found in Mbawa District and HRH Akaa Dajo was installed their Ortar on 20th December, 2006. Daudu Tse Akuawe Hwa is their Headquarters. Moreover, in Gwer Local Government Area, the Mbayongo are found in Ikyônov District. This is where HRH Dominic Ortserga Akpe, JP comes from. By the way, Mbayongo are also found in Mbaigbya in Tarka Local Government and in Makurdi Local Government Area. They are also found in Mbagbera in Vandeikya moreover there are the Yolngu people who are the indigenous inhabitants of North East Arnhem Land in Australia. Wether they are part of the Diaspora Mbayongo is something left to be understood.
In any case, the Mbayongo Tiev Ajir-Yila Kuna Ikyôr Akpe Ipusu Akem Tiv is grouped into Mbagyam and Mbamar both of which are large enough to have Two District Heads each. Gyam (Mbagyam) has Mbakambe and Mbakegh. Kambe divides into Mbabai and Mbaashwe. The kindred in Mbabai consists of Bai Won made up of Abanyam shortened as Aba (Mbaaba), Gbe (Ugbe or Mbagbe), Agashi (Mbaagashi), Demagbo (Mbademagbo) and Ihongo (Mbaihongo); and Bai Ikyô made up of Gbasha (Mbagbasha), Ayaka (Mbaayaka), Ikyôngo (Mbaikyôngo), Igbye (Mbaigbye) and Akuewe (Mbaakuewe).
The Mbakegh divides into Kegh-Ir and Kegh-Nyian. Moreover, Kegh-Ir has the Mbakena divided into Mbaliv and Tiewe. The kindred in Mbaliv consists of Ado (Mbaado) and Anyiade (Mbaanyiade) while that of the Tiewe consists of Akwaya (Mbaakwaya), Amà (Mbaamà) and Buruku. Mbaatende divides into Jiyar (Mbaji) and Kyeyen (Mbakye). The kindred in Jiyar are made up of Kèr (Mbakèr), Ade (Mbaade), Mkôvur (Mbamkôvur), Kunguraku (Mbakunguraku) and Agan (Mbaagan) while the Kindred in Kyeyen consists of Mto (Mbamto), Abaa (Mbaabaa), Ikyura (Ikyurav), Togo (Mbatogo), Ikyaakombo (Mbaikyaakombo) and Mkuve (Mbamkuve). Kegh-Nyian is made of only Mbaajime divided into the Mbamtse and Mbatsea. The Kindred in Mbamtse are made up of Mbakyambe, Mbaseta and Mbagire while those in the Mbatsea are made up of Mbadom, Mbaagbe, Mbaàbuyà, Mbaswende and Mbaakporo.
Essentially, the Mbamaa are divided into Mbaikyôrov and Mbanyachiv. The Mbaikyôrov are grouped into the Mbatseva and Mbawerade, which are divided into Mbaikyombo and Mbabuun. The Mbatseva Kindred is divided into Nom (Mbanom) grouped into Mbayaga, Ácham and Mbacheakem; and Nyèr (Mbanyèr) grouped into Mbaakèr, Mbabo and Tyôdugh. Moreover, in the Mbawerade subdivision, the Mbabuun Kindred is divided into Aba (Mbaaba) made up of Zeka (Mbazeka), Mbaasham, Ayakombo and Mbaimbyor; and Akough made up of Akuma, Nomaya and Ikpyaam. Mbaikyombo Kindred is divided into the Mbawyàr made up of Mbakwasekem (Kwaakem) and Mbaingbiansha; and Mbaazegele made up of Azegele and Tseke. This is to say that the Mbaikyôrov are made up of Mbatseva, Mbabuun and Mbaikyombo.
The second part of the Mbamaa is Mbanyachiv made up of Mbaikyô, Mbagyar (Mbagyaranyi) and Mbaakula. The Mbaikyô Kindred consists of Mbakerangu made up of Mbaseta and Mbabar; Mbanôghor made up of Mbaayume, Mbaagan and Mbakato; Yepev (Mbayepev) made up of Mbanom and Mbaasakpa; and Mbanoragba made up of Mbatsôghom and Mbazaar. The Mbagyar Kindred consists of Mbaati made up of Mbaadonko, Mbajir, Mbaakpera, Mbaadwem, Mbaadeke, Mbagwar, Mbagya and Mbasha; Mbaikyura, made up of Mbaniambe with Ayom and Ikwe, Mbaagire and Mbagyeer; and Mbaadeega formerly known as Mbakongo made up of Inyagi, She and Ahwen. The Mbaakula Kindred is divided into Mbaatagher and Mbaambiakura.
The First King of Mbayongo was Abanyam Bai Kambe who was the Tor Agbande covering the entire Kunav. Abanyam was from Mbagyam, Mbakambe, Mbabai and when he knew that the Ancestors were beckoning on him, he wanted to hand over his Kingship to Asham Aba and he paid him a visit to prepare Asham for a smooth transition of power but Asham, though a good and kindhearted man, couldn’t understand the language of the Gods vividly. It was then that Abanyam Bai Kambe went to Angur Agena, the reason for which Angur succeeded Abanyam. Tor Angur was from Mbamaa, Mbaikyôrov, Mbatseva, Mbanom and he ruled the Mbayongo and handed over to his son, Awa Angur Agena. Tor Awa Angur ruled and handed over to his Uncle Adamgbe. Adamgbe died on 28th August, 1950 but before his death, he appointed Binda to oversee the affairs of the Mbayongo. Binda succeeded Adamgbe but his reign was abolished in 1971; however, he was reinstated and ruled till 1981 when he died. Angur Agena, Awa Angur, Adamgbe Adasu and Binda Adasu were all from Mbatseva and same family. The death of Tor Binda Adasu ended the Era of “Ya Kume Kume.”
Makir Gaadi Amôgô Kwanta succeeded Tor Binda Adasu Ijôhô Yaga. During the contest, Asan Haav fought for the Stool of Tyoor Mbayongo with Ungwacii Adamgbe but Gaadi Amôgô Kwanta won due to the influence of his son Nyôr Gaadi. Eventually Tor Gaadi died and was succeeded by Evangelist Barnabas Viashima Nanakaa Ukor Adonko Ati Gyar-Anyi. Gaadi Amôgô was from Mbagyam, Mbakegh from Mbakena of Kegh-Ir and in the race for the Tyoor with him was Asan Haav who fought for the seat with Ungwacii Adamgbe but Gaadi won due to the influence of his son Nyôr Gaadi. HRH Makir Gaadi Amôgô Kwanta eventually died. Gesanyam Moji Abeekya wanted to take the Tyoor Mbayongo stool with Isaac Kor who was likely to win. However, Isaac called on elders and told them that he suffers from hard hearing and the King sometimes talks to his people in secret therefore, the kingship should be given to another person. Mbayongo were speechless. It was then that Ngôkugh Wura Antiev Adonko Ati frontend his brother Viashima Nanakaa Ukor Adonko Ati for the stool and he won. HRH Evangelist Barnabas Viashima Nanakaa didn’t stay long on the seat before he died in 1995 and the stool became vacant again.
Essentially, it took Mbayongo a long time to figure out their next Traditional Ruler but eventually HRH Francis Akumechiel was confirmed as the District Head of Mbayongo on 19th July, 2002. Tyoor Akumechiel died on 5th September, 2011. Hon. Iorhuna Iwambe ran for the Kingship and he was said to have won. However, his coronation was overtaken by events. James Tsavngohol Achilaka Manyi Igbya Apera Yaga, Abraham Akpe Suwe Abam and Anyiman Amena were among the few persons who aided the emergence of HRH Benjamin Aôndohemba Ankwa Akesa as Tyoor sworn on 16th January, 2013. Tyoor Benjamin Ankwa was born in 1962 and later in his life worked as a Community Extension Health Worker in Mbayiôn and joined the Nigeria Prison Services now Nigeria Correctional Services and resigned in 2013. He ruled the Good People of Mbayongo of Vandeikya Local Government and died on 11th December, 2025 and was buried on 18th January, 2025.
When the Late Tyoor Benjamin Ankwa Asesa Yôugh Azegele Ikyombo died, he was given a befitting burial and since the seat was not to be vacant the contest began. Those who were into the race for the Tyoor Seat included Akase Gbinde Irmke Gire, Terhide Diôya Akema, Ikyernum Asema Kwembe, Gowan Gum Chooso, Tsehemba Anôngo Bashi Swende, Terfa Iange Daagu and James Wayo. The final selection process was done on the 18th March, 2025 and James Wayo emerged as the New Tyoor of Mbayongo. HRH Chief James Iormough Wayo Chôngo Ajiva Seta won with 14 votes. By the way, the Mbayongo have many expectations from the new Traditional Leadership that has just emerged. In the entire Kunav or Vandeikya Local Government Area of Benue State, Mbayongo District is the only without any tarred road. There is one in Mbaduku, Mbakaange, Mbagbera, Ute, Mbadede, Tsambe, Mbajôr but none in Mbayongo; and the people hope that this new leadership will attract government presence to foster construction of Agbo-Yongodoo- Otugwang Road and other projects to the District. Moreover, other expectations include creation of more Districts in Mbayongo due to their numerical strength such as Mbanyachiv District, Mbakambe District, Mbakegh District and Mbaikyôrov District.
I am the Son of Mbayongo, but too small and foolish to advise the King, in any case, I can remind the Tyoor about things he has known but may have forgotten due to his very tight schedules and engagements. Your Royal Highness, you are a respected Traditional Ruler and the weight of preserving the rich cultural heritage of your people is bore on your fervent and resilient shoulders. In these trying times, where Western Christianity threatens to erode the Tiv and Mbayongo cultural values, it may please you to remain committed in upholding the traditions and customs that have defined your people for generations, right from the time of Tyev Ajir who was the Warlord of the entire Tiv Nation. Our cultural identity is a treasure that must be protected and passed down. This can be achieved through organization of cultural events, festivals, and ceremonies that celebrate Mbayongo traditions; as it will help to revitalize and strengthen community bonds. The Mbayongo People were known for their Entrepreneurship, Financial and Economic Intelligence as well as Cooperative communality for Social, Economic and Community Developments, the reason for which they taxed themselves and built Bridges across the River Be, Aya and other streams around their Nation; and same communality that made them to build Yongo Tiev Community Secondary School, Tyemimôngo among many other developmental gaits. Once again, congratulations Your Royal Highness James Iormough Wayo, may the Ancestors guide you to rule the Mbayongo with a greater vision for security and development.
