Caleb Mutfwang, the Plateau governor-elect, has committed to cooperate with other leaders to repatriate those displaced by violent attacks to their ancestral homes.
Mutfwang made the vow in Jos during the 2023 Nzem Berom celebration, the Berom people’s traditional day.
He prayed for an end to the renewed killings in Plateau, to enable citizens who have laboured over the years enjoy the dividends of democracy.
The governor-elect praised the Berom people for their resilience and commitment towards the rebuilding of Plateau, urging them not to relent as it was for the greater good of the state.
“By the grace of God, I will work together with other leaders to ensure that our people that are displaced from their villages are returned to their ancestral land.
“Berom land will flourish again; Plateau will flourish again; and Nzem Berom will attract other people, not only from Plateau, but other states in Nigeria and internationally.
“The history of Plateau cannot be complete without the history of the Berom. You cannot say you have developed Plateau without developing Berom land; you cannot secure the state without securing Berom land.
“I am glad that today, other ethnic nationalities on the Plateau are gathered in solidarity with the Berom nation. This is the direction that we must go as people of Plateau from May 29,” he said.
Mutfwang stated that his administration would focus on uniting Plateau and ensuring that cultural festivals were developed and packaged so that the state would regain its name as a home of peace and tourism.
Earlier, Bauchi State governor, Bala Muhammad, expressed confidence that the incoming governor would surpass the expectations of the Plateau people given his competent leadership qualities exhibited over the years.
Similarly, senator representing Plateau North, Istifanus Gyang, stated that the Berom economy had undergone phases and stages of metamorphosis from the pre-colonial era, which was widely regimented and characterised by farming, hunting, and animal husbandry, among others.
Gyang noted that the annual festival offers an opportunity to strengthen the bond of unity and brotherhood among the Berom people and other ethnicities in the state.
He expressed hope that the incoming administration will address the prevailing insecurity that had dislodged various communities.