THE HISTORY OF ACHA PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN TARABA STATE OF NIGERIA

WHO ARE THE ACHA PEOPLE? 

 The question of who are the Acha and what is the meaning of Acha has been a prevalent question amidst the present generation of both kuteb and non-kuteb people of Taraba state. Legends had it that, Acha as a person was the sixth son of kuteb after Likam and was borne to him by Iya Yaka. The name Acha was given after the birth of the son at Andekussa hill. “ACHA-INYING”, meaning, “born out of blood”. This was due to the fact that, the mother suffered from issued of blood during conception and the child in the womb nearly miscarried. A complete Acha man is fair and muscular. An average Acha man is a born poet and a lover of art and culture-the quality that earn them firmed and popularity among the kuteb of ancient. In Acha society, proverb served as compelling expression of the wisdom of the people. It also show different approach to life and add colors to conversation and formal speech. Proverb are widely use at conversation meeting and native court to convey the meaning of idea and concepts. It’s abnormal that an adult should speak in simple or plain language during formal occasion. Children are exposed to oral literature right from infancy. As the child grew up, they are entertained by folktales at night. Through these folktales, the children learn morality the price of virtues and evil effects of crime. They learned a sense of right and wrong and by so doing, the folktales help to mould the character of the children during developing years. During Tagba festival, poet and singer formed their song best on this wisdom. 

  ORIGIN OF ACHA PEOPLE

  A glance at oral interview with some Ndufu (elders) and other available history show’s that the people of Acha migrated from Andekussa in the early part of fifteenth century after the general dispersion of kuteb’s sons. Acha and his children went to stayed with Lumbu-his elder brother. After few years of gross population expansion among the lumbu people, he was prompted to relocate away from them. It was at this point that Acha and his children were set to begin a long journeyed that took them through various experience and hardship. The people left Lumbu Mountain and initially settle at a place called ‘ATWAIN’ where they encounter the mysterious thunderstorm that forced them to relocate to ‘PAEN’. Paen was said to have been a vast plain fertile land suitable for crop production due to the fact that, the land laid adjacent river gamina. In this place security of life became another problem. There was insecurity for women and children particularly at a time when slave trade was extensively carried out in the hinterland. Invader would come, set fire and start catching children as they run for safety. The people therefore had to move uphill called ‘KWENTAEN’. Before the people journeyed to kwentaen, they send their brother by name ‘Mbanya’ to cross over and searched the land on the other side of river gamina, whether people settlement are found. Arriving there, he meets a yukuben man, a hunter. Mbanya asked whether there are people’s settlement around the whole mountain, the Yukuben man replied ‘no’ and added that himself and his people has already settled on the other side of the mountain. The conversation were made in kuteb language that was why some historian concluded that Yukuben’s father must had been the eldest Kuteb son who left his father earlier before the general dispersion at Andekussa hill. The next day, Mbanya went back to his people and informed them of the achievement. The valiant men gather and cross all goods including women and children to the side of the river. After they had cross to the other side, some singer which was then believed to had been inspired by the Churikwen administered this song to young ladies which attempted to cross the river themselves.

 Singer pu mun ba ro wunda re 

Answer pu mun bar o 

Singer pu mun ba kya sko 

Answer pu mun ba ro 

Singer Nda sang ba ti 

Answer sang ba ye 

Singer Nda Jo mun ti 

Answer pu mun baro 

Singer kya ti wu ba sang ba 

Answer kya ti wu ba sang ba iru tae 

Singer Ukwen ti re 

Answer kya jwe fu nyang ti mi rubae 

Singer Isa warukwen 

Answer kya jwefu nyang ti me Ru bae Ru kwen ti re. 

This song is still look open as a sacred song among Acha people. Tagba singer and poet were said to use it to invoke the ancestral spirit which they believed inspired them to sing and purify the ground before Tagba dance began. After many years of settling on top of kwentaen, around 1902, Ukwe Ahmadu Gankwe the supreme chief of kuteb race ukwe Takum issued out a decree that all kuteb son that still lives on mountain should go to plain land for resettlement, Acha people in answer to the supreme order left kwentaen and settled in kwennyikwen. In 1918, ukwe Audu Gya’a gave similar ordered as that of Ahmadu, this was what leads to the present settlement of Acha towns and villages. The present settlements include; • Acha nyim (Traditional headquarter) • Acha sarka • Acha kwencwo • Acha limpa I • Acha limpa II • Acha Nzunyi • Acha tsutiba • Acha yashe • Acha rafang • Acha waende I • Acha waende II • Acha washing • Acha tabjwin

 GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIBTION OF ACHA CHIEFDOM 

 Acha chiefdom is located about 7 kilometers away from Takum town. It share boundary with kuteb and non-kuteb people of the region. Acha land pride herself in a unique architectural feature, beautiful landscape, and unspoiled environment by contemporary technology and has a cultural heritage that is unique. It has a great potential for tourism. The Acha Mountain carefully arranged by Mother Nature present an awesome beauty. The scenery of vast landscape is boundless and your own sight can only inhibit the distance your eye can see. The soil is fertile and a host to both common and uncommon minerals resources. The Acha River (river gamina) is another wonder that attract people from far and wide. During dry season, the river terrain serves different purpose included; fishery, irrigation, fishing festival and other social activities like wedding. The chiefdom share boundary with yukuben and aticwo people in the north-east, Jukun and Chamba people in the south-east and the west mainly with river gamina. Acha towns and communities are situated across mountain Acha, ranging from river gamina to the achillo’s mountain and systematically arrange from Acha shima to the kashimbilla.