FOR decades, debates about the origins of the Tiv people have remained unresolved. While some historians trace their (Tiv) migration from South Africa, Israel, or the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), some others describe these narratives as colonial fabrications.
Now, Mr. Gbaden Atsu, President General of Tiv Integrated Vision (TIV), insists that Tiv are not settlers but the very progenitors of the Bantu race, a claim that is stirring up new conversations in academic and cultural circles.
In this interview, Atsu speaks with our correspondent, Moses Aar, on his personal background, the mission of TIV, and why his organization is pushing for research to establish the Tiv as central to Africa’s history and identity. Excerpts:
NATIONAL Record (NR): Good evening, Mr Atsu.
Atsu: Good evening, and welcome.
NR: Let’s meet you, sir.
Atsu: My name is Mr. Gbaden Atsu. I am the President General of Tiv Integrated Vision (TIV). Professionally, I have more than 21 years of experience in Liaison, Public Relations, and Human Resource Management.
I studied Sociology at the Benue State University and also holds a Diploma in Mass Communication from the University of Jos.
Over the years, I have served in different organisations in Abuja, including La Plage Services Ltd, Springfield Development Solutions, and Venat Shelter Solutions.
Beyond my career, I am also a farmer, and I have held leadership positions within community associations.
NR: Apart from being President General of TIV, who really is Atsu?
Atsu: I would describe myself as someone deeply committed to the advancement of the Tiv nation. I am a community mobiliser, communicator, and visionary who believes our people must rediscover their identity and rightful place in Africa.
My passion has always been to see Tiv culture preserved, Tiv people united, and Tiv contributions to African civilisation properly documented.
NR: What is Tiv Integrated Vision (TIV) and what is its mission?
Atsu: TIV is a non-profit socio-cultural organisation established in 2019. Its mission is to reclaim and redefine the Tiv identity, strengthen unity, and promote the socio-economic empowerment of our people.
We are positioning ourselves as a think-tank to generate ideas and initiatives that can reposition Tiv not only in Nigeria but across Africa. We are also advocating for Tiv rights and interests while connecting with Bantu nations to explore our shared history.
Our programs cut across research, economic empowerment, cultural preservation, security advocacy, and youth development.
NR: You have claimed that Tiv people are the progenitors of the Bantu race. How did you arrive at this conclusion?
Atsu: Our preliminary research shows striking similarities between Tiv society and early Bantu’s. Like the Bantu, Tiv were a stateless society, organised around kinship and family obligations rather than centralised authority.
In fact, linguistic, cultural, and dietary patterns strongly align Tiv with Bantu communities across Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa.
Studies on Bantu expansion indicate that their homeland was near the border of Cameroon and Nigeria which is Tiv territory. What this suggests is that while some Tiv remained in the Benue Valley, others migrated and became the widespread Bantu population we see today.
NR: Your claims are new and seem to have been drawn largely from oral traditions. Can you back them up with concrete evidence or scholarly sources?
Atsu: Yes. We are not relying only on oral tradition. We are working with existing literature and scientific findings.
For example, genetic studies, particularly Y-chromosome analysis, show that Bantu populations carry the E1b1a haplogroup, which is highly prevalent in West Central Africa. This connects directly to Tiv ancestry.
We also draw from respected works like The Cambridge History of Africa, edited by J.D. Fage and R. Oliver, Curtin’s African History, and UNESCO’s General History of Africa.
Our findings align with these sources, suggesting that Tiv are not latecomers or settlers but a root stock of the Bantu race.
We have academics, because we are not professionals. So, our Director of Research is Prof. Rev. Fr. Shagbaor Wegh. He is a professor of Anthropology. Our lead researcher is Prof. Zacharys Anger Gundu, an archaeologist, who is the Vice Chancellor, University of Mkar.
Others are Prof. Sarwuan Nyityo, historian, Prof. Wilfred Uji, historian, Prof. Chris Orngu, historian, Prof. Iyo, linguist, and many others.
As a matter of fact, as it stands, we have 14 professors who are working with us on this project. We also have other scholars in the area of Sociology and the rest of them.
NR: Who are the professional scholars carrying out this research with you?
Atsu: We are collaborating with historians, linguists, and genetic researchers, some within Nigeria and others across Africa.
Our approach is to build a credible evidence base, so we are working with academics who understand both the scientific and historical dimensions of African identity.
We also intend to partner with institutions that can carry out advanced genetic testing and linguistic comparisons to validate our claims beyond reasonable doubt.
We are already in talking terms with the university of Mkar, Moses Orshio Adasu University, Makurdi, University of Jos, University of Ibadan, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, and University of Nigeria, Nsukka to establish partnership. That is in Nigeria.
Of course, we are looking at partnering with 27 institutions across West, Central, East and Central Africa. Then, we are also talking about the School of African Studies in India, China, Russia and the Americas. After this, we will invite UNESCO for validation because we are not writing fiction or mythology. We can prove this.
On this project, we are interacting with our brothers. We have representatives in Congo, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and all of these places.
Look at this irony, in South Africa, there is a group called Venda, our representative there, his name is David Magwaza. He is a Zulu. The Venda people have a king whose title, is the same as that of our Tortiv here, which is Begha u Tiv. They call their own, Tor Yar Nor, which we call Tyough ki Norugh, meaning head of the elephant.
One of the things we are expected to do is to choose one dialect in fifteen (15) African countries. In each of the dialects, we have similar words, 50 each, to show that we are truly the progenitors of those people
NR: Some critics may dismiss your claims as cultural romanticism. Why do you think this project is important at this time?
Atsu: For too long, Tiv have been marginalised in Nigeria, particularly in states like Nasarawa and Taraba, where they are often labelled as “settlers.”
This false narrative has roots in colonial distortions. By proving that Tiv are indigenous to this region and indeed progenitors of the Bantu race, we not only reclaim our dignity but also foster unity with our Bantu brothers and sisters across Africa. This project is about identity, empowerment, and rewriting history correctly.
NR: What practical steps is TIV taking to advance this mission?
Atsu: Beyond research, we are running programs such as Tiv-Bantu cultural festivals, kings’ summits, agricultural revitalisation projects, youth manpower development, and campaigns for Tiv state creation in Gboko and Katsina-Ala.
We are also advocating for Tiv chiefdoms in all domiciliary states and promoting security initiatives. Most importantly, we are building platforms for Tiv people to embrace unity and a shared vision of progress.
NR: Finally, where do you see this movement in the next few years?
Atsu: I see a future where Tiv will no longer be seen as marginalised settlers but as a central part of Africa’s story.
Through TIV, we hope to build bridges with other Bantu nations, reclaim our history, and empower our people socially and economically. It is about charting a path where Tiv can take their rightful place in Nigeria and in Africa.
NR: Thank you very much sir. I will still get back to you for more enquiries if necessary.
Atsu: You are welcome. Feel free to contact me any time.
