By NGOBUA JOHNNIE, Abuja
Mzough U Tiv (MUT) Worldwide is set to hold its 2026 Annual Tiv Cultural Day Festival from November 30 to December 5 at the J.S. Tarka Stadium, Gboko, Benue State.
The festival, which is expected to showcase the cultural heritage and traditions of the Tiv people, will be held under the theme, “Tiv Unity and Revival of Tarka Institute of Political Studies, Gboko.”
According to the programme released by the President General of MUT, Air Commodore T.T. Agbecha (rtd.) and the Secretary of the Central Planning Committee (CPC), Arc Patrick Ukura, the six-day event will feature agricultural exhibitions, cultural displays and other activities aimed at promoting Tiv unity, preserving cultural heritage and encouraging community development.
A major highlight of the festival will be the establishment of an endowment fund to support the revival of the Senator J.S. Tarka Institute of Political Studies in Gboko.
The initiative is expected to mobilise financial support and other resources towards restoring the institute, which the organisers consider important to preserving the political heritage and promoting the intellectual development of the Tiv people.
Tiv Cultural Day is an annual celebration established in 1977 to preserve and promote the cultural heritage, traditional values and unity of the Tiv people.
The celebration brings together Tiv people from different communities and parts of the country to showcase their cultural identity, strengthen communal bonds and promote their traditions under the leadership of the Tor Tiv, the paramount ruler of the Tiv nation, and the Tiv Area Traditional Council.
Established as an effort to safeguard Tiv traditions against the growing influence of modernisation, the event has remained an important platform for cultural expression, historical reflection and community engagement.
Although the celebration has experienced interruptions due to security challenges and other socio-political factors, it has witnessed notable revivals during the reign of HRH, Ochivirigh Prof. James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse, the Tor Tiv V.
In recent years, Tiv Day has evolved beyond a cultural gathering into a platform for promoting the Tiv language, history, arts and traditional values. The December 2025 edition, themed “The Rebirth of the Tiv Nation,” attracted prominent personalities, including representatives of other ethnic groups and the Federal Government. It also featured cultural initiatives, including the launch of new Tiv language dictionaries.
The 2026 edition is expected to feature colourful displays of the traditional A’nger attire, a distinctive black-and-white striped handwoven fabric widely recognised as a symbol of Tiv identity and cultural heritage.
Traditional music, dance and storytelling will also feature prominently, particularly the energetic Swange dance, one of the most celebrated expressions of Tiv cultural identity.
The festival will also provide an opportunity to showcase traditional cuisine, including pounded yam and indigenous soups, alongside historical lectures and cultural exhibitions aimed at educating younger generations about the origins, customs and values of the Tiv people.
Beyond the cultural performances, the event will serve as a platform for networking, interaction and the recognition of deserving Tiv sons and daughters, friends of the community and other distinguished personalities.
The MUT leadership said the festival would provide an opportunity for Tiv people at home and in the diaspora to celebrate their cultural identity, strengthen bonds of unity and contribute to initiatives aimed at advancing the community.
