CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL BACKGROUND
Yukuben language is one of the languages spoken in Taraba state. Taraba state is a state in Nigeria named after the Taraba River which transverses the southern part of the state. Taraba’s capital is Jalingo. Taraba state is bounded in the west by Plateau and Benue states and on the east by Cameroon. Taraba states has sixteen local government areas which are governed by elected chairmen.Out of the local government area is Takum local government where the language of the study ‘Yukuben’ is spoken. As at 1992, it was recorded that the population of Yukuben speakers was 15,000 and the population in all countries was 15,950. It was later discovered that they were scattered all over the countries. As at 2010, they recorded that in Nigeria, they are about 23,000 in population and 25,000 in all countries. The major occupation of the people of Taraba state is agriculture. Taraba is called ‘Nature’s gift to the nation’ as the state is rich and have many ethnic groups including Kutep, Jukun, Chamba, Mumuyes, Mambia, Wukums, Fulanis, Khen, Tiv, Jenjo, Hausa and Ndoro. Source: Lewis, M. Paul (ed) 2009 “Yukuben: a language of Nigeria”.
1.2 HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
According to oral history from the native speaker, the Yukuben people of the present day Taraba state of Nigeria are of Jukun origin.Thier region is Takum local government area between Katsina Ala and Gamana river. Yukuben speakers can also be found in the North west province of Cameroon. In Cameroon, Yukuben people are known as ‘uuhumgigi’ but the people are originally called Yukuben. Breton (1986) recorded about 950 speakers of Yukuben language in cameroon. The term Yukuben comes from Kuteb – Yikuben and the meaning of Yukuben is ‘the child of a witch’. The alternative name for the language are Nyikobe, Nyikuben, Boritsu, Ayikobe, Uuhumgigi, Gohum, Balaabe. It must however be noted that this language have dialectal variants known as ‘Lísà’, ‘shìbún’ and ‘Fété’.
Yukuben people are headed by a king called the ‘Ùdéng Uchun’ of Uuhumkhigi land. He is assisted by a group of chiefs called Bàgbàn. The administration of Yukuben land is pictured into village heads who report to the district heads and they in turn report to the king, the Ùdéng Uchun.
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