MOM KOHOL MOM IN TIV SOCIO-POLITICAL THOUGHT SYSTEM

Abstract

The initiative of living and realizing one's potential, enjoying peace, resources and tranquility in the society was heralded by Africans from time immemorial. Living in unity and cohesion not only ensured protection of lives and property but also provided the needed atmosphere for Africans to showcase their hidden potentials for the development of their various communities. Among the Tiv people of Benue State, Nigeria the ideology of 'mom kohol mom' was devised to uphold the above value. The study employed qualitative research tools where data were derived from books, journal articles, dictionaries and the Internet etc. The historical, expository, descriptive and evaluative methods were adopted for the study. The historical method presented the views of various Western and African philosophers cum scholars on the concept of communalism. The expository and descriptive methods presented the nature of traditional sociopolitical thought of Tiv people while the evaluative method focused on 'mom kohol mom' as potent principle for national unity among the Tiv people of Nigeria. The study found out that, lack of unity has bedeviled the Tiv nation due to non-adherence to the communal life style as encapsulated in 'mom kohol mom'. This has led to evident exhibitions and portrayers of jealousy, envy, religious fanaticism, land disputes, poverty, politics of bitterness, decline in value orientation, individualism, sectionalism etc. These indices have thwarted development in Tiv land, retarded growth and bred suspicion among the people. The study therefore concluded that, Tiv people need to revive their traditional value system as encapsulated in 'mom kohol mom' in order to accomplish cohesion, integration, unity and development.