Ordeal of Lokoja natives: Etsu Lokoja seeks Governor Ododo’s intervention for recognition, grading of stool for Natives.
* Charges Security Agencies to halt his continuous harassments, intimidations, and bring attackers of his palace to justice.
* Say they are Natives not Indigenes.
ATABOR JULIUS LOKOJA
Against the barrages of oppositions to his inauguration as,the Etsu Lokoja, HRH, Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika- Nyamkpa 1V has appealed to Gov. Ahmed Usman Ododo to as a matter of urgency recognise and grade his stool to put to rest centuries of agitations.
This is just as he charged security agencies to halt continuous harassments intimidations by some Lokoja indigenous associations and to bring to justice perpetrators of the attack on his palace in which his car was burnt and other valuables destroyed.
The Etsu Lokoja made the appeal in a World Press conference held on Saturday in Lokoja against the plethora of Lokoja indigenous associations launching relentless media attack on his person and the stool.
The Etsu Lokoja noted that it has become imperative for him to put the issues in perspective in order to correct the misinformation being portrayed by the Lokoja indigenous Union and Lokoja Patriots in their widely published stories against the person of Etsu Lokoja and the stool.
The Etsu Lokoja who attributed their discrediting the Etsu Lokoja stool to ignorance of the past which does not invalidate the past and its contents, hinting that Lokoja existed centuries before the British occupation of the town.
According to Etsu Dauda Shelika- Nyamkpa 1V “Lokoja was founded before the end of the 1700 by Nyamkpa alias Cheluka, whom some called Eshida. He was the Warlord of Etsu Jimada who died in the supremacy warfare between him and Etsu Majiya II. With the demise of his Principal, Nyamkpa and his warriors could either be exterminated or turned slaves but rather than succumb to any of the two options, Nyamkpa decided to move his men and their families out of Gbara and finally arrived the mountain top, first called Pati Lukongi by the guidance of his Oracle bird called ‘Eluko’ or its short form ‘Luko’. The event of the mysterious disappearance of ‘Luko’ his Oracle whose latch could be seen but without ‘Eluko’. The observer’s exclamation – “Luko-a-dza” eventually led to the name Lukoja instead of the name Pati Lukongi.
He said Etsu Nyamkpa was not only the founder but also the first Etsu (King) who died around 1835 and was succeeded by his son Etsu Akpara Nyamkpa II who died at the war between the British Expedition Forces and the Nupe in 1897 even as Kabo Nyamkpa III succeeded him,and his son Maji who is his biological father took over after his demise and they all ruled as Etsu Lokoja in their times.
Shedding more lights , he said, Lokoja was born on mountain Patti making it the original site of Lokoja ,however , several of the people came down to settle because of hunting, fishing and farming and still maintain the common name Lokoja.
He added that in1832 when Captain McGregor Laird sailed inter land on Niger River and arrived Lokoja to set up the British Consulate and the Trading Post and Dr. William Balfour Bailie they met only their people Nupe and no any other tribes in Lokoja,.
He stressed that only his forefathers were the natives and aborigines of Lokoja who had their unique way of administering themselves traditionally under their leadership, called Etsu which is common to all independent Nupe communities across Nupe Nation.
“The nativity of Lokoja is in deed Nupe but with a distinction. They are the Nupe who left Gbara as a block and arrived the mountain top. Some of these eventually cross the Niger River around the 1860s led by Aishimwo the son of Nyamkpa and brother to Akpara Nyamkpa. Other leaders including Eta Mayaki were part of that crossing who later were Bassa Nge until recently.
“However, like several other ethnic groups that moved into Lokoja as a result of the activities of the British, other Nupe from different parts of the Nupe nation also moved in. While some of these ethnic identities came in for business, some served as part of the Colonial Administration while others accompanied the deposed Emirs including our own revered Etsu Nupe, Mall. Abubakar.Today these men and women have become indigenes of Lokoja and have contributing to the development of Lokoja in one way or another but they do not take the place of the Natives. “The native Nupe of Lokoja are a distinct people. They are the earliest inhabitants and are not replaceable. We have a right to exist and to be included in the running of the affairs of our homeland.
The claim by our attackers that they are the Nupe Indigenes/natives of Lokoja is not correct because no true Nupe should antagonize the Nupe natives of Lokoja but we understand their affinity. As Natives, we are not contending with anyone but seeking our own fair share of attention for the sake of our unborn generations of native Nupe of Lokoja.
“Since we wouldn’t submit ourselves to be appointed by Indigenes, to them, we are not recognized. However, we do not need their approval to be who we are. We are a people, distinct in every sense and we are saying no to any attempt to subjugate us under any other.
” Now the prerogative to have our Etsu today as we used to have is ours and not theirs. We didn’t just jump into the decision, we were clear about it and to create a clear distinction, we set up the Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Union. We were deliberate about the word ‘Natives’ to distinguish between the earliest inhabitants and the others because of times like this.
“The claim that HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV is self appointed is false. A due process to nominate, appoint and Install our Etsu Lokoja was followed. We widely consulted among our native people for candidates. We identified those whose cultural and traditional mandate it is to be appointed Kingmakers and constituted them and upon the consensus outcome of the wide consultations and the resolve of the Kingmakers, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV was nominated, appointed and Installed as the Etsu Lokoja amidst the traditional rites right on the birth place of Lokoja which is on Mount Pati on the 23rd day of January, 2024. A public reenactment of that Installation was held on Mount Pati amidst Cultural celebration on the 27th day of July, 2024.
“The events of the nomination, appointment and Installation is strictly our affair as Natives. It does not need the approval of any of the Indigenes neither are we under any obligation to invite them especially as they have shown that our awakening could jeopardize their stance, which we don’t know how.
“The fact remains that we are the earliest inhabitants. While we have no grudge against any group of our diversely composed Lokoja, we are saying that as host ethnic group, we also want to be included in the general equation of the governance of Lokoja like the other ethnic groups. We want to be identified in our true picture as we have always been.
“That there were manipulations to erase our identity especially with the incoming of our fellow Nupe brothers and sisters from other parts of the Nupe nation does not mean we have gone into extinction. The mastermind against us has seen our people spread all over the place from home because of the exclusion but today, we have said ‘enough is enough’ and they are crying ‘Fake’.
“It is important to state here also that this is not the first time the Natives have agitated for recognition and inclusion in the affairs of Lokoja. This agitation created the turmoil that eventually tucked Lokoja under the supervision of the Ebira Division during the era of the indirect rule policy of the Colonial administrators, leading to the appointment of several Caretakers over Lokoja between 1921 and 1955 when Alh. Yahaya Mohammadu was appointed. It was a similar agitation that led to the Court case between Mohammed Bello and the late Maigari of Lokoja. This is therefore a reoccurring decimal that needs to be addressed in order to give the Natives the assurance of Government fairness and equitable attention to all” The monarch demanded.
While responding to the allegation that Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV claimed to be the custodian of the European Cemetery or the tomb sites of the deposed Emirs, said , he had told Senator Shehu Sani that if he had been aware of the intention to visit such sites earlier, he would have consulted the authorities for access, but only guided him to the custodians of the tombs, the natives who have true historical facts about relics, location and information of Lokoja.
“To this end, we are using this medium to appeal once again to our humane and indefatigable Governor Ododo to consider our plea for Government recognition and the grading of our Stool – ‘The Etsu Lokoja’ to create balance and forestall any future intimidation, harassment, marginalisation and attacks against our peace loving people in the name of lack of Government recognition.
“We also wish to appeal to our able and dynamic Security Agencies not to relent in their efforts to fish out the perpetrators and sponsors of the arson against the premises of the Palace of the Etsu Lokoja – HRH Dauda Shelika Nyamkpa – IV in which his car was burnt beyond redemption and to be brought to justice.
“It is important to note that the continuous harassment of our people by some Lokoja indigenous Unions is not healthy for Lokoja, the State Capital city. Therefore, we appeal to the Government to put them in check and hold them responsible for any breakdown of law and order or destruction of lives or properties because of their inciting utterances against the native Nupe of Lokoja” He solicited.
