•Condemn physical, media attacks on new Etsu Akamisoko
From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Kogi residents in Kaduna State under the umbrella of Niniji Nupe Development Association (NNDA) have appealed to Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo to recognise the Etsu Lokoja title for the native Nupe in Lokoja without further delay.
The Association, however, expressed displeasure over the recent physical and media attacks by some opposing groups on the Etsu, Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika, Nyamkpa IV.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna along other officials of the Association, the President, Mr Fredrick Nyabam said: “The insinuations surrounding the stool of Etsu Lokoja has become worrisome and the need to state the obvious has equally become inevitable, especially in the face of the silence of the Kogi State Government even with the assault against the Etsu Lokoja’s palace wherein his car was burnt beyond repair and the safety of life and property threatened.
“As people of history, we wish to state categorically that Lokoja is not a ‘No Man’s Land.’ It was founded before the end of the 1700 by Nyamkpa, alias Cheluka, who some called Eshida. A Nupe warrior migrated with his army and their families from Gbara near Bida in today’s Niger State of Nigeria after the death of his Commander in Chief, Etsu Jimada in 1796.
“We wish to make it clear that even the name Lokoja is Nupe, arising from a real life incidence that bother on the disappearance of Etsu Nyamkpa’s oracle, ‘Luko,’ and the circumstance that led to the disappearance is the ‘Dza’ and together, it is Luko-a-dza, which ended up being pronounced Lokoja.
“The community called Lokoja existed as a Nupe community of a specific group of Nupe, whose roots were from Gbara. Interestingly, as a people, we have played host to the British, as well as other ethnic groups that are today resident in our ancient community of Lokoja.
“Furthermore, we make it clear that Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, is our ‘Etsu Lokoja,’ having passed through due consultations among the natives, whose concern it is, prior to his nomination as our consensus candidate and having satisfied the conditions and fulfilled every traditional process, he was installed the ‘Etsu Lokoja’ by those whose cultural and traditional responsibility are to do so on January 23, 2024, at the traditional site of Lokoja, Mount Pati. A public reenactment of that installation was celebrated by the native Nupe of Lokoja on July 27, 2024, still at the same mountain top called Mount Pati. He didn’t make himself Etsu Lokoja, we the native Nupe of Lokoja unanimously made him.
“Therefore, we, the leaders of the native Nupe of Lokoja resident in Kaduna and our kith and kin all over the world under the name Niniji Nupe Development Association wishes to state that as a people, we are the natives Nupe of Lokoja, being the earliest inhabitants of the ancient community called Lokoja.
“Although the Nupe ancestry is wide and the different shades could be found in Lokoja, only the earliest of them to have inhabited Lokoja are the natives whose responsibility it is to appoint and install the Etsu Lokoja.
“That we demand fair, equitable and just treatment as enjoyed by other ethnic groups resident in Lokoja and to be included in the affairs and governance of Lokoja.
“That His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo grant the request of our people for government’s recognition and grade the long existing stool of ‘Etsu Lokoja,’ having existed for centuries well ahead of every other stool in Lokoja in order to end the harassment, marginalisation and intimidation of our people by other ethnic groups.
“That is enough harassment and intimidation of our people, the native Nupe of Lokoja. Our silence, patience and tolerance should not be taken for granted. Any attack on Etsu Lokoja is an attack on all of us, the native Nupe of Lokoja wherever we may be found.
“That henceforth, we wish to be seen and treated as a distinct, independent and rational people that has right to cultural and traditional self determination without being subjugated under any other culture and tradition and with the right to promote our culture freely without interference from any quarter, whether directly or indirectly.
“That we demand justice regarding the unwarranted attack on the premises of the Etsu Lokoja, Nyamkpa IV, and appeal that our security agencies relent not until the perpetrators and their sponsors are brought to book as a deterrent to forestall future recurrence.
“That we would continue to be peaceful and peace loving, friendly and accommodating as well as law abiding as always to ensure that the harmonious coexistence among all the residents of Lokoja is sustained since we do not have another place to which we can flee to as home.
“To this end, we continue to pledge our unalloyed commitment to the administration of His Excellency, Alh Ahmed Usman Ododo as a people that are only out to seek the good and wellbeing of our people like all the other ethnic groups.”