Niger State Indigenes In Kaduna Seek Government Recognition for Etsu Lokoja Title”

By Idris Tijjani

Kogi residents in Kaduna State, under the Niniji Nupe Development Association (NNDA), have appealed to Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to recognize the Etsu Lokoja title of the native Nupe of Lokoja. The association emphasized that the Nupe people are the first settlers in Lokoja, founded by Nyamkpa, a Nupe warrior, before the end of the 1700s.

The association’s president, Mr. Fredrick Nyabam, expressed concerns over the recent physical and media attacks on the Etsu, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika, Nyamkpa IV. They clarified that HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV is the rightful Etsu Lokoja, installed on January 23, 2024, at Mount Pati.

The association demands fair treatment, recognition, and grading of the Etsu Lokoja stool, which has existed for centuries. They also seek justice for the unwarranted attack on the Etsu Lokoja’s premises and appeal for security agencies to bring perpetrators to book.

The association stated that the insinuations surrounding the stool of Etsu Lokoja have become worrisome, and the need to state the obvious has become inevitable. They emphasized that Lokoja is not a ‘No Man’s Land’ and that the Nupe people have played host to the British and other ethnic groups resident in the community.

The association also clarified that HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV did not make himself Etsu Lokoja, but was unanimously chosen and installed by the native Nupe of Lokoja. They stressed that enough is enough and that their silence, patience, and tolerance should not be taken for granted.

The association demanded that Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo grant their request for government recognition and grade the long-existing stool of ‘ETSU LOKOJA’, having existed for centuries well ahead of every other stool in Lokoja. They also appealed for an end to the harassment, marginalization, and intimidation of their people by other ethnic groups.

In conclusion, the Niniji Nupe Development Association emphasized their commitment to peaceful coexistence and their desire to promote their culture freely without interference. They pledged their unalloyed commitment to the administration of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo and sought his intervention in addressing their grievances.