By Our Reporter
The Network of Journalists on Indigenous Issues (NEJII) has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to address some burning issues affecting the rights of Abuja Original Inhabitants (AOIs), warning that his administration needed to urgently take immediate steps to deal with the lingering expectations of the original owners of Abuja to avoid a possible crisis.
NEJII made the call in an open letter signed by its officials, Adewale Adeoye and Usman Bako and addressed to President Tinubu, saying that the letter was motivated by a weeklong tour of indigenous communities spread across over 800 locations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
According to the group, visits to the ancient communities showed that the indigenous people face challenges that include but not limited to forceful displacement from their ancestral land, forceful occupation without compensation, destruction of ancient and sacred temples and ancestral worship places and the lack of political and economic recognition in the FCT, declaring that Abuja Indigenous peoples were living in the most horrendous socio-political situation.
"We visited these ancient communities and we have a message for the President. The indigenous people face challenges that include but not limited to forceful displacement from their ancestral land, forceful occupation without compensation, destruction of ancient and sacred temples and ancestral worship places and the lack of political and economic recognition in the FCT.
"The indigenous people of Abuja are Koro, Ganagana, Gbade, Ebira, Nupe, Gbayi, Bassa, Gwandara, Amwamwa and others. The group said the communities felt that by the single action of appointing Abuja indigenous person as a Federal Minister, the President has left a remarkable threshold with the impression that he understands the problem and can do more by addressing institutional and legal bottlenecks to the true freedom and prosperity of the people.
"Though they own and live in Abuja, their children have no access to education, communities still fetch water from the filthy pond, youths have no jobs, communities have no access to health centres, the roads to rural communities are in terrible conditions and lately, trees and forests which are the sources of our health and energy to prepare food are being destroyed by various interests claiming to be representing the Government.
"They have been driven to the extreme edge of human survival living in agony and anguish with hope being the main source of their survival," the group said in the letter that was delivered to the Special Assistant (SA) to the President on Media (SA) Media, Mr Tunde Rahman.
The media group said about 3 million Abuja original inhabitants lived in the remotest areas of the FCT, following their displacement by various governments since the 1976 Decree took over their ancestral land without their consent.
NEJII said the leaders of the Abuja ancestral people specifically requested the letter be delivered through Mr Rahman whom they said made selfless services in honest and truthful manner to promote and advocate for justice for the indigenous people while he was the Bureau Chief of The Punch Newspapers in Abuja.
The communities described Rahman as a "dedicated, hardworking, true, honest and God fearing person who lives for the good of humanity and a great asset to Nigeria and the over 3 million indigenous people in the FCT."
The group said Abuja indigenous people were worried about the historic injustice meted to them since 1976 when the military Government of Gen. Murtala Mohammed moved the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja, sadly noting that the AOIs had been neglected, marginalised and treated as foreigners in their own birthplace.
They, however, commended President Tinubu for what they called his ‘grand-breaking record in the appointment of an Abuja Indigenous person, Hon. Zephaniah Jisalo, as a Federal Minister, being the first time in Nigerian history, which they see as a milestone that cannot be forgotten so easily but stated that the AOIs were equally concerned about the need for institutional and legal changes that greatly empower the people.
Speaking further, NEJII recalled that the AOIs had since 1976 been demanding from various governments to address historic injustice meted to them after the movement of the Federal Capital from Lagos to Abuja, saying that such demands include recognition of the economic, social and political rights of Abuja indigenous people, creation of Abuja State to advance their political and economic rights, as well as Special Funds from the FCT budget dedicated for the promotion of education and scholarships for their children.
Others include: Return of all arbitrarily seized land by the Nigerian Army and the Airforce to the AOIs or compensation for land and territories that may have been acquired by force without consultation with the original owners; Investigation of the widespread abuse on the rights of Indigenous peoples by security agencies who are found of taking over Abuja Indigenous territories, attacking and killing AOIs in the process; Free, prior and informed consent of Abuja indigenous people regarding the exploitation and exploration of the resources in their ancestral land; Special considerations to ensure job opportunities for AOIs in the FCT; Domestication of the International Labour Convention (ILO) 169 and the United Nations (UN) Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the need for the Presidency set up a Special Panel to investigate cases of unpaid compensation, displacement, destruction and seizure of ancestral land, sacred spiritual temples belonging to the Abuja Original Inhabitants, (AOIs).
NEJII, while making this call argued that the rights of indigenous people were recognized all over the world, pointing out that the UN had shown great concern about the rights of Indigenous peoples.
Of importance is the ILO Convention 169 Convention 169, also known as the Indigenous and Tribal Peoples Convention, 1989 (No. 169), an international treaty by the International Labour Organization (ILO) that protects the rights of indigenous and tribal peoples.
"Nigeria became a member of ILO in 1960. The Convention recognizes their right to their lands, cultures, and development priorities, and obligates ratifying countries to protect these rights and ensure these peoples can participate in decision-making that affects their lives.
"There is also the Universal Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UDRIP) adopted by the UN General Assembly in 2007 that sets minimum standards for the rights of indigenous peoples worldwide. It addresses both individual and collective rights, including rights to lands, territories, resources, culture, identity, and non-discrimination," the group stated.
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