By Queen Kunde
The call for recognition, justice, and cultural preservation rang loud in Bwari on Tuesday as the Attachi People’s Initiative hosted a landmark Enlightenment and Sensitization Workshop on the Political, Economic, and Cultural Rights of the FCT Original Inhabitants.
Held at the palace of the Esu of Bwari and supported by the MacArthur Foundation alongside CHRICED, the event gathered elders, women, youth, persons with disabilities, and community leaders for what organizers described as a turning point in the struggle of the Federal Capital Territory’s native peoples.
“This is more than an awareness session — it is a vital call to action,” declared Mrs. Grace Sabelo, speaking on behalf of the Initiative’s Executive Director, Ms. Serah Tukurah.
In his keynote address, respected scholar Dr. Theophilus Tanko Chikudu, PhD, urged government recognition of the FCT’s Original Inhabitants but also pressed communities to preserve their own heritage from within. “Recognition is given to what is documented,” he said, stressing the need for record-keeping, language use, and cultural practice at home.
Panel discussions and testimonies from community voices highlighted long-standing challenges, from land displacement to the erosion of indigenous languages. Speakers including Comr. J.H. Awoyi, Mrs. Tanko Ladi, and Mallam Adaki Abdullah called for unity, consistent cultural gatherings, and the passing on of traditions to younger generations.
The Katampe Chief, delivering a goodwill message, charged participants to move beyond words into concrete action: “Dialogue must lead to practice in our daily lives.”
The workshop ended with a renewed sense of solidarity, setting the stage for what many described as a movement to protect the political, economic, and cultural rights of the FCT’s Original Inhabitants — and to ensure their legacy endures in Nigeria’s capital for generations to come.
Discussion about this post