By Usman Shuaibu
The Abuja original inhabitants, comprising of Gade, Ganagana, Amwamwa, Bassa, Egbira, Gbagyi, Gbari, Gwandara and Koro in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called on the government of the day to take into consideration the original inhabitants of Abuja, in the scheme of things in the territory.
Barrister George Koce, who made the call while delivering a lecture entitled: “Negotiating the Destiny of Unborn original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory Abuja”, as a Guest speaker during the occasion of the 3rd heritage day organized by the Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA), at the weekend in Kuje.
Koce frowned at the manner in which the farmlands of the Abuja inhabitants were being seized by the government without any compensation package.
In particular, he called on the FCT Administration to give priority attention to the education of Abuja inhabitants by providing the scholarship for their youths, so as to enable them to further their education.
He further urged the FCT Administration to give special treatment to the Abuja inhabitants in the area of job opportunities, in order to enable them feel truly as the original inhabitants of the FCT.
The Guest speaker, however, advised the OIDA, most especially the highly placed individuals to come together to fight for justice so that the unborn generation would not suffer in the FCT.
On his remark, the Ona of Abaji, Alhaji Adamu Baba Yunusa, who is also the Chairman, Council of Chiefs in the FCT, said that his leadership would continue to parley with the OIDA for good in the territory.
The Monarch, appealed to the entire residents of the FCT, to always contribute their quotas towards the development and progress of their respective communities or area councils.
Earlier, in his speech, the President of the OIDA, Pastor Danladi Jeji, said that his administration would not hesitate to fight for the needs of the association in the territory.
He called on both executives and members to work towards the progress of the association, noting that the association is established to arrest some pending issues affecting the original inhabitants of Abuja.
Jeji therefore, pleaded with the members of the House of Representatives and the Senator representing the FCT at the National Assembly to enact laws that will have direct bearing to the Abuja residents.
Giving their separate goodwill messages, the special Guest of Honour, Dr. Sarah Jibrin and the Gomo of Kuje (second class chief), Alhaji Haruna Tanko Jibrin, urged FCT residents to embrace peace at all times.
Peoples Daily reports that the occasion which featured the launching of N200million education endowment fund for the Abuja inhabitants was deserted by the six Area Council Chairmen, the FCT members of the House of Representatives and the senator representing the FCT, Hon. Philip Tanimu Aduda.
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