Int’l Day Of World’s Indigenous Peoples: AEIG urges action on Abuja indigenes’ plight

By Stanley Onyekwere

The Abiodun Essiet Initiative for Girls (AEIG), a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has called for strategic action on tackling issues affecting original inhabitants in Abuja, the Federal Capital (FCT) particularly women, who have been marginalised and neglected for decades.

This call, was on the heels of commemoration of  this year’s United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples across the universe.

AEIG Executive Director, Essiet Abiodun made this assertion yesterday, during a stakeholders’ town hall meeting on issues affecting FCT original inhabitant women, organised to mark the Day, in Abuja.

Abiodun said “The burden is on us all to speak truth to power and raise awareness concerning issues affecting the original inhabitants in FCT especially women, who are among the most marginalized and discriminated group of people in the world.

“The indigenous women of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja have suffered both socioeconomic and political neglect since the capital of Nigeria was moved from Lagos to Abuja, and their ancestral land was taken from them which were their major source of income as they depend on farming to earn a living. 

“These women had to bear the brunt of the pain of societal issues and gender bias, with vulnerability given the extent of statutory rights and other forms of discrimination that often apply in relation to gender. From the brunt of demolition to the socio-economic marginalisation and political right entrenchment of original inhabitants of FCT, the women have been most affected by these issues.

“The marginalization of the original inhabitants of FCT is evident in their everyday life and even more evident among vulnerable groups.

“Aside area councils where the original inhabitants get most of the elective positions, they are sparsely represented in appointive positions in the Federal Capital Territory Administration and not even represented at the Federal Cabinet unlike other states of the federation; and even worse for the indigenous women as they are the minority of the minority in politics and governance”.

She continued: “The urbanization of the Capital City directly impacted on the local economy: farming, animal rearing, crafts and marketing.

“Women have always been critical in the rural economy, particularly in porting back harvest and marketing them, potting, knitting and weaving industries. Pottery was the monopoly of women.

“Also, constant demolitions of markets and structures operated by the indigenous women without making available alternatives have seen their economic fortune dwindle over the years.”

The event themed: “The role of indigenous women in preservation and transmission of traditional knowledge”, was graced by some indigenous traditional rulers and hundreds of women drawn from various FCT indigenous communities.”