From the achieves
By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
On the 30th of June,1978 at about 21:40hrs,at conference Hall of Kogi Local Government Authority’s Secretariat, a meeting of the Kwara State Chieftaincy Panel was opened,with Justice Ekundayo as the chairman, to listen to petitioners who submitted memorandums and defend its contents .
A three man delegation include; Mr Victor Angulu Ndalugi,The Makama of Lokoja,Dr Bashir S. Yusuf,Waziri of Lokoja and Mr Joseph A. Ogbeha, represented Lokoja,appeared before the panel to defend their memo.
The delegates had,in their prayers to the panel to His Excellency, the military Governor of Kwara state, COL Sunday Ifere,and his government for considerations, and approval.
(1)That we are praying to His Excellency, and his Government through this panel to consider as a matter of of right ,and to approve the return of the sixteen miles stretch of Land,laying between the Mimi River that’s four miles from Lokoja to Baraga Village on Lokoja- Okene road,including all the existing villages along same route; which hitherto were part of,and belong to Lokoja town Council Area,now Kogi Division of Kwara state back to Lokoja where they belonged.
(2)That the Approvals of and appointments of all future Maigaris of Lokoja,be confined to the three following ruling houses which has been accepted by the community as the recognised ruling Houses:
(1) Jacob Meaux,Musa Maigari
(2)Bukar Abiga
(3)Muhammadu Maikarfi
(3)That a body to be known and called” KING MAKERS” whose duties shall be to select,and recommend to the Government of the day,suitable candidate from one of the ruling houses mentioned above which duty is to produce a candidate to be appointed the maigari of Lokoja.
(4)That we are praying the Government of Kwara state through this panel to approve the building of a suitable palace for occupation by all future Maigaris and,
(5)That the status and the office of the Maigari be up- graded from the 2rd class he now hold to 1st class bearing in mind progress made so far in various field of development in the town ,and its soaring population in the recent time.
The five prayers were ably presented and defended by the three delegation to the panel with number of documents to support their and memorandum .
QUESTION TIME;
A questioner: How did Jacob Meaux,a Sierra Leonian become the chief of Lokoja?
Answer: Jacob Meaux, was brought to Lokoja by one Major Grant,as a interpreter,was not a Sierra Leonian
Question; Nasidi; May I know,if apart from the three ruling Houses mentioned to the panel,there are others?
Answer: There are others,but not recognised as Maigaris, but mere caretakers
Question; Can you give us their names?
Answer; Yes(1) Maman Kpanda(2)Saba Kanda(3)Bukar Kakanda(4)Ndeji Mamudu (5)Sharu Kwara(6)Bako Babenete(7)Ahmadu Dekina,the father of the questioner (Alh Nasidi), for the information of the panel,the questioner is already a ward Head in one of the ward in Lokoja town and has long been enjoying the sweet office vacated by his late father
.
The sitting of the panel was brought to a close about 1;45 hours, Sunday morning.3rd of July,1978.
Joseph A. Ogbeha was a Commissioner in Kwara state, from 1967-1975.
