By THEANALYSTNG
The contest for the revered stool of Maigari has come and gone with the appointment of His Royal Highness Alhaji Ibrahim Gambo Kabir Maikarfi I’v as the occupant of the stool on 8th January, 2024. In the spirit of sportsmanship, some of his co- contestants have conceded defeat and even paid their allegiance to the Monarch.
One year down the ladder, while the Maigari was putting fishing touches to celebrate his one year anniversary on the throne, on the other hand, Mr SHELIKA who was one of the failed contestants of the stool was busy preparing to proclaim himself as the Etsu Nupe of Lokoja on Saturday,21st December, 2024.
The ethnic chauvinist did not mind whose ox is gored desperately wrote a letter to the Executive Chairman of Lokoja LGA requesting his approval to hold the Nupe carnival and his coronation as the Etsu Nupe of Lokoja.
Perhaps, Mr Shelika has forgotten that he was dealing with government under who the care and control of traditional rulers in the area fall. Expectedly, the Local Government boss disapproved the request, saying that the title is alien to the people of Lokoja.
Right from time immemorial, traditional institutions are revered and being held in high esteem by their subjects.
Traditional titles are the prerogatives of traditional rulers who their wisdom confer them on individuals they consider worthy in terms of lineage, character, discipline and contribution to the growth and development of their domains.
Over the years we have in place the legitimate stool of Etsu Adankolo headed by Bassan Nge that spans for several decades from ungraded to graded chief.
The occupants of the stool from the beginning to are Bassa Nge and by Shelika’s definition Nupe. The present Etsu Adankolo,Chief David has been carrying out his duties unperturbed while his relationship with other traditional rulers, especially HRH the Maigari of Lokoja in has been cordial.
Taking the above analysis into account, it is expedient to ask the rationale behind Mr Shelika’s action for proclaiming himself as the Etsu Nupe of Lokoja.
It is obvious that anybody in his right frame of mind will suggest that something is wrong somewhere.
(1) Is Mr Shelika trying to undermine the position of Etsu Adankolo who is a Bassa Nge/ Nupe as himself?
(2) Is it possible to have two tribal heads in a community?
(3)Above all, who conferred the title of Etsu Nupe of Lokoja on Mr Shelika?
Etsu Nupe is a traditional title that ought to be conferred on its holder by the paramount ruler of that community and in this context, the Maigari. You can not sit down in the comfort of your house and declare yourself a chief. By and large, Mr Shelika’s action do not only exposed his ignorance but portrayed his complete disregard for tradition of which he wants to assume its leadership.b
In the build up to occupy the vacant stool of Maigari following the demise of Alhaji Muhammadu Kabir Maikarfi 11, Mr Shelika laid claim to the Lokoja Ruling Houses. He alleged that the Nupe were the original founders/ owners of the town and its traditional stool. He made the position known in a 10 page petition he wrote to the state government, dated 16/10/2023 to give Credence to his claim.
The self imposed Etsu Nupe, had in a desperate move to achieve his age long ambition cajoled other unsuspected ethnic groups- the kakanda, Ganagana, Egganchis, kupachis and Bassa Nge to fuse into Nupe.
He stretched his tentacles to almost all the Nupe dominated or speaking towns and villages to galvanize their solidarity and support.
He and his uncivilised and uncultured cohorts had before the appointment of the new Maigari been going round collecting donations from their supposed kinsmen and mobilizing them to attend what they called the “Nupe carnival”in Lokoja.The motive behind it was to showcase their numerical strength and capacity to usurp the coveted Maigari to the world.
The plan was thwarted by some pressure groups of Lokoja Indigenous people union(LIPU), Lokoja Forum of patriots and Danko Development Forum for fear of security breach.
However, common sense proves that one can not reap where he did not show. The subject in contention(the Maigari stool) which Mr Shelika and co- travellers are working hard to collect from the rightful owners(the heirs)Viz: Musa Maigari, Abiga and Maikarfi Ruling Houses is beyond their reach. The trio had been on the throne albeit in one time or the other for almost 155years now(1870-date).
In addition, the issue they are about to reawake had passed through series of litigations and rulings from the High court, Court of Appeal and above all the supreme court. None of the courts established a trace of a debric as sign of a palace linked Shelika’s family or Bassa Nge by extension. In other words, their case is statue bar. What they are doing is just an effort in futility or could rightly be likened to an academic exercise that has no bearing in the present and the next dispensation.
Now that the Nupe community have spoken who suppose to be the back bone of Shelika led hullabaloo movement have distant themselves from his claim of Etsu Nupe of Lokoja, what’s next for him? Only time shall tell.
