All roads led to Abuja on Saturday as the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) joined forces with a coalition of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Indigenous Associations to host a grand cultural rally in commemoration of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples.
The colourful celebration, themed “Celebrating Identity, Preserving Heritage”, turned the city into a vibrant canvas of culture and tradition.
A dynamic procession of nine FCT Indigenous groups proudly showcased their distinct traditional attire, cuisine, dance steps and other attractions, drawing the attention of residents and visitors alike.
Africa Director of the MacArthur Foundation, Dr. Kole Shettima, expressed delight at partnering with CHRICED and the indigenous associations to make this year’s event memorable.
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Shettima urged FCT’s Original Inhabitants (OIs) to seize the momentum, particularly in the build-up to the 2027 general elections, to press home their demands.
“This is the time to speak boldly on land restitution, political inclusion, and economic empowerment,” Shettima said.
CHRICED Calls for Land Restitution, Political Inclusion, and Economic Empowerment
In his address, CHRICED’s Executive Director, Dr. Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said the event was more than a celebration, it was a bold statement that the voices of the FCT’s Original Inhabitants could no longer be silenced.
“Today, we honour the nine tribes and 17 chiefdoms whose ancestral wisdom, cultural vibrancy, and resilience shaped this land long before it became Nigeria’s seat of power. But we also confront a painful truth: the Original Inhabitants have been pushed to the margins of the city they birthed,” he said.
Zikirullahi lamented decades of land dispossession, where ancestral lands were seized without consultation, compensation, or restitution, replaced by government buildings, luxury estates, and commercial centres.
“They have suffered political exclusion — denied the right to elect a governor or legislators, and sidelined in governance, policy, and leadership,” he added.
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Zikirullahi called on the Federal Government to ensure land restitution and fair compensation for displaced communities, guarantee political inclusion through affirmative representation and policy reform and promote economic empowerment via targeted investments, education, and job creation.
The Executive Director thanked the MacArthur Foundation and all allies for their solidarity.
and stewardship preserves the dignity of our heritage.
He encouraged the FCT indigenous communities to rise with courage, creativity, and conviction to shape a future where their identity is not just acknowledged, but celebrated and respected.
FCT Lawmaker Slams Elites for Shunning Cultural Rally
On his part, Hon. Obika Chinedu, member of the House of Representatives for Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency, faulted indigenous political elites for failing to identify with the Abuja Original Inhabitants (OIs) during Saturday’s cultural rally in the FCT, describing their absence as “shameful.”
Speaking at the event, Chinedu said he expected all six local council chairmen, indigenous mandate secretaries, and other top political office holders of FCT origin to attend the rally in solidarity with their people.
“I expect all six local councils’ chairmen, indigenous mandate secretaries, and other top political officials to be here today to identify with you people, but they refused. So if they don’t come here, what will they be saying somewhere else? If we cannot protect our culture, we cannot protect our land,” he said.
The lawmaker stressed that the rally would send a strong signal to the Federal Government that the Abuja OIs are the true natives of the capital and “are going nowhere.”
Chinedu revealed that his proposed bill for the establishment of the Original Inhabitants Resettlement and Compensation Agency had passed its first reading at the National Assembly.
“Because of indigenous people, the first bill I presented at the National Assembly was for the Original Inhabitants Resettlement and Compensation Agency. It has passed first reading, and once we move to second reading, we will be there in full force,” he said.
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He also disclosed that he had taken the Federal Character Commission to court over what he described as unjust allocation of employment opportunities, while confirming that the OIs’ demands were being tabled in the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
The lawmaker commended CHRICED and the coalition of indigenous associations for organising the colourful rally and pledged to be fully involved in next year’s edition.
OIs Coalition Urges Creation of Abuja State, Fair Recognition
Also speaking, Coordinator of the FCT Coalition, Engr. Shittu Chidawa, said while other states were demanding amenities like roads and water, the Abuja OIs were still fighting for basic recognition nearly five decades after the relocation of the capital.
He pushed for the adoption of former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s recommendation to split the FCT into two entities, 2,000 square kilometres for the federal capital and the remaining 6,000 square kilometres for an “Abuja State” with its own governor and assembly.
Also speaking, the Sariki Pai, Alhaji Dr. Bala Adamu Isah, threw his weight behind the demands, insisting that justice and recognition were long overdue.
The cultural rally featured a grand parade of the nine tribes, spirited cultural performances, an exhibition tour, and a funfair that blended entertainment with advocacy.