The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) and the University of Abuja (UniAbuja) are set to honour Abuja’s Indigenous midwives and celebrate the cultural heritage of the Federal Capital Territory’s Original Inhabitants.
Grassroots Parrot reports that the event is part of activities marking the 2026 United Nations World Indigenous Peoples Day.
This was contained in a statement issued on Saturday and signed by the Publicity Coordinator of the event, Kolawole Omoniyi, who said the commemoration would focus on the contributions of Indigenous midwives to preserving life, cultural identity and traditional knowledge among the Original Inhabitants of the FCT.
The event, scheduled for Monday, August 10, 2026, at the Convocation Ground of the University of Abuja, New Site, will be organised by CHRICED in partnership with the University of Abuja and FCT Original Inhabitant Organisations, with support from the MacArthur Foundation.
According to Omoniyi, the commemoration will be held under the global theme, “Honouring Indigenous Midwives: Safeguarding Life and Well-being,” and the locally aligned theme, “Celebrating Indigenous Midwives: Preserving Abuja Original Inhabitants Identity in a Changing World.”
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The publicity coordinator said the celebration was designed to recognise Indigenous women who had, for generations, served as the first hands to welcome new life, comfort mothers and preserve traditional knowledge within their communities.
“Indigenous midwives are more than birth attendants. They are custodians of ancestral knowledge and an important link between the identity of Abuja’s Original Inhabitants and the changing realities of the modern capital,” Omoniyi said.
He explained that Indigenous midwifery practices, deeply rooted in tradition, spirituality and community knowledge, represented an important part of the cultural heritage of the FCT that deserved recognition and preservation.
“Honouring these women is not simply about celebrating the past. It is also about recognising the knowledge they carry, promoting maternal health equity and ensuring that the cultural identity and voices of Abuja’s First Peoples are not lost,” he said.
The statement disclosed that the event would bring together traditional rulers, diplomats, government officials, development partners, civil society organisations and cultural custodians to discuss Indigenous rights, cultural preservation and community resilience.
According to the statement, the celebration would feature cultural displays, testimonies and conversations highlighting the experiences and contributions of Indigenous communities across the FCT.
“The event will provide a platform to celebrate the nine Indigenous tribes of the FCT by showcasing their languages, traditional attire, music, dances and oral histories,” Omoniyi said.
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He added that the commemoration would also draw attention to the challenges confronting Indigenous communities, including displacement, marginalisation and cultural erosion, while highlighting efforts to strengthen Indigenous rights and cultural education.
Omoniyi further stated that the University of Abuja had emphasised the importance of documenting and respecting Indigenous knowledge systems, including traditional midwifery, and ensuring that such knowledge was considered within broader development frameworks.
He said the event would therefore serve both as a celebration of Indigenous heritage and a call for stronger action to preserve the identity, knowledge and rights of Abuja’s Original Inhabitants.
“Indigenous knowledge is an invaluable asset. We must ensure that it is documented, respected and preserved for future generations while creating space for Indigenous communities to participate meaningfully in decisions that affect their lives and heritage,” Omoniyi said.
The event is scheduled to commence at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, August 10, 2026, at the Convocation Ground, University of Abuja, New Site (Main Campus).