• Conferment of Galadima, Turakin, Marradin is an affront, desecration of Igala’s ancestry, Groups warn

• Eje Ankpa plans to honour 43 Nigerians

The move by the Eje Ankpa, Alhaji Abubakar Sadiq Ahmed Yakubu and his traditional council to introduce and confer chieftaincy titles on some Fulani personalities residing in Ankpa, Kogi State, is generating tension among the people of Igala land and the Ankpa royal families.

Two Igala socio cultural groups, the Uja’che Rights Organization and Ane Igala Restoration (AIR) have strongly condemned the decision of the royal father advising him to drop the plan forthwith or risk being sanctioned.

The Uja’ache Rights Group in particular demanded the immediate dethronement of the Eje Ankpa for embarking on the “strange development since the history of Igala land”, saying the chieftaincy titles planned to be conferred on 43 personalities were not approved by the Ata Igala, His Royal Highness Mathew Alaji Opaluwa Oguche Akpa II.

A statement released by the Chief Press Secretary to Eje Ankpa, Rilwan Hamza on Tuesday, disclosed that the monarch was set to confer titles such as Galadima, Turakin, Marradin, Danmasani on some personalities, a development that has never been part of Igala culture.

The statement said in commemoration of the two-year anniversary on the throne and the grand coronation, which included the presentation of the staff of office on October 7, 2023, His Royal Highness, Alh. (Dr.) Abubakar Sadiq Ahmed Yakubu II, the Ejeh Ankpa and Chairman of Ankpa Traditional Council, has officially announced the conferment of chieftaincy titles upon some distinguished sons and daughters of Igalaland.

Hamza explained that “these chieftaincy titles serve as a testament to the dedication and exceptional contributions made by these individuals towards the growth and prosperity of Ankpa, Igalaland, and Nigeria.”

The Ejeh Ankpa, while expressing gratitude, acknowledged the unwavering commitment and outstanding service rendered by these honorees” adding that “they stand not only as beloved sons and daughters of Ankpa but also as cherished friends pivotal to the community’s advancement.”

The statement further said all the nominees were distinguished Nigerians who have recorded remarkable achievements in their chosen professions and careers, making a significant impact on their communities.

But reacting to the development, the Uja’ache Rights Organisation,  in a statement by its Director of Media and Publicity, Atekojo Samson Usman on Friday, accused the royal father of trying to bring Fulani oligarchs into Igala Culture and called on Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello to direct the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to immediately dethrone the monarch.

According to the group, the call became necessary as tension was gradually building up preluding crisis among the royal families of Onu Ankpa, Onu Ogugu, Onu Imane, Onu Ojukwu, Onu Enjema and Onu Atabaka who are the royal lineage to the stool of Eje.

Uja’ache Rights Organisation revealed that a proposal to introduce Fulani oligarchy into the Eje traditional seat had been declined by the late Ata Igala, Dr Idakwo Ameh Oboni, wondering why the current Eje insisted on crowning Fulani settlers, an action that could generate crisis in future.

Also reacting, a group operating under the aegis of Ane Igala Restoration, AIR, has rejected the conferment of titles on non-Igala persons by the Ankpa traditional Council, recalling that Igala Kingdom fought the Hausa Fulani subjugation in the past.

In a statement which was signed by Apostle Ocholl Ekpe Odekina, National President (AIR) and Salifu Oguche Usman, Deputy National Secretary, the group pointed out dangers inherent in conferring “Fulani titles” on personalities against Igala Culture and against the will of the ruling houses, stressing that it would breed anarchy in future.

The AIR called on Eje to stop the conferment of Fulani titles, noting that traditional rulers are the custodian of culture and going ahead would mean abuse of culture which will place Ankpa on a keg of gun powder.

Part of the statement made available to newsmen in Lokoja on Friday read: “May we state in passing that the Ankpa traditional institution as personified by the stool of Eje of Ankpa was created by the Military Administration of old Kwara state in 1974 for the Atiyele ruling dynasty of the Igala Nation on the Eastern flank of Ane Igala.

“Historically, the stool was established by an Edict to assuage some feelings of non inclusiveness in traditional representation amongst the Igalas of the old Ankpa Division and meant to rotate amongst the oldest traditional stools of Onu Ife, Onu Ankpa, Onu Ogugu, Onu Imane, Onu Ojukwu, Onu Enjema and Onu Atabaka.

“Suffice to state that it was and it remains a wholly Igala stool with no Fulani affiliation or colouration whatsoever and that the subsequent balkanization of the old Ankpa Division with the creation of Ankpa, Omala and Olamaboro respectively came with the replication of the Eje stool at Olamaboro which is to be rotated amongst the Onu Ogugu, Onu Imane and Onu Atabaka while Ojogba of ife retains the permanent leadership of Omala Eje stool. Eje of Ankpa remains rotational between Onu Ojokwu, Onu Ankpa and Onu Enjema.

“We wish to put it on records that the foregoing facts are contained in historical legal documents and that the continued monopoly of the stool of Eje of Ankpa by the offspring of the first Eje of Ankpa, Alhaji Yakubu Adaji is a mere happenstance and a gesture of unique tolerance and understanding by the contending ruling houses within the Ankpa traditional domain.

“If the foregoing historical account is well taken, Ane Igala Restoration wishes to state that she is bewildered by the action of the present Eje of Ankpa and the Ankpa traditional council who holds the beads of Ankpa people and Igala land but yet choose to wilfully concede Igala land to the Hausa Fulani oligarchy without any request or contention, by abandoning Igala traditional values, identity, ethos, spirits and mannerisms and in its place embracing those of the Hausa Fulani oligarchy.”