FCT Natives Mourn Iconic Gbagyi Leader Daudu Jezhi

Original natives of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) under the auspices of Original Inhabitants Development Association of Abuja (OIDA) and the Karu Gbagyi Development Association (KAGBADA) have announced the passing of Chief Daudu Jezhi, the Adogon Karu, a revered FCT community leader, international businessman and icon of the Gbagyi people across the FCT and beyond.

Jezhi, who only recently lost his wife, died leaving behind a legacy of resistance, resilience and unwavering commitment to the original inhabitants of Nigeria’s capital city.

In a press statement signed by Pastor Danladi Jeji, president of OIDA, the association described the late chief as a critical figure in the struggle to keep indigenous communities on their ancestral lands following the creation of the FCT in 1976.

“Chief Jezhi is one of those who played a critical role in insisting that FCT Original Inhabitants will not move out of the territory following the pronouncement of the new Federal Capital Territory in 1976 by General Murtala Muhammed.

“Using his training acquired during his professional education in London, United Kingdom, he insisted alongside other likeminds that his beloved Karu and other neighbouring communities will not relocate out of the newly established Federal Capital as no one is more of a Nigerian citizen than another especially because it is the Federal Capital that met them on their ancestral lands, not otherwise.

“He vowed to stay behind while others were being coerced to relocate with or without compensation, a move that constantly pitched him with the Federal Government and other authorities but which he has been vindicated till date,” he stated.

Describing Jezhi as a defender of the defenceless, an oak tree of refuge for many and a hero of the people, Jeji said they will never forget his sacrifices for the original inhabitants of Nigeria’s FCT.

“We join all our people, home and abroad in mourning the departure of the Adogon Karu. May his soul rest in peace and may God comfort us all,” he said.

Separately, the Karu Gbagyi Development Association (KAGBADA) issued its own heartfelt tribute, mourning what it called “the great Iroko of Karu Chiefdom.”

Sumner Shagari Sambo, president of KAGBADA, described the late chief as “the custodian of the unadulterated history of Karu and a defender of our beloved town and chiefdom.”

“We have lost a father, a mentor, a shield for many, community defender, FCT mobiliser and international statesman.

“While you weren’t perfect, just like any one of us, Baba Salasi, you were a great man of unimpeachable character. When others chose the easiest route, you stood behind to build and fight for Karu till the end, to secure the community and its throne.

“The memory of the righteous is blessed’ (Proverbs 10:7). You came, you saw and you conquered. Safe journey to meet our ancestors Baba Salasi, the great Adogon Karu. We will surely miss you indeed. Adieu!” he stated.

Community leaders note that Chief Jezhi’s influence extended far beyond the FCT, reaching Gbagyi communities in Kaduna, Plateau, and other states within the broader Gbagyi nation.

His training in London equipped him with a unique perspective that he deployed in defending the rights of his people against displacement.

As tributes continue to pour in, the late chief is remembered as a rural mobiliser, entrepreneur, thought leader, and an icon who refused to abandon his ancestral home when relocation pressures mounted nearly five decades ago.