The leaders and elders of Nupe in Lokoja, under the auspices of the Lokoja Indigenous Peoples’ Union, have said that “there is no traditional ruler with the title of Etsu Lokoja or Etsu Nupe Lokoja.”
Addressing journalists yesterday by Rajab Naibi Dan Maje of Lokoja and Secretary Waziri Hasken Nupe Chairman and Barr. Sayadi Abubakar Ebaiye, Secretary, Nupe Community Lokoja, said they are challenging Mr Emmanuel Dauda Shelika, who recently proclaimed himself as a traditional ruler with the title of “Etsu Lokoja or Etsu Nupe Lokoja.” The group stressed that he appointed himself unilaterally, and since then, he has been parading himself in the news media in that capacity.
“Since immemorial, we have never had any chieftaincy title known as Etsu Lokoja or Etsu Nupe Lokoja. So, the claim by Mr Emmanuel Dauda Shelika that he is a descendant of the bearer of that title who, according to him, was once a chief of Lokoja is a fallacy. This much has been affirmed by our respected Courts, from the High Court of Justice Holden at Koton Karfi all the way through the Court of Appeal Abuja to the Supreme Court of Nigeria.
“Mr Emmanuel Shellka had neither sought nor obtained our prior consent before he formed an association known as “Nupe Natives of Lokoja Development Association” with which he has been collecting donations from his unsuspecting victims, purportedly on our behalf, but quite certainly without our knowledge. He has been transmitting his personal opinion to the government with the letterhead papers of that association just to create a false impression that it is the collective opinion of the Nupe Natives/ indigenes of Lokoja. For that reason, we, the Nupe indigenes of Lokoja, have written several letters to the government and relevant agencies from 2023 to date to create awareness of his activities and motives.
“In swift response to our letters, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Lokoja local government promptly suspended those activities, at various times, with the collaboration of the security agencies, in the overall interest of peace in the state. We sincerely appreciate the government for always taking prompt action on the matter.
“Mr Emmanuel Shelika is also an impostor by claiming to be a custodian of the European Cemeteries in Lokoja and the tombs of deceased Northern Emirs who were deposed by the colonial government and banished to Lokoja.
“His claim was most visible during the recent visit of Senator Shehu Sani to those tombs, as well as Mr Shelika’s press releases over that visit. We, therefore, wish to use this medium to advise prospective tourists who intend to visit those tombs to contact either the Palace of His Royal Highness, the Maigari of Lokoja or Lokoja local government or the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Kogi Hotel and Tourism Board for Proper guidance.
“These institutions have either direct or oversight responsibilities to ensure the maintenance and preservation of those tombs, and particularly to protect them from the nefarious activities of money ritualists and hoodlums. To avoid doubt, we wish to reiterate that the descendants of those deposed emirs are very much in contact with the Maigari of Lokoja. Their representatives visit him and those tombs frequently.
“Given the above, we wish to state categorically that Mr Shelika is neither a traditional ruler nor the leader of the Nupe Natives/ Indigenes of Lokoja, and we have not mandated him to represent us, in any capacity on any matter before the government or in the public domain.
“We, therefore, advise him to comply with the order of Lokoja local government, which stops him from parading himself as a traditional ruler. In addition, he should also stop presenting himself to tourists as custodians of the historical monuments in Lokoja or even soliciting or receiving money to maintain them in his own interest.”
Recall that Mr Emmanuel Dauda Shelika referred to himself as Etsu Nupe Lokoja during a press conference to mark Nupe Day in Lokoja last December.
During the briefing, he said they wanted the government to recognize them as the earlier settlers and to recognise and grade their old existing stool of the Etsu Lokoja.
“We also want direct government access to enable us to discuss our interests ourselves. We do not want to have a go-between. We are the ones wearing the shoes and know where it pinches us. We want to tell our issues by ourselves.
“We want to be able to participate in government affairs, like security matters and the architecture, because we may have useful information.
“Also, in the Local Government Traditional Council, we want to be a part of it because we are a community of people spread all over the place and town. If you look at other cosmopolitan areas, the natives are never sidelined but are important players in the system.”
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