BY EMMA PETER, ABUJA
Indigenous leaders and stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called for greater unity, collaboration and economic inclusion among the original inhabitants of Abuja, stressing the need to look beyond partisan politics in addressing issues affecting indigenous communities.
The call was made by the Coordinator of the Coalition of FCT Indigenous Associations, Engr. Shittu Usman Chidawa, during a meeting of indigenous leaders and stakeholders in the territory.
Chidawa described the gathering as a family meeting designed to provide an opportunity for FCT indigenous people to reflect on their identity, their place in the rapidly developing capital city and the future they desire.
According to him, the meeting was not organised along tribal, religious or political lines, but was aimed at examining how indigenous people could better position themselves to participate in the development taking place across the FCT.
“Politics without economics is very fragile,” Chidawa said, stressing that indigenous stakeholders had spent considerable time on political negotiations without giving adequate attention to the economic dimension of their presence in the nation’s capital.
He said the rapid development and population growth in Abuja had made it necessary for indigenous communities to rethink their approach and identify ways of participating meaningfully in the economic opportunities created by the expansion of the FCT.
Chidawa said the meeting was the maiden edition of the initiative and acknowledged that attendance was lower than expected, attributing the turnout partly to the busy nature of Saturdays in Abuja.
He, however, expressed satisfaction that several prominent stakeholders and pioneers of the indigenous struggle attended the meeting.
The coordinator said subsequent editions would consider more convenient dates and arrangements to encourage wider participation among indigenous people across the six area councils.
He urged residents of the FCT to see themselves first as Abuja people, regardless of tribe, religion or political affiliation, arguing that the diversity of the territory should be turned into an advantage for collective development.
Chidawa also appealed to political stakeholders, including the area council chairmen, to support the broader dialogue, noting that political office holders remain members of the communities they represent.
He explained that the initiative was not opposed to politics but sought to ensure that political differences did not undermine the common interests of FCT indigenous people.
“Politics is not everything. It is just one aspect of life to govern and represent your people,” he said.
Chidawa urged stakeholders to stop viewing people belonging to different political parties as enemies, saying political differences should not destroy relationships among members of the same community.
He said the coalition would continue to engage stakeholders and promote dialogue aimed at strengthening the voice and participation of indigenous people in the affairs and development of the FCT.
Also speaking, the APC FCT Woman Leader and FCT Coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group, Hajiya Farida Suleiman, who is from Abaji Area Council, described the meeting as significant to the future of indigenous people of the territory.
Suleiman said participants had engaged in frank and robust discussions about the challenges confronting indigenous communities and the need to collectively address them.
She said she left the meeting encouraged by the willingness of participants to confront difficult issues and work together.
According to her, the stakeholders agreed to collaborate, lobby and negotiate with relevant authorities while engaging government on the challenges facing indigenous people and possible solutions.
She said the outcome demonstrated that indigenous stakeholders could sit together, discuss their concerns openly and develop a common approach to issues affecting their future.
Chidawa also acknowledged the contributions of several stakeholders to the indigenous cause, including Gimbia Abaji, Hajiya Farida Suleiman, Hon. Dalhatu Ezekiel and the Public Complaints Commissioner, Hon. Musa Diko.
He also commended former AMAC chairman Hon. Abdullahi Adamu Candido for his continued participation in activities concerning the interests and emancipation of FCT indigenous people.
Chidawa said the presence and contributions of such leaders provided encouragement to the younger generation of stakeholders and reinforced the need for sustained dialogue.
He disclosed that the planning committee, chaired by Jethro Iliya, was responsible for organising the meeting and mobilising participants.
He reiterated that the coalition would continue to engage indigenous communities across the FCT, with the broader objective of building unity and ensuring that the people whose ancestral communities existed in the territory before its transformation into Nigeria’s capital are adequately represented in discussions about its future.
