The Etsu Lokoja, His Royal Highness Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika, Nyamkpa IV, has appealed to Kogi State Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo to officially recognize and grade the Etsu Lokoja stool.
Speaking at a press conference in Lokoja, the monarch emphasized that the Nupe people are natives of Lokoja and not mere indigenes.
He stated, “We are the earliest inhabitants of Lokoja and are not replaceable. We have a right to exist and to be included in the running of the affairs of our homeland.”
The Etsu provided an extensive historical account, asserting that Lokoja was founded before the late 1700s by Etsu Nyamkpa, also known as Cheluka or Eshida, a warlord who fled to the mountains with his people.
According to the monarch, the name “Lokoja” derives from the Oracle bird “Eluko” that guided the group to settle at Mount Pati.
He explained, “For the sake of clarity, Lokoja was founded before the end of the 1700s by Nyamkpa alias Cheluka, whom some called Eshida.
“He was the warlord of Etsu Jimada who died in the supremacy warfare between him and Etsu Majiya II.
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“With the demise of his Principal, Nyamkpa and his warriors could either be exterminated or turned slaves but rather than succumb to any of the two options, Nyamkpa decided to move his men and their families out of Gbara and finally arrived at the mountain top, first called Pati Lukongi, by the guidance of his Oracle bird called ‘Eluko’ or its short form ‘Luko.’
“The observer’s exclamation – ‘Luko-a-dza’ eventually led to the name Lokoja instead of the name Pati Lukongi.”
The monarch stressed the importance of grading the Etsu Lokoja stool to forestall marginalization and attacks against the Nupe natives.
He said, “We wish to correct their impression that Lokoja started with the British or at the point when they joined the train called Lokoja.”
He lamented a recent attack on the Palace of the Etsu Lokoja, during which his car was burned.
He urged the government to hold perpetrators accountable, stating,“The continuous harassment is not healthy for Lokoja, the state capital city.
The government should halt further harassment and hold instigators responsible for any breakdown of law and order or destruction of lives or properties because of their inciteful utterances and activities against the native Nupe of Lokoja.”
The Etsu addressed claims by groups like the Lokoja Indigenous People Union and Lokoja Patriots, which challenged his legitimacy as a traditional ruler.
He argued, “Their action clearly shows where the attack on us came from. Sadly, their ignorance of the past does not invalidate the past and its contents.
“The claim that HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV is self-appointed is false. A due process to nominate, appoint and install our Etsu Lokoja was followed.
“We widely consulted among our native people for candidates.
We identified those whose cultural and traditional mandate it is to be appointed Kingmakers and constituted them, and upon the consensus outcome of the wide consultations and the resolve of the Kingmakers, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV was nominated, appointed and installed as the Etsu Lokoja amidst the traditional rites right on the birthplace of Lokoja which is on Mount Pati on the 23rd day of January, 2024.”
The monarch emphasized that the native Nupe of Lokoja are distinct and seek recognition as stakeholders in the city’s governance.
He said, “Since we wouldn’t submit ourselves to be appointed by indigenes, to them, we are not recognized.
However, we do not need their approval to be who we are. We are a people, distinct in every sense, and we are saying no to any attempt to subjugate us under any other.”
He also highlighted the contributions of the Nupe natives to Lokoja’s development, adding, “We want to be identified in our true picture as we have always been.
“The mastermind against us has seen our people spread all over the place from home because of the exclusion, but today, we have said ‘enough is enough,’ and they are crying ‘fake.’”
The Etsu Lokoja appealed for unity while reaffirming the historical and cultural significance of the native Nupe community.
“The claim by our attackers that they are the Nupe indigenes/natives of Lokoja is not correct because no true Nupe should antagonize the Nupe natives of Lokoja,” he concluded.
