Maureen Okpe
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), has made a strong call for the recognition and empowerment of Nigeria’s Indigenous peoples, particularly the Original Inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The organization made the call during the 2025 United Nations International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples Media Symposium held at the University of Abuja.
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The symposium, with theme “Empowering Indigenous Voice: Promoting Indigenous Rights and Preserving Culture,” drew together traditional rulers, civil society leaders, development partners, media professionals, scholars, and youth activists.
Delivering his opening remarks at the event, the Executive Director of CHRICED, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, decried the continued marginalisation of FCT’s Indigenous communities.
Zikirullahi emphasised the urgent need to promote their rights, amplify their voices, and preserve their cultural heritage.
He noted that the theme is not only globally relevant but also speaks directly to the historic and ongoing injustices suffered by the Nine Tribes and Seventeen Chiefdoms that make up the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory.
“Abuja is a paradox,” he stated. “It stands as a symbol of national unity, yet its original inhabitants remain on the fringes of political and cultural recognition.
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“Their lands have been taken, their traditions sidelined, and their stories excluded from the national conversation. But today, we say: no more.”
The Executive Director further described the event as more than symbolic, calling it “a platform for truth-telling, for historical correction, and for collective action.”
According to him, the role of the media is crucial in changing the narrative. “The media must become a tool for amplifying silenced voices, preserving cultural identity, and holding power accountable.”
Dr. Zikirullahi also expressed profound appreciation to the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation for their unwavering support, describing their contribution as “not only financial, it is a statement of solidarity and a catalyst for transformation.”
He reminded stakeholders that Indigenous rights are central to any just society, stating, “Empowering Indigenous communities is not a favour it is a constitutional and moral obligation. And preserving Indigenous culture is not nostalgia.
“It is a strategy for sustainable development rooted in wisdom, resilience, and diversity.”
Indigenous representatives, including community leaders, used the occasion to highlight long-standing grievances about displacement, exclusion from governance, and the erosion of cultural identity.
Chief Monday Nda Mohammed, who spoke on behalf of the Gwari people, said, “Our people have been treated as strangers in our ancestral land. We have watched others benefit from our dispossession while we are denied basic rights and recognition. This must end.”
Participants called on the federal government to implement recommendations from past constitutional conferences and ensure that FCT Original Inhabitants are properly represented in policymaking and land administration.
Dr. Zikirullahi closed his remarks with a powerful appeal to conscience and action stating, “Let us listen to the voices that have long been ignored.
“Let us commit to building a future where Indigenous peoples are not just remembered but respected; not just consulted, but empowered.”
The 2025 UN Indigenous Peoples Day Symposium served as a rallying point for dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy, setting the stage for renewed efforts to restore dignity and justice to Indigenous communities in Abuja and across Nigeria.