PDP chieftain, Dr. Ahmadu Ali says Igala Kingdom’s power allowed settlers, took 30 years to assemble documents
Dr. Ahmadu Ali, former National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), revealed that it took him 30 years to assemble the documents that were tendered as evidence in court, which led to the judgment affirming the Igala Kingdom’s ownership of Ajaokuta, Lokoja, and Kotonkarfe. This extensive documentation was crucial in securing the court’s ruling in favor of the Igala Kingdom’s territorial claims
Ali, a traditional title holder as Ochada Attah Igala, stated that the Attah Igala exercised jurisdiction over the affected areas up to present-day Southern Kaduna, ruling out any contestation outside the Igala Kingdom.
He emphasized that the Igala Kingdom was very powerful historically but was later balkanised, which allowed settlers to move in
According to him, the visiting Europeans into what is today known as Niger area sought the Attah Igala consent to abode, a situation that gave rise to agreement which they couldn’t fulfill.
“The Attah institution was so powerful at the early stage, according to available records, the Attah Igala was controlling up to Southern Kaduna.
“During the Quororofo era, Quororofo is what is now known as Quararafa, the corrupt version of the original group name.
“The balkanization that led to the ceding of many lands to several settlers was inevitable.
The intention was to usher in development and grant people some measure of autonomy.
“This was actually a big leverage for the small new ethnic groups that have no kingdom.
This is was civilisation is all about, to give people peace and freedom to live freely.
“At the early stage, the Jukuns were the major dominant tribe of the entire hemisphere before the Othman Danfodio led rebellion and later made the place the Othman Empire.
“All the villages both side of the River Nigerr down to Onitsha and to Baro were initially established by the Igala people.
“The Igalas are scattered every where along the North Central zone.
“Some are in Plateau, some in Nasarawa, Benue, Anambara, Delta, Edo, Kwara and Niger state respectively, it is not possible to claim all these areas now.
In an exclusive interview with CAPITAL POST in Abuja, Ali, a retired colonel and medical doctor, explained that the Uthman Danfodio troops attempted to overrun the Igala Kingdom but suffered heavy casualties, which made them beat a retreat. He said the modern-day ‘Koton-Karfe’ was a corrupt lingual pronouncement of ‘Akpoto Karfi’ by the Uthman Danfodio soldiers after they were defeated by the Attah warriors.
“The ownership of Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Koton Karfe is not in doubt. The facts and documents are available, because it is a recent matter.
“The name Koton Karfi originated from the Othman war. The Othman soldiers in their attempt to overrun the Attah Kingdom suffered seriously in the hands of the Igala warriors.
“The Attah fighters were using ordinary raw energy to beat and strangulate them and the few survivors ran back and told their people back home that those Akpoto suna de Karfi, meaning those people are powerful.
“If not, the area ownership is never in contest. Thiis not an issue of land dispute. It is just to put the record straight, but not that anybody will be driven or made to lose their economic and political rights.
We are brothers and one extended family in Kogi state. Everyone who is a Kogite is from Attah-Igala, who is not only the Chairman of Igala Traditional Council, but the entire state is under his control traditionally.
“Tell the chief that he is disagreeing with the Attah-Igala as the Chairman Kogi State Traditional Council.
The Igu people should feel free and continue to live in peace with their Igala folks.
Same with Oworo people, others in Lokoja and the entire people of Ajaokuta that there is nothing to fear at all, we are all one large family”, Ali maintained.
