Idris Ahmed, Lokoja.
The unification of some Kwararafa groups adopting Egbira as a common nomenclature is a testimony of the people separated by colonial masters and inherited by subsequent Nigerian administrations.
The Egbira people in Nigeria are descendants of Kwararafa Kingdom, who are scattered across the country especially the North Central. Others from the same descent include, Idoma, Igala Jukun, Berom, Eggon, Angas, Gomei , Tarok and others .
Alhaji Musa Muhammed Maikaya, a philanthropist who aspired to be Nasarawa state governor during the last general election in 2019, said the harmonisation of the various groups of the Egbira extraction is a welcome development that will enhance unity among the people and subsequently ensure peace and development.
Alhaji Maikaya who spoke to some Journalists at the sideline of the convention of the Ohiku Egbira Development Union held in Koton karfe, Kogi state over the weekend, disclosed that the disintegrated Egbira people have realised the disadvantage in their being separated by the authorities, which he said was meant for divide and rule.
Alhaji Maikaya who is the President of the Maikaya Development Foundation, hailed the leadership of the socio-cultural organisation, the Ohiku Egbira Descendants Union, comprising all the Egbira extraction from Nasarawa, Kogi, Edo and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja for the history being repeated by harmonising all groups of the Egbira in Nigeria.
The politician cum businessman, Alhaji Maikaya, said with the attributes of the Egbira of honesty, hard work and commitment to security in all their endeavours, the unity will pave way for investments in the Egbira nation by Egbira industrialists and other friendly business concerns as all the settlements are sitting on solid minerals and natural resources.
He therefore appealed to all Egbiras in national and multi national business concerns to come up and develop the Egbira nation by establishing industries and agricultural development programmes as the people are more into such occupation.
“Fishing, farming and of course, commerce are their major occupations. Our people are not laz, very hardworking, and they accommodate good people ” Maikaya said.
He called on all the Egbira in the country to see themselves as one so as to avoid marginalisation as being witnessed as a result of the artificial fragmentation caused the colonial masters and neo colonialists Nigeria.
The Philanthropist therefore appealed to the federal and the state governments to extend all recognition accorded other ethnic groups in Nigeria to the Egbira despite their locations across the country.
It would be recalled that the Egbira was recently adopted by some ethnic groups in the country as a nomenclature. They include, the Egbura from Nasarawa state and Kotonkarfe in Kogi state, Ebira from Okene, Opete Ajaokuta and Etuno from Edo state.
