The last is yet to be heard about the territorial spread of Igala Kingdom before it was allegedly scattered and fused into other Kingdoms across the country.
Former national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who holds the traditional title of Ochaja of Igala Kingdom, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, in an interview with CAPITAL POST in Abuja, said that all the villages both side of the River Niger down to Onitsha and to Baro were initially established by the Igala people.
“The Igala are scattered every 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.
“Tell the chief that is disagreeing with the Attah as the Chairman Kogi State Traditional Council. The Igu people should feel free and continue to live in peace with their Igala 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.”
The retired army general who said that it took him 30 years to assemble documents which were tendered in evidence that led to the recent Federal High Court judgment that extended Attah Kingdom up to Ajaokuta, Lokoja and Koton Karfe, claimed also that Igala Kingdom used to be in control of Southern Kaduna.
According to him, there is no contestation of the affected areas other than Igala Kingdom, saying that the Attah Igala exercised jurisdiction over those areas up to the present day Southern Kaduna.
“This 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, who is not only the Chairman of Igala Traditional Council, but the entire state is under his control traditionally.
“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 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 name Koton Karfi originated from the Othman war. The Othman soldiers in their attempt to overrun the Atta 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 survival ran back and told their people back home that those Akpoto suna de Karfi, meaning those people are powerful.”
According to Ahmadu Ali Uthman Danfodio troops attempted to overrun Igala Kingdom, but suffered heavy casualties which made them to beat a retreat.
He said the Igala Kingdom was so powerful at the time, but was balkanised at a later time that pave way for settlers.
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 of the entire hemisphere before the Othman Danfodio led rebellion and later made the place the Othman Empire.”
