Former Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, Chief James Alabi Okai has stated that traditional rulers played key role in abolition of slave trade in the colonial times, saying that they were directly involved in colonial masters’ day to day administration.
He stated this on Saturday while he was being inaugurated as the ‘Okwu-Attah Igala’ in Abuja by HRH, Attah Igala, Dr Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni II.
Chief Okai in his speech, explained that traditional rulers played strategic role in colonial and neo-colonial administration in the maintenance of law and order, a situation he said was not difficult to stop slave trade across Africa when it became necessary to end slavery in the society at that time.
“In the colonial times, under the indirect rule system, the British Colonial administration in Nigeria used the traditional rulers to for the maintenance of law and order in their domains.
“Traditional rulers also played a critical role in the abolition of slave trade, human sacrifice, trial by ordeal and other inhuman practices that existed in the society at that time.”
The Attah Igala, and Chairman of Kogi State Council of traditional rulers, Dr Michael Idakwo Ameh Oboni II stressed that Igala people in today’s North Central Nigeria have been living and noted for bravery before the colonial administration.
He said the geographical settlement of Igala people by the rivers Niger and Benue exposed them to all forms of wars by the invaders which they won, recalling that in 1515, they engaged in supremacy battle with the Benin Kingdom in the present day Edo State and defeated them.
The paramount ruler explained that it was only the Kingdom that had soldiers who engaged in wars to maintain peace and order, adding that those soldiers no longer exist, except its traditional Navy which exist till date as a result of the Kingdom’s proximity to river banks.
The Attah ruled out insinuations in some quarters that the Igala people are Minority tribe in today’s Nigeria, noting that the people lives beyond the boundaries of Kogi State.
According to him, it wasn’t accidental that Kogi State where Igala people lives was blessed with mineral resources above any state in Nigeria, while calling on government to tap the resources as a way of diversifying the economy.
“Contrary to widespread belief that we are minority. Igala is not a minority tribe in Nigeria. They settled in Kogi and the surrounding states.
“Before the colonial times, Igala fought wars and conquered territories because they have soldiers on their own. Even in 1515, Attah fought Benin Kingdom and subdued them.”
He eulogised the former Custom boss, for his commitment to the nation while in service, saying that with his inauguration as Onu Igala of FCT, he would be the Ambassador of the Kingdom.
