By Ologeh Joseph Chibu
For the first time since the creation of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT a Minister has been appointed from Abuja indigenous peoples by the Nigerian Government
President Bola Tinubu has forwarded the name of Zephaniah Jisalo as Ministerial nominee
It is the first time since 1976 that any indigene of Abuja has ever been appointed as a Minister not to talk of being appointed as the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, FCT
In recent times, indigenous peoples in Abuja has threatened to block the major highways leading to Abuja if the government sustains its policy of exclusion.
Mid July this year, the indigenous people took their case to the United Nations office in Switzerland where the 16th Expert Summit on Indigenous Issues held.
There are high expectations that Jisalo may be named the Minister of Federal Capital Territory.
The position has been manipulated and controlled by people who have no ancestral linkages to Abuja indigenous territories.
Hamsa Yinus, a Gbwari told Irohinoodua that the appointment made by Tinubu was the best greatest thing that has happened to Abuja indigenous peoples since 1976 when the Nigerian Military Government took the decision to relocate the capital from Lagos to Abuja.
Followinf the relocation of the capital to Abuja, many indigenous land were taken and the ancestral people relocated to neighbouring states loosing their heritage and access to their land in the process
This week Tinubu made an historical intervention when he submitted the first FCT indigene as ministerial nominee.
Jisalo is among the 19 fresh Ministerial nominees submitted by Tinubu to the Senate for screening.
Yinus said the nomination was one thing but that the most crucial aspect was to see Jisalo emerge as the FCT Minister.
There are some nice indigenous peoples in the FCT: Koro, Gbwari, Nupe, Ebira, Ganagana and others numbering some two million indigenous peoples whose leaders insist that while Abuja grows into a sprawling city, the indigenous people continue to live in misery without access to the essentials of life made worst by the fact that no Government since 1976 has ever appointed an Abuja indigenous person as a Minister.
Jisalo is a graduate of the University of Jos where he bagged Barchelor’s degree in Education. He also has Diploma in Criminal Psychology.