By Godwin Tyonongu
The Gede community in neighbouring Nasarawa state has alleged marginalisation and neglect by government both in political appointments and recognition for traditional titles.
Alhaji Aliyu Danjuma Ubam, who is the Sarkin Gede of Uke in Karu local government area of Nasarawa state, told Blueprint in a brief chat
that their historical inclination as the main original in habitants of most communities in the middle Belt region plus their support to government since the pre-colonial days ought to have earned them a vantage space in the scheme of things in the region.
He said: “On behalf of the entire Gede people in Nigeria and FCT, government should upgrade the Gede communities all what is happening is that the Gede have not been considered.
Does it mean they do not need our cooperation in their affairs?
“Even through are have not made any attempt to struggle on our own in the past we always backed other tribes to succeed, we feel it’s now time for our self actualisation in the scheme of things.
“You can see that in most of the local government where our people are pre dominant in a state like Nasarawa, they are still next to nothing. This amounts to marginalisation of which I can’t explain our crime.”
Ubam lamented that he succeeded his father who in his time, supported the government by mobilising his subjects to embrace laudable policies but ended up not achieving anything from government during his reign as a community leaders.
While commending the Al-Makura administration for doing well in the aspect of civil servants welfare, he urged the administration to at least upgrade the Gede Chiefdom to the status of a village head.