Clarifying the Facts:Rejoinder on Lokoja Chieftaincy Recognition and the Nupe Medical Outreach
By Musa Tanimu Nasidi
A story published on December 30, 2025, by Democracynewsline an online platform authored by Stephen Adeleye and captioned “Nupe Natives of Lokoja Union Provides Free Medical Outreach to Residents,” has continued to generate reactions within Lokoja and beyond.
While the humanitarian gesture of providing free medical services to residents is commendable and deserves public appreciation, certain claims and designations contained in the report require urgent clarification in the interest of truth, legality and public order.
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At the heart of the controversy is the reference made to one Mr. Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika as “The Etsu Lokoja, HRH Emmanuel Akamisoko Dauda Shelika – Nyamkpa IV,” and the attribution to him of royal authority to praise and endorse the outreach. This description, unfortunately, runs contrary to established law and officially recognized traditional institutions in Kogi State.
Under the Kogi State Traditional Institutions Law and the Chiefs Law of Kogi State, 2006, Lokoja has only one government-recognized paramount traditional ruler.
That authority is vested in His Royal Highness, the Maigari of Lokoja, Alhaji Ibrahim Gambo Kabir Maikarfi IV. Any other claim to a parallel or alternative stool within Lokoja is not only misleading but unlawful.
This position is not a matter of opinion or inter-communal rivalry; it is a settled legal and administrative fact. Indeed, the Kogi State Government, through the Ministry for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, has formally warned Mr. Emmanuel Dauda Shelika against parading himself under any unauthorized chieftaincy title or engaging in acts suggesting the creation or operation of an illegal stool.
In an official circular issued by the Ministry and addressed directly to Mr. Shelika, the government stated unequivocally that he had been unlawfully parading himself as Etsu Nupe, Lokoja, and engaging in actions capable of threatening peace and public order.
The Ministry reminded him that no individual has the authority to assume, create or install a chieftaincy stool outside the approval and instrumentality of the state government. He was directed to desist immediately, with a clear warning that failure to comply would attract the full weight of the law.
Against this backdrop, the Democracy Newsline blog’s reference to Mr. Shelika as Etsu Lokoja is not only inaccurate but capable of misleading the public and inflaming unnecessary tension in a city known for its ethnic diversity and fragile harmony.
Media platforms, registered or otherwise, owe the public a duty of due diligence, especially on sensitive matters relating to traditional institutions, identity and authority.
This rejoinder is not intended to diminish the noble efforts of the Nupe Natives of Lokoja Union or any group involved in humanitarian and community development activities.
Acts of charity, such as medical outreaches, should unite rather than divide communities.
However, philanthropy must not be used—deliberately or inadvertently—to confer legitimacy on unlawful titles or to rewrite established traditional structures.
Lokoja remains a melting pot of cultures, histories and identities. Its peace depends largely on respect for the rule of law and mutual recognition of legally constituted authorities.
The Maigari of Lokoja, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Gambo Kabir Maikarfi 1V, remains the only recognized traditional ruler of the area, and any contrary portrayal does a disservice not only to the truth but also to the long-standing coexistence among Lokoja’s peoples.
It is therefore imperative that media organizations, community groups and individuals exercise caution, accuracy and responsibility in their representations. Where errors have been made, prompt correction is the honorable path. In matters of tradition and law, sentiment must always give way to facts.
