Amid the rapid expansion and urbanisation of Abuja, the original inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have called for urgent measures to halt the erosion of their cultural identity and their displacement from their ancestral lands.

They also demanded greater political participation, recognition of their rights and sustained support for the preservation of their cultural heritage and indigenous knowledge.

They made the call at the 2026 United Nations World Indigenous Peoples Day celebration, organised by the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED), in partnership with the University of Abuja and the FCT Original Inhabitant Organisations, with support from the MacArthur Foundation.

The event, held at the University of Abuja, was themed “Celebrating Indigenous Midwives: Preserving Abuja’s Original Inhabitants’ Identity in a Changing World,” in line with the United Nations’ theme.

Speaking at the event, the Agabe of Ugbada-Gwargwada Chiefdom in Kuje Area Council, Hussaini Agabi, urged the original inhabitants to take the event more seriously and called on the area council chairmen and federal lawmakers to engage more directly with issues affecting indigenous communities.

He also commended the organisations and foundations supporting the programme for helping to bring greater visibility to the communities whose concerns had historically received limited attention.

Earlier, the Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, said the celebration was also about affirming the identity, heritage, dignity and rights of Abuja’s Original Inhabitants.

Zikirullahi described the indigenous people as the custodians of ancestral knowledge and cultural heritage, stressing that their languages, customs, land rights and cultural expressions must be protected as Abuja continues to develop.

He further noted that indigenous midwives were more than traditional healthcare providers, describing them as custodians of community knowledge and cultural memory as “storytellers, cultural archivists” and a bridge between ancestry and the future.

He warned that the rapid transformation of Abuja must not erase the identity of the people who inhabited the territory before it became Nigeria’s capital, adding that “development must never come at the cost of identity.”

He also drew attention to the people’s challenges, including demolitions and evacuation from their ancestral lands and homes, urging greater protection and recognition of their rights.

Meanwhile, Zikirullahi announced the proposed establishment of the Abuja Original Inhabitants Heritage Centre, with construction expected to commence soon.

The centre, he explained, would provide a dedicated space for preserving indigenous history, protecting cultural memory, promoting research and ensuring that future generations could learn about and celebrate the heritage of Abuja’s First Peoples.

Also, the Deputy Director of MacArthur Foundation, Dr Amina Salihu, who represented the organisation’s Africa Director, Dr Kole Shettima, stressed the need to recognise indigenous knowledge systems and protect the rights of indigenous peoples.

She described the celebration as an opportunity to recognise indigenous heritage as a pathway to justice.

Also speaking, the representative of the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Abuja, Prof. Otaki Alanana, expressed concern at the gradual decline in the use of traditional clothing and practices, warning that rapid societal changes could threaten cultural continuity.