AJAOKUTA: BEFORE WE RUSH TO THE COURT, FACT AVAILABLE TO BE CONSIDERED
Usman Sani Omolori Recent judgement by High Court in Lokoja granted ownership of Lokoja, Koton-karfi and Ajaokuta to Igala kingdom and even awarded Igala Kingdom N10.0bn in compensation over use of land without payment of royalties. What the judge failed to consider, in my humble opinion, are; 1. His judgement was based solely on business between two traders, one of which transited from slave trade to occupation of land. 2. By 1841, what existed were European traders who were not in position to determine who truly owned parcels of land. Colonial lords, in other word, colonialism started in the land mass called Nigeria only in 1900 lasting up to 1960. Whatever happened before then cannot be legally binding 180 years later. 3. Assuming argument 2 above even worked in favour of the Igala Kingdom, in history, we know wars were fought. Empires/Kingdoms rose and fell. If today the Igala found they no longer control these areas, ...