HipCity Innovation Centre (HipCity Hub), has launched a project to further address injustice meted on the Original Inhabitants of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
HipCity Hub is a research and development focused organization with a mandate to strengthen community capacity and resilience as well as create platforms for citizen involvement in governance and democratization processes.
The project is supported by Catherine T and John D. McArthur Foundation through the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED)
Delivering a speech at the launch in Abuja on Thursday, the Executive Director of HipCity Innovation Centre Bassey Bassey, the organisation started the project to lay the building block upon which a people who have been forgotten, neglected, marginalized will stand upon to speak and their voices will reverberate across Nigeria and globally.
He stated that HipCity Hub has worked tirelessly with the OIs for years, noting the poor healthcare delivery among other social amenities and services lacking.
He said, “Today; we kick-start the journey towards the demand for effective and efficient delivery of basic services for the original inhabitants of Abuja whose land has taken over by the Nigerian government and have been pushed into the hinterland of Abuja with little or no regard for their fundamental human rights which guarantees that every human has the right to clean, portable water, access to basic healthcare, right to education and the sustainable exploitation of the environment upon which many depend on for their livelihood, heritage and medicine.
“As an organisation, we have worked extensively with original inhabitants’ communities in the last three years. We have felt through our own pulse what it feels like to wake up in the morning without access to water.
“Permit me to share a little of our journey with you. In 2018, we moved into one of the indigenous communities in Abuja and lived with the people for 6 weeks; waking up every morning to the struggles of fetching water, the trauma of going to the health centre and having to be referred to a distant hospital because there are no drugs and/or equipment.
“All of these catalyzes us to support local communities in holding government to account in the delivery of basic services and the inclusion of citizens in government plans and actions and to demand to be treated fair and not as second class citizens.”
According to him, in the last 30 years and most recently, “we have witnessed and observed government make failed attempts to relocate and resettle the original inhabitants to new locations without the provision of basic services.
“Most recently we had visited Shere community; a community where the FCT government had announced that it had plans to relocate/resettle some indigenous communities within the city centre for an assessment of the available basic services within the community and we can authoritatively report that the healthcare facility in Shere lies in ruins with the roof leaking, lacks equipment and many more. The LEA primary school is a shadow of itself with some classroom roof either blown off, ceiling hanging down…,” he said
He further assured that HipCity Innovation Centre in the next two years is committing to, “build synergy with supply actors (government) in co-creating citizen-centred projects that will ultimately impact on the lives of the Ols
“Serve as a reporting channel to amplify the challenges of Ols across the 17 Chiefdoms to relevant MDAs with the mandate of service delivery. Monitor budget implementation in the area of basic service provision with special attention to basic education, basic health care, WASH and environmental sustainability.
“Strengthen communication channels between government and the Chiefdoms by organizing town hall meetings, radio programs, symposiums, street talk shows etc. This will contribute to creating awareness on government initiatives for the people, create report-back systems for government to engage, respond and act on the demands of the people.
“Beam the light on government responsiveness to the needs and demands of Ols. 6) Advocate for the consideration of PWDs in the design and implementation of projects as these groups suffer the most deprivation.
“As I conclude this speech, let me put on record that our work is to support government deliver excellently on its responsibility; hence we will be seeking collaborations and partnerships with relevant government MDAs to share our knowledge and experience to bolster their performance. Hence; we are not antagonists but partners in progress,” he added
Also speaking, the Agabe of Gwargwada HRH (Alh) Hussaini Agabi who was represented by the National Youth Leader of Agabe, Agabe Musa laude HipCity Innovation Centre for the creative and developmental initiative.
According to him, “We have been marginalised as the original natives of the FCT and we are here for emancipation and this very innovation has come to our aid by the grace of God.
“Practically, for human beings to live, we need social amenities; and these are those things that have been denied us. Like the water system, education, healthcare and others. We’ve been deprived of them.”
He feared that the 9 communities in the FCT will go into extinction if nothing is done, adding that “the revival from going into emancipation is the emancipation that we have come here for. It is not by radicalism, but by the grace of God and through activism,” he further said.
Also at the launch was the Agaba of Jiwa, represented by Tanko Nuhu; Agomo of Gomani, Kwali, represented by Alh. Aliu Zangani; the Country Director of Water Aid, represented by Kolawole Banwo among others.Show quoted text
