Indigeneity is defined as the “fact of ORIGINATING or OCCURING NATURALLY” in in a particular place – that is what some people are dead set to change.
“Azikiwe: “Let us forget our differences.”
Ahmadu Bello: “No, let us understand our differences. I am a Muslim and a Northerner. You are a Christian and an Easterner.
By understanding our differences, we can build unity in our country” -being arguments during the campaign for the federal elections of December 12, 1959 when the man who most exemplified division in Nigerian history, coyly preaching unity because he erroneously believed that his people will Lord it over the other parts of the country.
Sequel, among other stratagems, to Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma’s remarks on the Indigeneship bill at the South East Public Hearing in Owerri, a
highly perspicacious Press Statement, in the form of a WhatsApp post, trended throughout the past week.
Authored by Otunba A.J Odunowo, it read as follows:
“RE: My Position on HB2057 and the Push to Redefine Indigeneity in Nigeria
I have observed with deep concern the recent push to alter the legal definition of “indigeneity” in Nigeria, particularly as proposed in HB2057, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu and echoed by Imo State Governor Hope Uzodimma in his constitutional reform remarks at the South East Public Hearing in Owerri.
While I support every Nigerian’s right to dignity, inclusion, and development wherever they reside, I firmly reject the dangerous attempt to legislate indigeneity as a residency-based privilege.
Indigeneity is not a status that can be assigned by fiat. It is rooted in ancestry, cultural lineage, and historical custodianship of land. It represents a community’s identity, heritage, and connection to its homeland. To redefine it as something that can be acquired through birth or prolonged stay undermines the very fabric of our multicultural nation.
We must not confuse civil inclusion with cultural inheritance.
My Position Is Clear:
1. Indigeneity is non-negotiable.
It cannot be transferred, awarded, or diluted by residency or “good conduct.” No serious nation legislates away the ancestral rights of its native peoples.
2. Equal rights for settlers must not come at the cost of indigenous rights.
Nigerians living in other states already enjoy full civil liberties the right to vote, own property, do business, and hold public office. What they are not entitled to is custodianship of cultures they do not descend from.
3. HB2057 is anti-indigenous and unconstitutional in spirit. If passed, it will breed resentment, escalate land disputes, and deepen cultural dislocation. It threatens traditional institutions and undermines the federal structure.
4. The National Assembly must refocus its energy on the real demands of the people, that is, restructuring Nigeria into federating units aligned with ethnic and cultural heritage, equitable resource control, and strengthening state-level governance, including state policing.
I encourage all well-meaning Nigerians, particularly traditional rulers, indigenous associations, and civil society organisations across all regions, to reject this bill in its entirety.
Nigeria cannot build unity by erasing identity.
We can only build a truly inclusive nation by recognising and respecting the diverse foundations upon which this country stands.
Let us defend indigeneity not to divide, but to preserve the integrity of our shared heritage”.
I am allying myself with this press statement as it is very much in tandem with my position in the article:’Taking the wind out of Hon Kalu’s indigeneship bill’
of 4 May, 2025 which reads as follows:”Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu CON, of the All Progressive Congress, is an Igbo politician and current Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives. He represents the Bende federal constituency of Abia State.
It is not surprising, therefore, that he is the sponsor of the Indigeneship Bill now before the House of Representatives. The Bill
seeks to grant indigene status to individuals who have resided in a state for 10 years or married a native for the same length of time.
It is coyly proposed as a progressive bill intended to cohere the country like the National Youth Service which mandates Nigerian University graduates below a certain age to serve for one year in a part of the country different from theirs.
But nothing can be further from the truth.
Given Igbo’s very small piece of territory which, besides its size, is landlocked and impedes their truly industrious proclivities, they are spread so thin all over the country that there can be no community in the country, no matter how
small in which you will not find an Igbo.
While this in itself is not bad, Igbo’s inexplanable, but totally unchecked, desire to own things, belonging to others, especially other peoples lands, is the elephant in the room. This abhorrent characteristic of theirs has rendered them completely otiose to other Nigerians in literally every part of the country.
But please, do not take my word for it.
Rather, see below a WhatsApp dialogue, moderated by a so- called Okonkwo and several other Igbos, concerning Yoruba land, especially Lagos, which they love to call a ‘No Man’s Land’, and for which they would readily kill without batting an eyelid:
DISCUSSION THEME: Ndigbo Will Conquer and Rule Oduduwa Republic.
“We must take Lagos. We must. Those who want to keep it are fighting themselves.Those of us who want to take it must fight harder. The people who want to keep it are threatening, we that want to take it must be prepared for that threat.
There”s no new thing they are going to do now in Lagos. We already know what they will do. Therefore we must prepare ourselves in large numbers …”
“Because if we do not take Lagos, I do not know if you can still stay in Lagos.To remain in Lagos, for your parents to go to that church, for you to enter that estate, enter that bus, Igbos just must take Lagos” – mind you, they don”t even want to win but TAKE Lagos”.
“… the only way is to defeat them; so we can lock them up and send them to jail”.
That is what motivates all this rambunctious fight for an indigeneship bill.
It is ill motivated.
The quoted portion above was spoken in a stentorian voice that could only have reminded one of Ojukwu’s efette boasts shortly before he led millions of them to their early graves in an unnecessary war, after which he promptly evaporated”.
But that is not all to the Igbo plan, to consummate which Hon Benjamin Kalu is now feverishly at work in the Peoples’ House.
They went further:
“We will join Afenifere and soon be part of the powerhouses that will be eligible to be crowned Obas -(these are a people without Obas, historically without leaders.)
We will get married to the daughters of Oduduwa , build mansions in their towns and villages and only visit our country home in the land of the rising sun, once a year, as usual. Gradually we will turn Oduduwa Republic into one of the most ethnically mixed countries in the world.
Can a war plan be more detailed?
What Igbos are saying is that they would do anything to win Lagos state – rig, burn, kill etc, come the next election.
All these also remind me of my article of 16 February, ’25
titled: Non – Indigenes Should Be Barred From Contesting Governorship, Senate, House Of Representatives and Council Elections wherein I wrote:
“If for the sake of equity amongst all Nigerian states, representation in the senate is set at 3 members per state, and constituency, determined by population, is the basis for allocating the number of Reps a state can have, why are non- indigenes allowed to contest for these positions outside their state of origin?
I consider this grossly unfair in a country like ours where, for instance, some states in the Southeast geo- political zone would not tolerate a Catholic cleric, even of the same Igbo ethnic stock, as their parish clergy – even if appointed by the Pope himself – if he comes from outside their state.
This we have seen severally.
It could, in fact, be far worse, as happened when the entire indigenous peoples of Aba Ngwa not only rose, like one man, to reject a non- indgene as the Mayor of Aba, but dared their governor, Alex Otti, to do so – see Vanguard October 19, 2023.
These are the same people who come loaded with money, from all manner of sources, to try everything to contest elections in Southwest Nigeria in particular”.
Why would Igbos not understand that this is nothing short of long throat. Why are they ever so desirous of that which belongs to others, even when they would not extend such privileges to non- Igbos anywhere in the entire Southeast?.
This is the same reason IPOB’s map of Biafra extends far beyond Ndigbo territory into far away Edo, Delta, even Bpenue.
LHowever, the time has come for them to apply the brakes. They must not only know that enough is enough, they should realise the following facts as put together by another writer on Hon Kalu’s bill:
“… if passed, the bill will undermine the fundamental essence of indigenous identity, thereby jeopardising the rights and cultural heritage of Nigeria’s indigenous communities.
The fundamental problem, as the writer put it, lies in its attempt to replace birthright, ancestral lineage, and deep-rooted cultural identity with superficial, time-bound criteria since idigeneity is not something one acquires through mere residence or marriage.
It is an inheritance passed down through generations, woven into the very fabric of a people’s history to tamper with which wil undermine the very essence of our traditional societies.
All the points being adduced in justification of the bill fall flat because they fail to recognise the spiritual, historical, and cultural depth that define an indigenous person. In Yoruba land, for instance, being an indigene is tied to ancestral lineage, not just a length of stay. This bill therefore seeks to erase the sacredness of identity in favour of some generic, politically motivated re-definition, all for the purpose of exploitation by a people who are never content with what God has given them.
Finally, if they are not being selfish, they should ask themselves questions as to how many non – Igbos would benefit from this law, if passed, in places like Enugu, Onitsha, Aba, Owerri etc even when whole Igbo cities would literally empty themselves into other parts of the country just to take undue advantage.
The National Assembly sure has its job already cut out if its members would like to be on the right side of History.
Potential for exploitation and marginalisation
Opening the gates of indigeneity to non-indigenous individuals through residence and marriage introduces the risk of opportunistic claims, which could lead to the marginalisation of authentic indigenous populations. As history has shown, policies that do not adequately safeguard native rights often result in the displacement of the very people they should protect. If enacted, HB.2057 could enable those with no genuine ancestral connection to a land to claim indigene rights, potentially sidelining original inhabitants from economic opportunities, governance structures, and access to local resources.
Threat to local culture and governance
Every indigenous community in Nigeria has a distinct governance system, deeply rooted in traditions that have been carefully upheld for centuries. The passage of HB.2057 would create an avenue for those without historical ties to a land to participate in and influence its governance, often without understanding or respecting its cultural nuances.
Related News
Stakeholders mull preservation of Nigeria’s cultural heritage as Piql offers digital solution
AGLOFEST to celebrate Africa’s rich cultural heritage
Cultural heritage key to peaceful coexistence — Ogun monarch
Yoruba land, for instance, has a long-established system of monarchy, chieftaincy, and traditional councils that regulate societal structures in line with historical traditions. Allowing external influences to dictate the affairs of an indigenous community would disrupt these systems and gradually erode the unique governance identities of different ethnic nationalities.
Questionable motives behind the Bill
HB.2057 was introduced by Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and six others under the guise of national integration and unity. However, its political undertones cannot be ignored. If truly aimed at fostering national unity, why was there no broad-based consultation with traditional leaders, cultural custodians, and grassroots communities before its presentation? The bill appears to serve a larger agenda—one that prioritises political convenience over the preservation of Nigeria’s diverse ethnic identities.
Our stand: The preservation of indigeneity
As Yoruba people, and as Nigerians committed to the protection of our cultural heritage, we stand firmly against HB.2057. Indigene status is not just a label—it is an embodiment of ancestry, tradition, and history that should not be compromised for political expediency. We, therefore, call on the Federal
Government, the National Assembly, and all stakeholders to:
(i)Reject HB.2057 in its entirety. This bill is a direct attack on the foundational identity of indigenous Nigerians and must not be allowed to stand.
(ii)Preserve the original meaning of indigeneity. Indigenous status should remain a recognition of those with deep, historical, and cultural ties to their communities, not something that can be obtained through temporary residence or marriage.
Engage traditional institutions in any discussions on indigeneity.
The Nigerian government must recognise and involve community leaders, traditional custodians, and indigenous groups in any discourse surrounding national identity, governance, and resource allocation. Such a crucial matter should not be decided in the corridors of political power without consulting the true custodians of heritage.
Conclusion: A call to action
Indigeneity is not up for negotiation. It is not a status that can be handed out based on convenience. It is a sacred right that has preserved communities, cultures, and traditions for generations. HB.2057 is an assault on this legacy, and we must resist it with all our might.
We call on all Yoruba sons and daughters, and indeed all Nigerians who value their heritage, to reject HB.2057 and demand its immediate withdrawal. Let us unite to ensure that our birthright is not sacrificed in the name of political convenience. Our ancestors fought to preserve our identity—now, it is our turn to defend it.
- Bokini wrote on behalf of Yoruba Nimi Empowerment Foundation.
