Abuja Original inhabitants: Group urges FG to ratify ILO Convention on indigenous people

By Joy Aliyu & Vera Opia

Network of Journalists on Indigenous Issues, NEJII, yesterday, urged Federal Government to ratify the International Labour Organisation, ILO, Convention 169 on the rights of indigenous people.

ILO Convention 169 seeks governments to respect the rights of indigenous people and their unique historical and “socio-economic position within the state and their integral connection to their territories and protects them against displacement.”

The convention has been ratified by 23 countries.

Meanwhile, NEJII argued that its ratification in Nigeria would address the challenges faced by Abuja Indigenous Inhabitants, AOI, whose political and economic rights were being denied.

The group’s Coordinator, Mr Adewale Adeoye, in a statement, asked the National Assembly to follow the footsteps of other countries that have ratified the convention, noting that if done, Nigeria would be the second country in Africa after the Central African Republic to do so.

The statement reads: “‘Indigenous people in Nigeria face consistent challenges of social, cultural and economic marginalisation. This situation continues to fuel crisis and a deep feeling of distrust among original inhabitants. The ratification of the ILO Convention 169 will go a long way in removing historical barriers to justice and inclusion faced by Abuja Original Inhabitants.’’

“AOI, with a population of over 2 million, continue to live largely in poverty characterised by lack of access to the essentials of life, even as Abuja continues to flourish with private and government investments on indigenous territories often without adequate compensation to the AOI.”

“It is the only legally binding international instrument specifically addressing the rights of these populations. The convention emphasises the importance of respecting the cultures and ways of life of indigenous peoples, recognising their rights to land, natural resources and self-determined development. It also mandates consultation and participation of indigenous peoples in decisions that affect them.”

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