The Citizens of Kingdoms and City States (COKACS) recently emerged to champion the cause of indigenous kingdoms and city states that existed before the creation of colonial states in Africa. Warialabo Kalada Jene, the Shepherd of COKACS spoke with Emmanuel Obe on what
the movement is all about.
You talked about COKACS being a peaceful movement of indigenous people. But there is the fear that the movement may soon take a political character, which could expose it to repression and get other negative reactions that become violent and bloodletting. What assurances are you giving that this is not going to go that way?
Let me tell you. The policemen, the security, the army, they know the problems. They are from kingdoms, they are from city-states. They have a heritage. They know the truth when they hear it. They are even hungry for a new beginning. I love them. They cannot come and clamp down when they know that I am telling them the truth. They will not. I know that it’s not their fault. And army cannot be kept among the general populace. It’s not the right thing to do. They will act accordingly. They are being misused. The pressure is coming from outside and within. So, we are aware of this it’s easier for us to start rebuilding. We are not afraid of what they will do us. At this age now, if I die, I didn’t die early. I am almost 70 years old.
But you are going to involve younger people who would be more exuberant in the movement…
Those that are here now are aware that it is time to tell ourselves the truth and not with finger pointing or doing blame game. We are not blaming anybody. We are sharing love. We believe in correction with love, actually.
What are you looking at? Is it something like bringing back pre-colonial kingdoms as sovereign states?
We want the pre-colonial people to decide unfettered about the movement going forward. And let me remind you. That these people have been here for about a thousand years before the White man came. So, we are not afraid because there will not be earthquake. The people realize that they are one people. They are brothers and sisters irrespective of language. But let me just put it this way, maybe it would be clearer. Language and religion in any manner is developed here on earth while we are living. But my colour, the way I came into this world when I cry when my mother brought me up , we are one. So, you cannot put asunder . God has made me a black man like me and you. So, I am you, you are me.
If you succeed with this movement, are we going to dispense with the colonial creation called Nigeria?
Nigeria is a name. It’s like a cloth. We can decide to wear another cloth. But one thing I want you to understand is that even this Nigerian space will be bigger because the whole of Africa was one people. We didn’t have international boundaries. We moved to where we want to go and live among people we want to live without even quarrels. And anytime we go anywhere they make sure that you are safeguarded until you leave them. So, we are not afraid. We want to bring back the lost memory of what our ancestors bequeathed to us. And with that I don’t think there will be any quarrels. When you are sharing love, who would find fault in it?
In the 19th Century, the kings of these areas, especially the Niger Delta and areas around the Niger river actually signed out their territories to the British, and up till now some kings here call themselves treaty kings, which means they signed the treaties that gave out the territories.
The treaties tell them that they were kings and countries of their own. They didn’t give the territories out to say let them be vassal. They signed as friends, they signed as trade partners. Even it was for protection, not to come and kill me.
But since then they have not been able to…
That is why we are saying let’s come back home and talk to ourselves. This our movement is a collective thing, not with malice at all. If we go with malice, we will not succeed. Let’s go back to history. History is very important. Let’s tell our children the truth. Water will find its level.
I can recall that within the area, we have the Ijaw National Congress, MOSIEND and all that. By 1990, the Ogoni people under MOSOP came up out with the Ogoni Bill of Rights. They have said their movements were peaceful, they were indigenous people. But eventually what they started peacefully led to loss of lives. People were killed. They even killed their leaders and all that. The fear is that what you are doing now peacefully may…
Listen. Casualty would come. One would die when the time comes. And it’s only the time when God says. But don’t be afraid of death when you are telling the truth. It can come. Let me tell you. Some religions say when I die when I am telling the truth, I am a martyr. We should be wary about that. But I know that if you know that I am telling you the truth, you who is an SS man, you would not want to harm me. That I believe in my heart. But if you want to harm me even if I tell you the truth, go ahead and do that na.
You mentioned the African on Human and Peoples Rights, the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples and all that. What relationship or ongoing communication do you have with the United Nations body…
Remember that we said that veterans of struggle and… I was also a shepherd in one other organization called African Descendants Movement. If I ask why did they name this continent Africa, we have not researched into it. It has a history. Who gave it that name? What I am trying to say to us is that we will get there. Fear is a luxury we should let go. Fear will distort us. We should let go fear. Let’s tell ourselves the truth with love.
