At Achema Memorial: How Jerry Gana and Sylvester Onoja Held Audience Spellbound
The venue was the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Center, and the occasion was the commemoration of the 25th death anniversary of the late icon, Dr. Steve Achema. The hall was filled to capacity with friends, associates, and admirers of a man whose life and legacy epitomized greatness.
The guest speaker, a cerebral orator gifted with a rich vocabulary and honed in the art of public speaking, Professor Jerry Gana, captivated the audience as he wove a narrative linking history with conquest. In his tribute to the boundless achievements and enduring legacy of the late Dr. Steven Achema, Prof. Gana revisited the historical and cultural ties between the Igala and Nupe peoples. He described these tribes as among the few that resisted conquest, highlighting their shared resilience and deep connections.
To sustain the discourse, Principal Emeritus, Chief Sylvester Momoh Onoja, added a historical dimension to the discussion. Responding to Prof. Gana, Chief Onoja argued that the Nupes were, in essence, an integral part of the Igala Kingdom. He recounted the story of Esode (Ichado), a son of the Atta of Igala, who, driven by sibling rivalry, migrated northward to establish a settlement later known as Bida (originally referred to as “Ibo Idah”). While Nupe eventually succumbed to the jihadist conquests, part of Esode’s subjects returned to Igalaland, forming the Bassange people in present-day Kogi State. The Fulani emirate system, Chief Onoja noted, later took root in Nupe land following its conquest.
The physical resemblance between the Igala and Nupe peoples—especially their traditional facial markings—further underscores their shared heritage. Chief Onoja also emphasized the historical influence of the Nupe people on the Igalas, particularly in the spread of Islam. Contrary to the prevailing belief that the Hausa introduced Islam to Igalaland, Chief Onoja argued that it was the Nupes, who had fallen under the influence of the Othman Empire, that brought and propagated Islam in the region. He pointed out that the Hausas in Angwa (Idah and Ankpa) were originally pagans from Bebeji in present-day Kano, and it was the Nupes who strengthened Islam in Igalaland.
Dr. Achema, though long departed, remains a unifying symbol, as his 25th anniversary demonstrated. The occasion provided a platform for rekindling historical and biological ties between the Nupes and Igalas. Leading this renaissance were two illustrious scholars, Professor Jerry Gana and Chief Sylvester Momoh Onoja, both products of the prestigious Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
Historically musing
By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice