By Dada Ahmed.
A Professor of Development Economy at Nigerian Defence Academy, Kaduna, Zakaree Saheed,has identified some economic potential areas, where the people of Kogi Central can thrive.
This is contained in a statement emanating from the event and available to The Reporters on Thursday.
The Professor made the identification at the Annual Lecture of Egbira Progressive Elites, (EPE),Area 10, Abuja in FCT.
The don, whose paper is entitled,”Revitalising and harnessing the economic potential of Ebiraland: pathway to sustainable development and self sufficiency”, named such areas as agriculture, Cashew processing plant, mining and quarry business.
According to him, a full quarry business is possible because Egbiraland is surrounded by rocks, adding that the rocks can be processed into various sizes of aggregates for construction companies.
On funding sources, the Professor said government grants and subsidies, loans from agricultural banks and contributions from local cooperatives can fund such investments.
In his keynote address, the Provost, National Defence College Abuja, Professor Adam Ahmed Abere, stated that farming, craft making are the culture of Egbira people.
Abere, a Professor of History, differs from the submission of some historians who hold the belief that masquerade form part of the history of Egbira people.
According to the professor, masquerade is never part of the history of the Egbiras , adding that it is a borrowed culture which has been practiced by many ethnic groups like Igbo, Yoruba, Igala and a host of others in Nigeria.
The professor, however,emphasised.the need for preservation and documentation of Egbira history, assuring that proper documents would help Egbira children “from consuming the conjecture and fabrication history.”
He noted that the history of the Egbira people is extensive, highlighting that their language, land, and culture existed in the Northeast before the 10th century and flourished in Central Nigeria by the 14th century.
According to the academic, the Egbiras flourished in central Nigeria around the current Gongola Rivers, Taraba, Benue, Adamawa among others before they moved into the current areas of Igu, Opanda, Etuno & Okene Tao.
The Provost noted that the Egbiras brought civilization to the areas they went, such as craft, land management, trades, warrior ship which today they are known for.
The Reporters gathered that EPE is a socio-cultural organization established to promote the unity, cultural heritage, and socioeconomic development of the Egbira people, primarily from Kogi State, Nigeria.
The group emerged as a collective voice advocating for the interests of the Egbira community while fostering progress in education, agriculture, and trade.
Over the years, EPE has become a platform for intellectual discourse and community mobilization, organizing annual lectures among other activities to address challenges and highlight the economic potential of Egbira land, including agriculture, mining, and craftsmanship.
