The Sleeping Giant Awakes : Kwararafa Confederacy Commemorates Ancien Truth and the New Dawn in Abuja

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A Historical Prism : From Empire to Diaspora

By Chief Odatse-Peters , PhD

In the annals of West African history, few political entities evoke the raw military prowess, spiritual sophistication, and sprawling territorial influence of the ancient Kwararafa Empire. Centred historically along the fertile valleys of the River Benue, Kwararafa was not merely a state but a powerful confederacy that, at its zenith between the 13th and 18th centuries, defied and shook the great empires of the West African Sahel. From the historic bastions of Kano and Katsina to the borders of Bornu, the horsemen and warriors of Kwararafa marched with a singular determination, establishing a multi-ethnic hegemony bound not by forced assimilation, but by loose, sophisticated federal alliances.
Yet, the tides of time brought about a grand dispersal. What was once a singular, mighty core fractured beautifully into a vibrant diaspora, scattering its heritage into over twenty contemporary states in Nigeria.

Today, the bloodlines of Kwararafa run deep through the cultural, socio-economic, and political landscapes of the North Central, North West, North East, South East , and South South regions . The Jukun, the Alago, the Idoma, the Igala, the Ebira, the Goemai, and numerous other ethnic nationalities are the living, breathing fragments of this ancient mirror. For centuries, these sister states operated in administrative isolation, keeping the embers of their shared ancestry alive only in oral patterns and courtly traditions.

The Grand Reunion: Transcorp Hilton, Abuja

Today, 19 September 2026, history came full circle. The grand Event Hall of the Transcorp Hilton in Abuja, FCT, became the sacred ground for a momentous awakening. Under the profound and unifying banner of the Kwararafa Development Forum( KDF ), the descendants of the ancient confederacy gathered to bridge centuries of separation and announce their collective resurgence to the modern Nigerian state.

The spiritual and intellectual centerpiece of this historic assembly was the paper delivered by the supreme custodian of the Kwararafa heritage, the Aku-Uka of Wukari, His Royal Majesty, Dr . Manu Ishaku Adda Ali Matakhitswen . Speaking on the deeply evocative theme, “ The Splendor of the Confederacy: Ancient Truth and the New Dawn ,” the Aku-Uka took the audience on an epic journey through time. He unveiled the “Ancient Truth”—that the foundational strength of Kwararafa lay in its ability to unite diverse language groups under a umbrella of mutual respect and collective defense. He then heralded the “New Dawn,” a charge to the contemporary generation to look past modern administrative borders and rebuild the fractured brotherhood for regional and national advancement.

Eulogies to Leadership and State Patronage

The flawless execution and structural grandeur of this reunion did not happen by chance. Immense commendation must be extended to the tireless industry of the Andoma of Doma, His Royal Highness , Alhaji ( Dr.) Ahmadu Aliyu Oga Onawo, OON. As the royal father who superintended the complex organizational machinery of this event, his administrative acumen, vast experience, and legendary inclusive leadership ensured a seamless, world-class convergence that will be studied for years to come.

Similarly, the Kwararafa people owe a debt of profound gratitude to the Executive Governor of Taraba State, His Excellency, Dr. Agbu Kefas . Governor Kefas deployed immense statecraft, structural support, and political goodwill to galvanise stakeholders from every corner of the country, transforming a long-held dream into a tangible reality. In the same vein, the strategic partnership and supportive roles played by the Executive Governors of Kogi, Nasarawa, and Plateau States must be highly appreciated. Their cooperation proves that the spirit of the old Benue-Plateau and the wider Kwararafa geography remains an active catalyst for modern governance.

A Kaleidoscope of Culture and Cosmic Personalities

The Transcorp Hilton erupted in a dazzling display of colour, rhythm, and heritage as traditional rulers from across the North Central, North West, South East, and South South stormed the federal capital. They did not come alone; they arrived flanked by robust traditional cultural troupes whose drums, resonant horns, and gravity-defying dances shook the venue. It was a vivid, moving mosaic illustrating that the cultural streams of Kwararafa feed the rivers of the entire Nigerian federation.
The attendance register read like a comprehensive map of Nigeria’s Seven Pillars of Society. In the hall sat a stellar array of:

1. The Royal Custodians: Leading the spiritual frontline.

2. The Political Elite: Governors, senators, and ministers of Kwararafa extraction.

3. The Intellectual Captains: Professors, historians, and thinkers providing the academic backing for the renaissance.

4. The Business Titans: Industrialists and entrepreneurs ready to fund the economic blueprint of the forum.

5. The Technocrats and Bureaucrats: Civil servants driving institutional policies.

6. The Security and Veteran Circle: High-ranking retired and serving military brass.

7. The Youth and Civil Society: The vibrant vanguard tasked with carrying the torch into the future.

The Charge to the Nigerian State and Her People

To the Nigerian State, this reunion is not a threat; it is an unmatched architectural blueprint. Nigeria is currently searching for the elusive formula for true national integration and a stable federation. The federal government must urgently take advantage of the platform, history, and peaceful co-existence model of the Kwararafa peoples to build an enduring, equitable federation. Kwararafa proved centuries ago that diverse peoples can cooperate seamlessly without losing their distinct identities.

To the Kwararafa people, the ancestors speak through this moment. You are reminded to relentlessly pursue the timeless virtues of selflessness, integrity, industry, courage, justice, and equity—the very values that made your forebears indestructible. Going forward, the Kwararafa people must build heavily upon this profound platform of the Kwararafa Development Forum (KDF) to systematically pursue unity, inject Kwararafa values into national consciousness, and drive aggressive socio-economic and political development across their communities.

The Awakening of the Sleeping Giant

The choice of Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan ( Rtd ), Akii Kwararafa, a former Chief of Defence Intelligence of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria , to lead the Kwararafa Development Forum ( KDF) as its President is both inspired and divinely timed. The task ahead of him is undoubtedly monumental—reweaving the social and economic fabrics of scattered millions is no small feat.

However, AVM Morgan does not walk alone. He stands secure under the divine and majestic guidance of our spiritual father, the Aku-Uka (HRH Dr. Manu Ishaku Adda Ali), the towering wisdom of the Andoma of Doma (HRH Alhaji Dr. Ahmadu Aliyu Oga Onawo), and the unparalleled fatherly counsels of:
The Agabaidu Och’Idoma V (HRH John Elaigwu Odogbo)
The Ngolon-Ngas (The paramount ruler of the Ngas people)
The Attah of Igala (HRH Agabaidu Matthew Alaji Opaluwa Ogwuche-Akpa)
The Ohinoyi of Ebiraland (HRH Alhaji Ahmed Tijani Anaje)
Supported by a fiercely loyal elite and a passionate, awakened populace across the length and breadth of the old empire, it is safe, clear, and glorious to declare to the world: The Sleeping Giant of Nigerian history has finally arisen!