The Attah of Igala Who Travelled: Personal Reminisces of Attah Aliyu Obaje 1956--2013

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The Attah who travelled by Rev. Fr. Attah Anthony Agbali The Attah of Igala, Alhaji Aliyu Ocheja Obaje, the Agabaidu and Amideju, had taken a long trip to consult with his ancestors. The Igala believes that the Attah would take a long time convorting with the past royal ancestors, and as the embodiment of the royal and non-royal ancestors, he enjoys perpetuity and longevity. The Attah’s travel is aimed at ensuring ancestral benefices upon the entire Igalaland and Igala kingdom; for of course, in traditional pre-colonial times, the spatial boundaries and political spheres of the Igala kingdom under the Attah transcended Igalaland. Attah Aliyu Obaje, emerged on the scene as the Twenty-first descendant of Attah Ayegba, and of the Aj’Aku (Akumabi) lineage. The Aj’Aku lineage, is interestingly divided into two branches; namely that of Ameh Achor and Itodu Aduga. In 1956, when the Attah Aliyu Obaje was installed, the British wanted an educated Attah. The Attah had acquired substantial education and was a lecturer, training Native Authority (Local Government) administrators at the Ahmadu Bello University, Institute of Administration, Kaduna, when he was selected by the royal house, presented to the Etemahi, endorsed by the Achadu and Igalamela, and confirmed and subsequently installed on November 2nd, 1956 by the British government. The selection of the Attah Aliyu Obaje deviated from the norm regarding the candidate that would have otherwise become the Attah, Opaluwa Oguche, if the British had not intervened. That intervention in preference for an educated Attah tilted the succession and moved the choice from the Ameh Achor lineage to Itodo Aduga’s, hence while keeping the Attah within the Aj’aku, scuttled the chances of the rightful candidate, who had limited western education. The British demand made it inevitable for the
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