By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja
A simmering row has erupted within Kogi State’s Lokoja Local Government Area as the Oworo West Progressive Forum (OWPF), a socio-cultural group representing Oworo-speaking communities, rejected current proposals in the ongoing constitution amendment process, insisting on the creation of Oworo West Local Government Area.
At the heart of the disagreement is a perceived marginalisation of Oworo West in the submission for new LGAs. The current proposal—put forward by a committee that includes Lokoja LG Chairman, Hon. Abdullahi Adamu—seeks the creation of Oworo Central and Oworo East LGAs with headquarters in Karara and Agbaja, respectively. But leaders and stakeholders from Oworo West say the move sidelines their vibrant and economically critical region.
Speaking at the forum’s maiden stakeholders’ meeting in Lokoja, Chairman of OWPF and traditional ruler Olu Apata, Oba Fredrick Balogun, called the exclusion unjust and unacceptable.
“I stand here as a proud son and ambassador of Oworo West. We will not sit back while our identity, strength, and right to self-governance are erased from the map,” Balogun declared.
He described Oworo West as an economic powerhouse in Lokoja LG, home to communities rich in human and natural resources—including the host town of Nigeria’s largest cement factory in Obajana.
The forum, which brings together nine Oworo-speaking communities such as Apata, Emu, Jakura, Ogbabon, and Tajimi, insists that Oworo West is not just viable but essential as a standalone local government area. With 18 polling units out of Oworo ward’s 45, they argue the region more than meets the threshold for political representation.
“We are not against development,” Balogun stressed, “but development must be inclusive. Oworo West deserves its place at the table.”
The meeting drew the attention of Kogi State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Umar Yusuf, who commended the forum’s peaceful approach and promised that their concerns would be addressed in the ongoing constitutional amendment process.
“Now that the facts are clearer, I assure you that this observation will be corrected for the good of all,” Yusuf said.
Responding to the concerns, LG Chairman Hon. Abdullahi Adamu—a member of the constitution review drafting committee—admitted the proposal was based on earlier criteria and not designed to exclude Oworo West.
“There was no deliberate plot to sideline anyone,” he said. “Oworo West remains a vital part of the region, and its contributions—especially as host to major mineral resources—cannot be overlooked.”
Despite the reassurances, the forum insists on clarity and formal recognition of Oworo West as a proposed LGA, saying it’s the only way to guarantee equity and development in the larger Oworo community.
As the Constitution Review Committee continues its work, the voices from Oworo West grow louder, united in a singular call: recognition, inclusion, and justice for their land and people.