KONA CHIEFDOM SHALL REMAIN GRATEFUL
TO GOV ISHAKU, Says the KURU-KONA
In this interview, the Kuru-Kona of Kona Chiefdom, HRH MR. AUGUSTINE
NJENMANG VENGKANI, reveals the benefits that the Chiefdom has derived
From the GOVERNOR DARIUS ISHAKU led administration. He spoke with Sylvanus
Mathew Jen in his Palace recently
Your Royal Highness, can you please briefly tell us about yourself and this chiefdom?
I was born in Kufai, but as at that time, our parents do not keep track of dates. But I started as the Jauro of Kofai, then I was given a traditional title in this chiefdom as one of the king makers. From then I came here and God made it that in 2003 I was made the king of Kona, during the Darius administration. He followed the history of the stool of the Chiefdom and upgraded it to a Second Class status.
In the last few months there has been rancor in the kingdom between the herders & farmers, tell us about it and how you were able to contain the situation?
It started on the 6th of May last year, between a farmer and a herdsma in Yawai village. The crisis escalated to so many villages, resulting to lives and property worth Millions of Naira. So I constituted a peace committee between herders and farmers. After a serious deliberation; we took far reaching measures which yielded a good result, and the situation was brought under control and now, we are enjoying peace. Some victims who were in the refugee camps have now returned to their settlements to continue with their farming activities.
It was reported that there was a time some cows went astray and entered into your Chiefdom and you returned them to their rightful owners, tell us more on that incident?
Yes, there was a time some cows entered our lands and then my boys gathered them and brought them to me. So I instructed the boys to put all the cows in one place. So we called the Fulani leadership that are close to us and asked them whether it is their cows. They identified the cows as their own, so we handed over the cows to them.
For a long time, the Kona Chiefdom has been trying to see that they are elevated to the position of second class. But with the coming of His Excellency Arc. Darius Ishaku you got it on the platter of gold, what can you say about it?
It is a thing of gratitude, I will forever be grateful to His Excellency for elevating our Chiefdom to the Second class position. It is a thing of joy and we will continue to appreciate him. We will never forget him until the end of time. Initially, we had the District Head, but the former authority came and subdued us to the Village Head. But when Governor Darius came he looked into the history of our Chiefdom and elevated us to Second Class status. We will forever remain grateful to him. It is our prayer that God should continue to protect and bless him. As he elevated us, that is how the Almighty God will also elevate him to higher heights.
Can you outline some of the things the governor has done that you are grateful for?
Governor Darius has done a lot for us. There are things that we imagine that we will not get, but he gave it to us. He gave us a good road, a road that some people claimed in Abuja that it was constructed, it was during Darius time that he did for us. The road has been bad for a long time. Secondly he gave clean potable water and street lights. Initially we were sharing ponds with animals. As if this is not enough, he is planning to relocate the Government House to this Chieftain. The roads from Jauro Yino to Kpantinapu were some of his contribution. All I can say is that God should help him so he can finish his tenure peacefully and successfully.
What legacy are u planning to leave behind for posterity?
The legacies are already there. Even if today, I join my ancestors, there will be many things to show. It is during my time that the Chiefdom is uplifted to a Second Class level. It is also during my time that we have roads, good water, electricity and the government house project.
