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Far and Near We Are One
The Bassa of Abuja-Federal Capital Territory
The Bassa of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, are found in all the four Area Councils of Gwagwalada, Kuje, Abajji, and Municipal. They are an admixture of those who left Bugu in settlements. Specifically however, those who settle in Abaji, Kuje, and Gwagwalada Area Councils are said to be among those who left Bugu in Nasarawa local Government Area of present day Plateau State. Thus while some settled in Tawari and spread to Koton-Karfe and Lokoja, “othe settled in Gwagwalada, Pai, Ashara, etc. This is along the Bank of the Gurara and in the plains to the south and south-west of Abuja” (19) present day Suleja.
The Bassa of Municipal Areas Council, especially those residing in Jiwa, and the villages around the Abuja international Airport are said to have left Gumna to their present settlements almost the same time with those who took the Nasarawa route. The two groups are however mixed up now in their settlements.
Taking the population statistics of districts in the former Abuja Emirate, the then Assistant District Officer, Mr. W. Morgan presented the following:
|
i. Ashara Independent District
| TRIBES |
MALES |
FEMALES |
CHILDREN |
TOTAL |
| Ganagan |
182 |
177 |
98 |
457 |
| Bassa |
533 |
587 |
394 |
1,514 |
| Gwari Yemma |
341 |
320 |
231 |
892 |
| Hausa |
8 |
9 |
9 |
26 |
| Total |
1,064 |
1,093 |
752 |
2,889 |
Source: Abuja Emirate Assessment Report of Districts. Ashara Independent District, By A.D.O. Mr W. Morgan, May, 1914.P.263
ii. Kundu Independent District
| TRIBES |
MALES |
FEMALES |
CHILDREN |
TOTAL |
| Hausa |
52 |
13 |
10 |
38 |
| Hausa Bassa |
102 |
105 |
58 |
265 |
| Fulani |
54 |
63 |
45 |
162 |
| Town Fulani |
18 |
21 |
35 |
64 |
| Arago |
182 |
193 |
126 |
501 |
| Bassa |
371 |
395 |
264 |
1030 |
Source: Abuja Emirate Assessment Report of Districts. Ashara Independent District, By A.D.O. Mr W. Morgan, May, 1914.P.261
iii.Pai Independent District
| TRIBES |
MALES |
FEMALES |
CHILDREN |
TOTAL |
| Town Fulani |
224 |
282 |
182 |
688 |
| Huasa Bassa |
11 |
13 |
10 |
34 |
| Hausa |
4 |
4 |
2 |
10 |
| 1,188 |
1,192 |
1,027 |
3,404 |
| Gwari Genge |
8 |
8 |
9 |
25 |
| Bassa |
367 |
375 |
325 |
1,067 |
| 1,0802 |
1,875 |
1,555 |
5,232 |
Source: Abuja Emirate Assessment Report of Districts. Ashara Independent District, By A.D.O. Mr W. Morgan, May, 1914.P.260
|
Other districts are Kuje, juwa, which have a record of the existence of a number of Bassa settlers from the earliest times. These reports go along way in confirming the fact that the Bassa are among the original inhabitants of the present Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, with Gwagwalada as their traditional headquarters. Right from the earliest times, the place had been known as “Gwaghwalada Bassa”. it was a noted stronghold in times of war, Morgan and Campbell (1913-1917) recorded that:
“Gwagwalada Bassa is the only town of any size. The walls of this town cover a wide area, and seems to show that the population was old far large” (21) |
