Traditional worshippers in Plateau State have called on the government to include them in its welfare programs, citing years of neglect and marginalization.
Speaking during the 2025 Morgi Masquerade Festival in Pankshin, Ma-Ajin Pankshin and Ngo-Long Vel, Nde Monday Tokzakka, urged the government at all levels to extend palliatives to traditional worshippers to alleviate the economic hardships affecting them.
The kingmaker to the Ngo-Long Pankshin traditional stool also demanded for equal rights and called on the state Government to carried them along in the scheme of things.
Nde Tokzakka made the call while speaking on the sideline of the celebration of the 2025 Morgi masquerade festival in Pankshin.
Our correspondent reports that the festival is traditional worshippers’ day, were over 300 different masquerades will be on displayed to the admiration of the people.
He maintained that very soon they will conclude arrangement for their registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) so that the three tier of Governments can accord them the necessary recognition like their Christian and Muslim counterpart in the state.
“We understand that the state Government give them palliative during Christmas and Sallah celebration. Traditional worshippers which is the first religion is not being carried along or consider for anything.”
He further stressed, “We have not been given any attention or consideration, consequently we are being relegated to the background”.
He also pleaded with the Plateau state Government to support them to promote the annual Morgi cultural festival because the state is known as the ‘Home of Peace and Tourism”.
“The Morgi festival if sustained will also attract tourists and generate revenue to the state because of the array of different masquerade that will be on parade”.
According to him, all the tribes in Nigeria can be found in Pankshin and as such they have always ensure that they are well protected during the festival.
“The Masquerades during procession are not allowed to enter Government’s establishment, school Mosque, Church and business centers by their handlers”.
It was further gathered that as part of the Morgi festival during harvest time masquerade are invited to monitor the harvest of grains from farms right to the storage in the bans. It was also told that any day the Masquerade comes out, there will be plenty food to eat as they also bring Maize and Guinea corn’s seedling for the next planting season.
Speaking on the significant of the festival, he further said that it is a period of offering prayer for blessing of the land and for bumper harvest and to also seek for cleansing, forgiveness, healing, and purification of the land from evil.
He warned that failure to preserve cultural heritage will lead to the erosion of traditions, and a loss of historical knowledge and potentially leading to cultural disconnection and confusion.
Also speaking the Galadima Pankshin Nde Gobak Yilchir and the Ngo-Long Chwil Nde Garba Yiltok underscored the need to preserve cultural heritage as it provides a sense of belonging and identity to individuals and foster community cohesion and social bonding.
According to them, by showcasing their culture, it will helps to safeguard historical events, traditions, and customs for future generations so that they can gain valuable insights into the past and its impact on the present.
The duo urged Pankshin sons and daughters not to forget their root and to always endeavor to bring their children home to watch this festival for the sake of posterity.
It is was further learnt gathered that Morgi Masquerade festival is celebrated by the Ngas people of Pankshin district, Pankshin Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The cultural festival is celebrated annually starting from Saturday and Sunday, the first or second week of March to usher in raining and farming season.
This masquerade festival is a culture that has been in existence for over 500 years and was handed over to the people by their fore fathers from generation to generation.
