By joshua World Class Royalty, Local Impact: NUJ Honours Maigari Of Lokoja With Leadership Excellence Award As Lokoja Stands As Mini Nigeria
The 2026 Press Week of the Kogi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) turned regal on Wednesday as the revered Maigari of Lokoja and Chairman, Lokoja Local Government Traditional Council, HRH Alh. Dr. Ibrahim Kabir Maikarfi IV, was honoured with the prestigious Award of Leadership Excellence.
The award, presented at the centrepiece of the Press Week lecture on “Professional and Ethical Standards in Election Reporting: The Journalist as a Guardian of Democracy,” was in recognition of a reign that has united Lokoja’s diverse peoples and reinforced the ancient city’s description as a mini-Nigeria.
In a hall filled with journalists, government officials, traditional title holders and community leaders, the NUJ said the Maigari was chosen because his leadership has raised the status and respect of the traditional stool through improved interactions with other traditional rulers across the country, and sustained the long tradition of peaceful co-existence between Christians and Muslims bequeathed by his ancestors. 601b
Delivering the lead lecture earlier, Alhaji Dahiru Mojeed, Lead Consultant at Lizzy Waters Ltd, Abuja, had warned that democracy thrives only on informed choice and that journalists must choose truth over speed, evidence over accusation and public interest over personal gain. He described verification as a democratic necessity in the age of AI-generated fake videos and cloned voices. It was against this backdrop of responsible leadership that the NUJ said the Maigari stands out.
HRH Maikarfi, the fourth in the Maikarfi dynasty, is widely described as slow to anger but swift to chide, a fine gentleman educated both in western and Islamic systems, and a successful administrator of men.
Since ascending the throne of his forefathers, his modest achievements have focused on sustaining peace in Lokoja through dialogue, mediation, community engagement and settling family and communal disputes through alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. Rather than elaborate fanfare to mark his anniversary, the monarch chose to visit hospitals and extend gifts generously to the less privileged, donating drugs, consumables and footing medical bills of the sick, and distributing poverty alleviation palliatives to the poor and vulnerable to cushion economic hardship.
His commitment to youth development has also been noted, through his efforts in securing employment for youths in the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and other cadres, and his passion for educational development, teaching youths “how to catch fish, not how to eat it”.
In his response after receiving the award, the Maigari dedicated it to the people of Lokoja – the Talakawas – whose support has been his strength. He commended the NUJ for keeping the flame of responsible journalism alive and urged journalists to continue to promote unity.
For many in Lokoja, the award was more than a plaque. As one elder put it, “May your reign be longer than that of your ancestors.” The prayer echoed in the hall: Allah Ya Karawa Sarkin Lakwaja tsawon rai da lafiya.
BagadhiZi Sarki!
May God protect you, guide you right and grant you continuous promotion in service to humanity.