Abuja is widely known as Nigeria’s planned capital, a city designed to represent unity, balance, and national purpose. Yet this image tells only part of the story. Before the city’s layout, before districts and highways, the land that became the Federal Capital Territory was already home to indigenous communities whose lives were shaped by farming seasons, kinship ties, and local authority. Among these communities were the Gbagyi people, also known as Gwari, whose presence long predates the creation of the capital.
As Abuja expanded into its role as the nation’s administrative centre, older histories were pushed into the background. Villages were absorbed into new districts, and familiar landscapes were redefined by modern boundaries. Still, beneath the city’s structure lies a deeper human story that continues to shape the land.
The Gbagyi people and their homeland
The Gbagyi have lived across large parts of what is now the Federal Capital Territory and neighbouring regions for generations. Their communities developed in close relationship with the land, drawing identity, livelihood, and meaning from their surroundings. The name “Gbagyi” itself reflects a shared sense of belonging rooted in place, while the alternative name “Gwari” appears widely in historical records and popular usage.
For many families, the land was not simply property, it was memory. Settlements were built around social ties, farming needs, and shared traditions. Authority structures existed long before modern governance arrived, organised through elders, community leaders, and shared customs that guided daily life.
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Life before the capital era
Before Abuja became a capital city, Gbagyi communities lived primarily through agriculture and local crafts. Farming followed seasonal rhythms, with families cultivating crops suited to the region’s soil and climate. Settlements were shaped by practical needs such as water access, arable land, and security, reflecting an intimate understanding of the environment.
Daily life revolved around communal effort. Farming, building, storytelling, and celebration were shared experiences that reinforced social bonds. These patterns created a stable way of life that endured long before the arrival of large scale urban development.
Craft, skill, and long standing knowledge
The region around Abuja has long been associated with craft traditions that reflect deep technical knowledge. Among these traditions is ironworking, which formed part of a broader culture of skilled production in central Nigeria. Such practices point to a landscape shaped not only by farming, but also by specialised knowledge passed across generations.
These skills were embedded in everyday life, supporting tools, agriculture, and trade. They also reveal that the area was never isolated or inactive, but connected to wider patterns of technological development across the region.
Landscape, memory, and identity
The physical landscape of the Abuja region carries layers of meaning beyond its visual presence. Hills, plains, and prominent rock formations became reference points for movement, storytelling, and identity. Zuma Rock, now a widely recognised symbol near Abuja, existed as part of this landscape long before it became a national landmark.
For local communities, such features were woven into collective memory. They marked boundaries, guided travel, and served as points of recognition across generations. The land itself became a record of shared experience, holding stories that modern development has not erased, even if it has changed how they are seen.
When Abuja arrived
The decision to create Abuja as Nigeria’s capital transformed the region rapidly. Land that had supported generations of Gbagyi families was repurposed for national development. Communities were displaced, resettled, or absorbed into the expanding city. Familiar spaces were renamed, redesigned, and reassigned new functions.
This transformation brought opportunity and disruption in equal measure. While Abuja grew into a symbol of national ambition, many indigenous families faced the challenge of preserving their identity within a city that moved faster than memory. The capital era reshaped daily life, redefining relationships between people and the land they had long known.
Culture in a modern capital
Despite the pace of change, Gbagyi culture did not disappear. Traditions continue through storytelling, craftsmanship, festivals, and family life. Cultural identity remains active, carried forward by elders and younger generations alike. In recent years, media and public discussion have played a role in bringing these stories back into view, reminding residents that Abuja’s history extends beyond its modern skyline.
The Gbagyi story adds depth to Abuja’s identity. It reminds the city that progress does not erase origins, and that development gains meaning when it acknowledges what came before.
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Why the story beneath Abuja matters
Cities are often remembered by their architecture and institutions. Yet places gain soul through people. Abuja’s true story includes both its role as a national capital and its earlier life as a homeland. Recognising the Gbagyi presence beneath the city restores a sense of continuity and respect.
Abuja is not a break between past and present. It is a layered place, where modern ambition rests on older foundations. Understanding this history allows the city to be seen not just as a planned capital, but as a living landscape shaped by generations.
Author’s Note
Abuja’s strength lies not only in what was built, but in what already existed. Remembering the Gbagyi story beneath the capital is a way of honouring continuity, recognising that every modern city stands on older ground shaped by real lives and enduring memory.
References
Daily Trust, Before Abuja: The Ancient Civilization of the Gbagyi People, documentary and accompanying publication, 2025.
Abuja Council for Arts and Culture, Traditional Iron Technology in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja: An Overview, Research and Documentation Division, 1992.
Eucharia Ugochi Opara, Dynamics of African Heritage and Sustainable Development: An Investigation into Gbagyi People in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja, 2024, proceedings publication.
Nigerian Journal of Economic History, discussions on traditional iron smelting in central Nigeria, 2016.
