Musa Maigari, formerly known as Jacob Mieux, was said to be a Liberated slave from Sierra Leone who accompanied Baikie to Lokoja as one of his interpreter and teacher of Hausa Language.
Mieux as he was then known, also served Baikie for a while as Cook. One of our sources further explained that Musa Maigari was a Hausaman from Katsina in present Katsina state, while others said he was from Damagran in present Niger republic,the consensus however remains that he is a Hausa by tribe.It was in 1870 when he was appointed the Maigari of Lokoja that he changed his name from Jacob
Mieux to Musa.
Lokoja historians do not seem to attach any significance to this change Of name as is
seen from the ‘scissors and paste’ kind of treatment they gave it. It Is suggested then that the event was adjudged to been seen as an attempt by Jacob Mieux to Identity with the larger Muslim population of the Lokoja town over which he was to preside over and to get a solid power base, he needed the supportG of ethnic group—the Hausa who were not only In the majority but were virtually all Muslims as was the Emir of Bida. We should remember that one of the reasons why the Hausa dropped the title of Sarkin Hausawa was because they considered Musa Maigari to be a member of their community. Maigari Musa descendants didn’t only remain Muslim up till today,but ardent one in all ramifications.
The change of name from Jacob Mieux to Musa also echoed his newly conferred position and consequently raised his status in Lokoja community.
He was the ““Maigari of Lokoja and the first to adopt that title, a title that has been officially retained up till date for any person who occupies the throne. Maigari Musa was said to be a courageous and a brave man, he led defensive ‘army’ of the town against the external threat of neighboring chiefs.
Among his major achievements was the establishment of the Hausa chiefship system(Emirateship system)
He included dogorai( Palace Guards )and fadawa among his palace officials and they remained part of the features of Lokoja traditional institutions (emirate council) until the 1960s. It’s not clear how or why they faded away from the ‘palace’ but today the Maigari of Lokoja has many fadawas . According to Historical research, the fadawas faded away during the period of interregnum(Wakili Yakubu) between 1923-1943 when Lokoja was under Ebira Native Administration
Beside the employment of the dogarai ‘and fadawa, Maigari Musa set offthe precedence for the appointment of occupational group leaders likes:—Sarkin Fawa (Chief of butchers), Sarkin Ruwa (chief of fishermen), Sarkin Makera (Chief ot blacksmiths), Sarkin Wanzamai (Chief of barbers), and Sarkin ‘Yan Itace ( firewood cutters) all of whom were Hausa from Northern Nigeria.
Maigari Musa who reigned between 1870-1896 was Adjudged to be the most peaceful ever witnessed in the history of Lokoja.
He was the only Maigari within the period under review that was never deposed, suspended or
humiliated in any way throughout his reign, which was longest anybody ever enjoyed at a stretch on the throne.