The Naga Club celebrated its 106th Naga Club foundation day at Lotha Hoho Conference Hall, Wokha Town on January 7. The event was graced by Medoselhou Keretsu, Advisor, Naga Club as the Guest speaker.
Guest speaker Medoselhou Keretsu in his speech briefed the history on formation of the Naga Club which was formed in the year 1918 with Late Rheichalie Pienyu as the first president, who served the Naga Club for 24 years.
The Naga Elders General Conference was conducted on January 7, 1982 at Kohima Village Panchayat Hall where all Naga tribes attended the meeting. “It was on this auspicious day that the Naga Club was formally installed by electing the office bearers with Azuto Rengma as the president. The elected office bearers were entrusted to take over the affairs of the Naga Club on that significant day when January 7 became the Naga Club foundation day which is observed today,” asserted Keretsu.
Wokha: Naga Club Advisor Medoselhou Keretsu
The visionary leaders who, despite lacking modern technology and education, realized the unity among the Nagas. “Their commitment to living together as a family and pursuing the goal of togetherness, both as a community and an independent nation, showcases a strong sense of identity and purpose among the Naga people. The unity of the Naga people was later uphold and confirmed and asserted to live together as a family as well as an independent nation, setting a goal to pursue togetherness among the nagas,” stated Keretsu.
“The Naga Club representation to Simon commission became the cornerstone of Naga political movement which defined the rights of the Nagas and it still stands to be one of the most significant steps taken to assert the uniqueness and oneness of the Nagas,” added Keretsu.
The Guest Speaker also expressed the hope that the spirit of the 1951 Naga National Plebiscite continue to live among the Nagas and stand for Naga Unity in forgiveness and oneness.
In his presidential address, Naga Club President Kuolachalie Seyie provided an elaborated discourse on the history of Naga Club and its first President Rheichalie Pienyü. Under Pienyü’s leadership and his fellow Naga trusted pioneers, stated Seyie, the Kohima Village constructed a double-storey thatch house measuring about 45 ft into 25 ft with a plot of land to the Naga Club below Mission Compound Kohima for the use and benefit of all Naga people as a free guest house to promote Naga brotherhood and unity and to eradicate headhunting.
“Naga people from remotest Naga-inhabited regions would come and take shelter and the committed people of Kohima town consisting of all tribes would go there to make friendship with our travelling brothers and sisters by playing carom board, chess, cards, ludo, badminton, reading newspapers, so on,” stated Seyie.
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Seyie reminded that the present Naga Club building site near the Old Secretariat, opposite Kohima Local Ground was once again allotted by the people of Kohima village to the Naga Club to enable it to continue its services for the benefit of all the Naga people.
“The new Naga Club building also would have been used for the same purpose as the old one. However, due to the new and more complicated political situation with the British departing right after the end of World War 2, the same was used as the Naga National Council (NNC) office as NNC is the by-product of the Naga Club. Further, the subsequent developments are in the knowledge of the public as we all know,” stated Seyie.
Executive secretary LBCA, Vankhosang Rev Nyanchumo Lotha
The programme was chaired by K N Mhonthung Lotha, General Secretary, Naga Club, welcome address by Mhondamo Ovung, Lotha Hoho Chairman. A prayer of blessings upon Naga Club Leader was pronounced by Rev. Nyanchumo Lotha, Executive Secretary LBCA, Vankhosang while the closing remarks was delivered by Y Vandanshan Lotha, Naga Club Vice president.
