The people of Kwo Chiefdom of Qua’an-Pan LGA of Plateau State, went into jubilation after the announcement that the selection of a new Long (Chief) shall take place on Thursday March 18, 2021.
They have also gone to their various places of worship praying for the emergence of a leader that will lead them and for the successful completion of the exercise.

The communication on the selection date was made on Thursday March 11, 2021 by officials of the Plateau State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs at a meeting with the Princes of the Chiefdom and officials of Qua’an-Pan LGA.
The Chiefdom has been without a Paramount ruler since July 1988, after the last occupant of the seat, then of Third Class status, late Miskoom Hoomkwap II transited.

Before announcement of the date of the selection, about 17 Princes from the four (4) ruling houses of Kaskang, Lakwaram, Npoema and Nuku, of this member of the defunct Kwararafa Empire, have so far indicated their interests to become the 27th Long Kwo. There may be more before the March 18, 2021 date.

Among the contestants are Miskoom Larry Peters Bawa, a businessman and an Executive Director of Duncan Group of Companies and Chairman Lamebakena Properties, Ghana; Miskoom Hubert Isa, a retired seasoned civil servant; Miskoom Cornelius Shekarau, a former banker and business man; Miskoom Danladi Nkup, a farmer and Miskoom John Aloko, a retired civil servant.

Other front liners are Ambassador Yahaya Kwande, former Nigerian Ambassador to Switzerland, whose ambition to occupy the seat was thwarted in 1990 because of procedural lapses in his selection; Miskoom Linus Layi Anden, the immediate past acting General Manager of Plateau Express Services Ltd; Colonel Fidelis Attahiru, a retired army officers, now a business man, Casmier Angulu, a retired civil servant and Hycent Isa Wambai, a farmer.
Also on the lists of contestants are the children of the last Long Kwo Miskoom Hoomkwap Sule II. They are Miskoom John Hoomkwap and Miskoom Ibrahim Hoomkwap. Others contestants are Miskoom Benedict Bamshal Mairiga, a medical doctor; Miskoom Shintoe Kwallat, Miskoom Martin Musa Dunggu, Miskoom Noel Niyu Dongkiem and Miskoom Kenneth Isa, a civil servant with the Plateau State Government.

Whoever emerges from the Thursday’s March 18, 2021 selection shall become the 27th Long Kwo of Kwo Chiefdom. The new Long Kwo shall have the task of uniting a people, most of who hadn’t the opportunity of experiencing the role of a chief. The new Long Kwo will have the task of harnessing the resources of his people towards development as well as bring the princes together in order to move the Chiefdom, with its abundant resources forward.

Kwo Chiefdom, a Goemai settlement with capital at Moekwo (Kwande) is located in Qua’an- Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State, Nigeria. It’s area covers the villages of Luukwo ( Barkin Ciyawa), Nagan ( Kurgwi), Turniang, Npap, among others.
The history of Kwo Chiefdom dates back to the disintegration of the Kwararafa Empire. Following the disintegration, the people of the present Kwo Chiefdom migrated from the Middle East alongside the Jukuns, Alagos, Igalas, etc., to Wukari, but later moved to, founded and first settled at Ngua-Moekwo, (which is today considered the central traditional worship place of the Goemai of Kwo chiefdom) under the headship of Atua (Ntuan), the first Long Kwo. After the desertion of Ngua Moekwo, Attua moved and settled at Luukwo (Barkin Ciyawa), and finally to Moekwo ( Kwande), its present capital.
The area, a district, was upgraded to a Chiefdom of 3rd Class Status on April 3, 1981, (while maintaining its District position) by the Administration of late Chief Solomon Daushep Lar in his Emancipation program.
In the course of history the Chiefdom was ruled by 26, Long Kwos, the first been Miskoom Atua ( Ntuan) with the last of whom was late Miskoom Hoomkwap Sule II, was transited to glory on July 1988. Others who ruled the Chiefdom included Shaswo, Tsarkes, Fokur, Lafiang, Kwaram, Ndi, Nuku and Kadiri.
Others who ruled the Chiefdom are Lakwaram, Mawo, Kaskang, Kwapkwo, Poejap, Poemuop, Yilwup, Diemser, Kerembaam and Nianluop.
The Long kwos of recorded period are Npoema ( 1869-1886), Kwalgurum (1886-1893), Mialmen (1903-1907), Longbaam (1907-1923), Sule Mialmen (1923-1954) and Hoomkwap Sule II (1954 – July 1988).

Since then, attempts to have a new Long Kwo was thwarted by the intrigues between and or among the Princes of the 4 ruling houses of Kaskang, Lakwaram, Npoema and Nuku.
Despite the absence of the Long Kwo, the Chiefdom as a blessed area has trained and produced high caliber of people, who had either provided or are still providing quality services to Plateau State and Nigeria in general. The area is blessed with several schools, medical outlets, banks and is a multi religious in nature.
Apart from the development and growth of area, the Chiefdom is agrarian in nature with vast arable land for farming. This has attracted other citizens, notable from Pankshin, Bokkos, Mikang, Langtang South and North; and Mangu local Government Areas of Plateau State and to some extent from Nasarawa, Benue and Bauchi States.
The Chiefdom has the capacity to produce in commercial quantities, if properly harnessed, commodities like yams, millet, beniseed, beans, casava, maize, rice, guinea corn, pepper among others.
Besides these, the people of the Chiefdom are engage in other activities like hunting, raffia works, fishing, pottery, weaving, soap making, blacksmithing, brewing.

In the area of culture, the people of the Chiefdom boasts of having Gya Naan, Kwamteng, Manggap, Goerengai, kyeji, nashi , gora, among others, which are often showcased at different at festivals

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Kwo People Jubilates as Plateau Govt Announces Date for the Selection of New Long Kwo