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I on behalf of Naga Club (NC) convey our warmest welcome to you all. We greatly appreciate your presence on this auspicious occasion when we are commemorating the Naga Club Foundation Day hosted by our Rengma brothers. Our visionary forefathers like Mr Rheichalie Pienyü and his fellow Naga pioneers founded the Naga Club 105 years ago on this day the 7th of Jan. 1918.
The founders were some of the first Naga elders representing different tribes with a vision to promote unity and brotherhood in our Naga homeland whereby the leaders of Rengma community such as Mr Nrilo Kent DB one of the founders of Naga Club, Mr Rusilo Kent DB one of the signatories of Simon Commission, Mr Whenho Rengma was the first Ato Kilonser Federal Govt of Nagaland, Mr P Sentsi Kent one of the first Joint Secretaries of NNC in 1946, the Naga National Flag was weaved by 4 Rengma ladies and others took active part.
For ages Nagas lived independently without any foreign control but each village was a sovereign republic without a unified Govt. system. It is a fact that the Nagas were not organised then as we are today not to talk of Naga unity, even villages of the same tribe were in constant warfare amongst themselves and neighboring villages were even known to be bitter rivals.
As such, the Naga Club with erudite legendary forefathers mentioned above set up a Naga Club building at Kohima providing free accommodation with cooking facilities to all the travelers coming from far-flung areas and as they were in the free Guest House our forefathers from different communities would go to make friends with them by playing carrom board, Ludo, chess, cards, reading newspapers, etc. to promote unity and brotherhood and once they get acquainted with each other next time those people coming from distant places would not stay in the Naga Club Guest House but rather they would go straight to their recently made friends/brothers’ abode.
This great legacy from our thoughtful legendary forefathers should be treated as primacy at all cost and it should be kept fully alive always. Therefore, it is our due responsibility to continue this great legacy amongst ourselves in the present situation to promote unity and brotherhood amongst the Nagas without borders as each and every Naga is a member of the Naga Club.
With equal gratitude for the steadfast role played by our recent past distinguished officers of the Naga Club such as Mr Krurovi Peseyie, Mr Ariyi Chakhesang, our two past Presidents, NC, Mr Khyomo Lotha, the former Secy. and the present Advisor, NC, Mr Kewezü Mero, former Joint Secy. and present Advisor, NC, Dr S Imkong Tushi Ao, former Advisor NC, Mr Niketu Iralu former Advisor NC, Mr Z Katiry, former Advisor, NC, Mr Mhonthung K N Lotha, former GS and present GS, NC, Mr Visa Meru, former Advisor and present VP, NC, Mr S P Francis Mao, former Advisor, NC, Mr Khinyi Woch, former VP, NC, Mr Joshua Newmai, former Secy. NC, Mr S Peter Trakha, former Secy. NC, Mr Vixepu Swu, former Treasurer, NC and others for the ways in which they have kept the story of the Club alive through the chaotic decades of our Naga struggle. We thank them for passing on the baton to those who have stepped forward to be responsible for the Naga story.
We shall at all cost and always uphold their ‘unique original stand’, namely ‘leave us alone to determine for ourselves’ firmly claiming their rights given to them by their unchallengeable history as a people and a nation never ruled by any foreign power earlier. Our ‘Naga Minds’ and our ‘Naga National Soul’ were never compromised or colonized by any nation earlier till date and it shall never be compromised.
If Delhi thinks that accepting the Indian Constitution by the Nagas under unfair means of duress will make the Nagas into Indians or accepting the Indian Constitution under threat being treated as the so-called ‘Naga Solution’ or ‘Indo-Naga Honorable and Permanent Political Settlement’ then Delhi is very wrong but that would be Delhi’s own business, and thinking Indians too have begun to understand how the Nagas understand their unquestionable and unchallengeable Political History.
In conclusion, I would like to wholeheartedly thank our Rengma community for hosting the Naga Club Foundation Day at Tseminyu. As I see it, I believe Naga Club will play its rightful role for our Naga society if on this day every year it becomes known for its brutal bare factual review of the past, truthful and bold assessment of the present, with the conclusion and lessons thus understood together, the Naga Club contributes its thinking and vision for our people with humble, authoritative confidence. May God bless our nation.
Kuknalim.