Apropos the article “Story of Naga Club and Simon Commission Petition” by Thepfulhouvi Solo, IFS Retd (RR-68) Retd Principal Secretary, Nagaland while writing about the formation of the Naga Club, he has written (quote)” None of the Returnees except Dr. Khosa is found in the list of the Simon Commission” (unquote). In another paragraph he has written (quote) “Some Years after its formation, for the first time on 10th January 1929, some 20 Interpreters and Employees of the Government submitted a formal Petition to the Simon Commission in the name of the Naga Club. None of the Labor Corps members is among the signatories except Dr. Khosa Zinyu, who was a Government Doctor” (unquote). In this connection, the Jotsoma Village Council would like to clarify that among the signatories of the Simon Commission Petition, Nikhriehu, Interpreter Angami from Jotsoma Village, whose name appeared at S.No. 19 of the article written by Mr. Solo was a Returnee from Europe. He went to the First World War as a Labour Group In-Charge.
While it may be true that the idea of formation of Naga Club may firstly be mooted by other “Native Government Servants”, but we feel that it will be wrong to completely negate that the First World War “Returnees” have no influence in formation of the Naga Club in 1918- 1919. While supplementing the aforesaid article written by Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo, we would also like to clarify certain deviation of historical facts pertaining to the famous “Simon Commission Petition” in connection with Jotsoma Village. With the view to elucidate the correct facts for posterity, brief life accounts of the following persons connected with the historical Simon Commission Petition is given below:
1. Nikhriehu, Interpreter, Angami: Nikhriehu ( Peseyie) was the son of Lhuzierü, G.B. of Jotsoma village. Nikhriehu was also the father of Late Mhalie Peseyie, MLA from Dimapur I Constituency in the 3rd Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Nikhriehu was among the first group to get education from Jotsoma Village. He was a teacher in Khuzama Village in the early 1900s and later was appointed as Interpreter (Dobashi). During the First World War, he went to Europe as an In-charge in the Labor Corps. On his return to his native village in 1918, Nikhriehu shared an incident with his fellow villagers, which is still being told by many elders of the Village till date. It is said that while travelling across the ocean, their ship was bombarded and while their ship was about to sink, the Nagas under his charge, most probably from Meluri (Meloma) encouraged him saying, “Shaha (Sahib) don’t be afraid, we will push you to safety”. It is said that Meluri people know how to swim due to their proximity to Tizü river. However, before their ship sank, they were rescued by another ship. His granddaughter Mrs. Kevinino P Meru, Retd. Director, Art & Culture and Chief Information Commissioner (Retd), still remembers seeing “wine glasses” brought from the war as souvenirs from her grandmother’s place. Unfortunately, all these souvenirs and documents were destroyed in the Indo-Naga War in 1956. The inscription on the tombstone of Nikhriehu runs “Nikhriehu Son Of Lhuzierü GB Jotsoma. Amemoriable that he gave his life in the Great War 1918. He was head Dobashi, died on Dec 1935”. Nikhriehu was a signatory of the Simon Commission Petition dated 10th January, 1929.
Lhutsüzo (Senotsu) was the son of Üselie Senotsu. He was another person who received early education among the Nagas. He was appointed as Dobashi and went to Europe during the First World War. After his return from the War, he was made a clerk in Deputy Commissioner’s Office and was the Head Clerk when he died in 1931. We were told that the then D.C. Naga Hills, Mr. J.H. Hutton told Lhutsüzo that some very important persons are coming the next year to reconsider the status of the Nagas and that the Nagas should submit a representation and accordingly, Lhutstüzo conveyed the message to the Naga Club to which he too was a member. Lhutstüzo was not a signatory of the Petition submitted to the Sir Simon Commission of 1929. The inscription on the tombstone of Lhutsüzo runs “In Loving Memory of Lhutsüzo Angami Late Clerk of DC Office Kohima. Served in Great War from 1915 to 1918. Died on 21, 1931.”
Goyiepra (Nakhro) was the son of Thepfüneirü Nakhro. As per record of the family of Goyiepra Nakhro, he was born in the year 1894. He went to Jorhat for his early education and thereafter he was employed in Deputy Commissioner’s Office at Kohima. He worked as Cashier (known as Treasurer during British time) and later on he was promoted to Head Clerk and transferred to Mokokchung. At the instance of the then D.C. Kohima he was brought back to Kohima and while still serving as Head Clerk, he died in 1937. Goyiepra Nakhro was a founding member of Naga Club when it was formed in 1918 and was also the first Treasurer of Naga Club. He was a signatory of the Simon Commission Petition, his name appearing at S.No.7 in the aforesaid article of Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo. It may be noted that Goyiepra gave his official designation as Treasurer in the Petition as he was the Treasurer in D.C’s Office at that time.
Some present day writers have been misrepresenting facts and stated that Goyiepra Angami, the signatory of the Petition to be another person and not the Goyiepra Nakhro of Jotsoma Village. Rev. Kiezotuo Zhale in his book “Tenyimia Mhasi Kerieko”(page 19) misrepresented facts by stating that it was Goyiepra Kenye who was the first treasurer of Naga Club and was a signatory in the Simon Commission Petition. The Nakhro Clan of Jotsoma took up the matter with Rev. Kiezotuo Zhalie and he has graciously corrected the facts through a vernacular paper (Tenyidie). Mr. Scato Swu in his book “Hails And Blames, A brief Account of Naga Independence Struggle” in the Appendix, “Memorandum Submitted to the Simon Commission by the Nagas Dated 10.01.1929” mentioned the name at S. No. 7 as Goyiepra, Treasurer, Chakhesang (page 240). The Village of Jotsoma is grateful to Mr. Thepfulhouvi Solo for bringing out the correct facts and hoped that with these clarifications, no further confusion or unnecessary controversy will emerge in connection with this issue due to similarity in names.
