PLATEAU: BEFORE THE BLOODLETTINGS THERE WAS PEACE
In the early 2000’s a popular theme song celebrating Plateau as
‘Home of Peace and Tourism’ aired on the state’s local television and
radio stations.
I was six then and if you grew up in Jos at the time, you probably remember this popular jingle. For you wondering what this theme song sounded like, it was similar to Plateau: quiet, rich, beautiful, strong, diverse and deeply rooted in a culture of humility, love, and warmth. Indeed, Plateau was paradise to us.
Then in September 2001, the Peace of Plateau was disrupted. The events of September 2001 still remain fresh in my mind for a number of reasons: on September 23, I was going to turn 7. A few days before my birthday, however, between the 7th and 13th, the city of Jos drowned in blood.
A city once celebrated for its peace, became torn with social unrest.
Coincidentally, the killings of 2001 in Jos occurred the same month as the September New York and Washington bomb blast and even now I dare to think the two events could be loosely linked.
But unlike the 9′ 11 attacks in the U.S, Jos was in a six-day bloodbath - taking with it, the lives of many residents of Jos at the time. Like the loss of virginity, the state of Plateau was stripped off but in a worse way, of its innocence.
It seemed the masterminds behind the killings wanted more bloodshed after their first taste of the red stuff in 2001. They would in subsequent years to come, be more bloodshed in Plateau.
The state of Plateau was not the only thing that changed. The people of Jos changed too. And even at 9, (we had relocated to the South-Eastern region of the country temporarily for two years), I knew this.
Upon my family's return to Jos two years later, everything was different.
For starters, we had moved to a more secure address. Residents were more conscious of this kind of stuff and an automatic curfew warmed its way into the schedule of residents. All legal activities in the state were rounded up at 6 pm and by 9 pm, the streets were mostly quiet and free of residents.
Life had to go on, residents started to heal. People still mourned their loved ones lost in the 2001 incident. Most destroyed structures had by now been renovated, burnt down properties rebuilt or like the famous Terminus Market Star tower, left unattended to, as a monument of the 2001 killings.
Daily activities picked up - residents of Jos and even history found a way to bury the hurtful experience from two years before. Slowly, and filled with determination, people tried to focus on reconstructing their minds and hearts towards recreating an ambience of Peace in the state.
Campaigns, jingles, and adverts ran on radio and television stations, as well as religious houses reminding the people of Jos of the promise of peace- the birthright of Plateau.
These peace campaigns seemed to be working although neglecting the mild animosity between Christian and Muslim residents. You see, most people are under the impression that the 2001 Jos crisis was based solely on the religious clash between Muslims and Christians in Plateau.
Although true, the social instabilities in Plateau over the years have been driven by the fight for political power masked with religious clashes.
So while the government and people of Plateau strived to rebuild the state’s peace, there was an underground farm sprouting hatred between the Christians and Muslims. This underground religious farm was well nurtured and its seeds grew slowly but strongly.
Relations changed. The two religious groups began to live exclusively in certain areas, avoiding the exclusive areas of their counterpart. Religious houses in guise preached avoidance of the opposing religious group.
This picture might seem gory, however, on the contrary, it wasn’t. Jos was still a beautiful city; scarred but magnificent.
From ages 9 to 16, Jos strived. Recovering quickly from the occurrence of 2001.
Oh. And while you might think the Christian and Muslim groups fought off each other, they didn’t. Business deals were continually carried out among these two religious groups but those underground farmlands of animosity had over seven years to grow and yes, its seeds did very well.
On December 24, 2010, the harvest of this underground farm manifested. Multiple bomb blasts went off in various targeted areas in the metropolitan city of Jos.
One of such targeted areas was the Kabong market. Now known as Goodluck Way. Residents who had gone to do some last-minute Christmas shopping, were, unfortunately, victims of these bombings.
Vanguard’s reports that:
”Plateau State commissioner of police, Mr Abdulrahman Akano,
said a total of seven explosives were planted in two parts of
the state capital.”
Although I can neither confirm nor debunk these statistics given by the commissioner, I can say this: we were devastated.
Imagine the beautiful celebration of Christmas ruined by another bloodbath. The anticipated spirit of joy at Christmas became dampened not with water, but with the blood of many innocent people. I have never experienced any of the crises in Jos but that day, December 24, 2010, I remember seeing thick black smoke in the
sky from the backyard of our home.
I was old enough to know that the feeling I felt that day was similar to how I had felt almost a decade ago. It was a feeling of panic, loss, and sorrow for people I never knew or probably at some point walked by on our street to run errands for my mum.
No one should ever have to feel that helpless or lost just from seeing black smoke in the sky. No one.
I was in my second year of senior secondary school. [SS2 in the Nigerian secondary school structure]. When school resumed in January, I felt stupid for feeling lost because my family and I were safe and not affected by the horrible incidents. Here I was on the school Assembly ground listening to the school principal talk about students and church members (I attended a missionary school) who had lost loved ones during the bomb blasts of January 24.
I think it was that same year or a year before or after but we lost a colleague from school. Not to death or bombing, but to uncertainty. I have forgotten his real name now but some of us nicknamed him Princess.
After school one day, a bunch of us were just goofing around with Princess.
He must have left earlier as he kept referring to his personal driver (a paid motorcycle driver designated to bring him to school and back home) who had been waiting to collect him.
The next morning at the school Assembly ground, an announcement was made pronouncing Princess missing. And up to this day, his whereabout is still unknown.
Between age 16 and graduating secondary school, several cases of killings, random shootings, kidnappings were recorded and reported in Jos and various cities in Plateau. Residents were in constant fear of surprise bomb attacks which seemed to be targeted at places of religious worship, marketplaces or crowded places.
People resumed their normal activities but that did not change the fear in
their hearts. Fear that one would go to work, school, the market or place of worship and never make it home alive.
In 2015, just a while after the Ramadan fast was broken, a twin-bomb explosion occurred in Jos. BBC reports that at least 44 people were reported dead in connection to the bombing. The bombs had been planted in a Shagalinku restaurant killing 23 and a mosque killing 21.
BBC reports further that;
”SHEIKH MUHAMMAD SANI YAHYA JINGIR, WHO SURVIVED THE ATTACK, IS
KNOWN FOR PREACHING AGAINST BOKO HARAM AND HAS WRITTEN A BOOK
WHICH CRITICISES THE GROUP CALLED BOKO HALAL (WESTERN EDUCATION
IS PERMITTED – BOKO HARAM MEANS WESTERN EDUCATION IS
FORBIDDEN).”
And with the blasts, a joyful event turned into mourning for the Muslim residents in Jos.
Reading about the latest killings in Jos south yesterday, I experienced all types of emotions. Passengers returning from various places, unaware of the impending dangers were killed. Innocent villagers, innocent kids, were killed by what the press is concluding was perpetuated by ‘suspected herdsmen’.
86 people have been reported to have been killed in 11 communities in Riyom, Barkin-Ladi and Jos South on Saturday. More recent reports have pinned this killing to be an act of retaliation by the herdsmen for the increase in cattle rustling in these regions.
The government may think they are doing their best but I am certain of this; if Aso Rock were hypothetically ever attacked,
Mr. President wouldn’t dare tweet
”PRESIDENT BUHARI HAS BEEN BRIEFED ON THE DEEPLY UNFORTUNATE
KILLINGS ACROSS A NUMBER OF COMMUNITIES IN PLATEAU STATE, TODAY.
“THE NIGERIAN ARMY AND POLICE ARE SUPPORTING THE DETERMINED
EFFORTS OF GOVERNOR SIMON LALONG TO END THE ATTACKS AND BRING
RELIEF TO AFFECTED COMMUNITIES.
“PRESIDENT BUHARI APPEALS FOR CALM AND ASSURES THAT NO EFFORTS
WILL BE SPARED TO BRING THE PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE, AND PREVENT
A RECURRENCE/REPRISAL ATTACKS.
“THE PRESIDENT AND THE ENTIRE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STAND WITH THE
GOVERNMENT AND PEOPLE OF PLATEAU AT THIS SAD TIME.
“THE GRIEVOUS LOSS OF LIVES & PROPERTY ARISING FROM THE KILLINGS
IN PLATEAU TODAY IS PAINFUL AND REGRETTABLE. MY DEEPEST
CONDOLENCES TO THE AFFECTED COMMUNITIES.
“WE WILL NOT REST UNTIL ALL MURDERERS AND CRIMINAL ELEMENTS AND
THEIR SPONSORS ARE INCAPACITATED AND BROUGHT TO JUSTICE.”
We would have seen actual military action and response to ensure the safety of an important place like Aso Rock even if it was as little as threatened. But maybe the people of Plateau are undeserving of this proper security and protection.
Plateau raised us but today, we can barely recognize her. And all for what? Political ambitions, religious intolerance, and carelessness?
God are you there? It’s us Plateau seeking your protection.
