21 years after Jos crisis, displaced residents relive life in new settlements

Bauchi’s Narabi, Tilde, others now big towns New life at Jantan Mangoro/Jantan Adamu Traders turn farmers at Baram Gada During the sad incident over two decades ago, many men, women and children were killed and thousands dislodged. Some people that went missing at the height of the crises have not been found till date as […]

• Bauchi’s Narabi, Tilde, others now big towns

• New life at Jantan Mangoro/Jantan Adamu

• Traders turn farmers at Baram Gada

During the sad incident over two decades ago, many men, women and children were killed and thousands dislodged. Some people that went missing at the height of the crises have not been found till date as their families carried on with life in suspense and agony.

The crisis, which had religious and ethnic underpinnings, had altered the social and economic life as many neighbourhoods and settlements were destroyed and communal relationship severed.

About the same time, new settlements sprung up in neighbouring Bauchi State where displaced people from Plateau sought for succour. Also, relatively known villages and farming communities soon became towns full of life as artisans and businessmen purchased lands and erected homes and business premises.

While many of the displaced have since fully settled in their new found homes and would not trade their new way of life for anything, there are others who still miss their old abodes with nostalgia and wish they could go back.

For almost all who found themselves in new communities, life wasn’t easy at the beginning; having lost their valuables and lacked familiarity with the new environments. They didn’t have shelter, source of livelihoods and basic life necessities.

Arriving at their host communities 21 years ago, many said they were camped in primary and secondary school classes while some said they were offered temporary shelter by members of their host communities.

The accounts of their journey differ across individuals depending on how everyone met the people in their new hometowns and villages. Some said they were still facing difficulties in terms of livelihood while others considered their relocation as a turning point for their lives.

Bauchi’s Narabi, Tilde, others now big towns

Following the mayhem, thousands of people, especially from Jos, relocated to villages of Narabi, Tilden Fulani, Magamar Gumau, Baram Gada, among others in neighbouring Bauchi State while some moved to Shonong 1, Shonong 2, Rusau, and Janta Adamu among other communities in the outskirts of Jos.

The relocation of the fleeing residents sprang up many villages and towns and formation of new settlements within and outside Plateau.

Narabi, about 17 kilometres from Jos, has in the last 20 years witnessed the influx of thousands of Plateau residents due to the recurrence of violence in the state.

Daily Trust on Sunday gathered that more than 70 per cent of people currently living in Narabi are from Plateau State and have built houses to live out the remaining parts of their life.

According to some of those interviewed, mutual relationship between them and the host communities have been very cordial.

Yahaya Faralu, a welder, said his movement to Narabi was a blessing because the business he engages in has been very successful.

“I have achieved a lot from the time I came to this community. I didn’t develop such a business idea when I was in Jos. But when I came here, I started learning the work and was subsequently freed by my master. Thereafter, I was able to establish a welding workshop. It is through the business that I got married, built a house and have been sponsoring my younger ones in schools,” he said.

On whether he would like to go back if giving the opportunity, Faralu said no.

“I want to remain here because I have already established a business that is sustainable. Besides that, this environment is peaceful. It is better I remain here doing my business than to go back to where my mind would not be at rest. Crisis doesn’t allow one to progress. I believe I have a very good future here.”

A barber, Auwal Musa, who was once living in Riyom Town of Riyom LGA of Plateau State together with his parents, but were forced to vacate the town at the height of the crisis, said he is better off now in Narabi.

 

Musa told Daily Trust on Sunday he is content with his barbing business.  “When we came here, I was very small and I didn’t intent to engage in barbing business. But due to the circumstances I found myself, l started learning the job and today, I have my own business. Even though I am not married yet, but I take care of myself and other members of my family. I thank God that the business is paying up,” he said.

Some of the people are now traditional rulers and their families have engaged in intermarriages with the host communities.

Malam Sha’aibu Abubakar, who formerly lived in Anguwan Rimi in Jos North and now resides in Narabi, was given a traditional title of ward head not long after his arrival. He explained that though life was so challenging when they arrived the village, but they were well received by the host community.

He said: “Majority of us are still struggling to meet up with daily needs while some have succeeded in doing other businesses. For instance, I am a class teacher. I travel every day from here to Jos to teach and what I collect as salary is nothing to write home about. That is how we have been managing for over two decades.”

Fatima Aliyu was a resident of Gero village of Jos South LGA of Plateau and now lives in Narabi.

She said though there’s relative peace in the village, life has been difficult in their present homes because prior to their movement to Narabi, she had a provision store.

“When I was in Gero village, I used to sell provisions. Life was very sweet because the business was booming. But since we came to this area in 2001, we have been facing serious economic challenges. We don’t sell anything because there is no capital to start up a business.

“Although I am not finding it easy here, but I prefer to remain here because there is no guarantee that if you go back, the narrative would change.”

The District Head of Narabi, Muhammad Abdullahi, said more than 70 per cent of people in his community were from Plateau State who fled to the area during several crises.

He said their coming to the area had been a blessing to the host community.

“Prior to their coming, we didn’t have lots of businesses and services in the community. It was when they came that we began to have people who engage in welding and iron pots making business, cafes and computer centres among others. Some of them are now teachers in our Islamiyya schools. So, we see their coming as a blessing. We have been living in peace with them. There are intermarriages among us,” he said.

Life at Jantan Mangoro/Jantan Adamu

Sitting on a traditional wooden chair in his compound was a retired police officer, Joel Danladi Moses.

He explained how life has been 20 years after he left his residence at Tudun Wada Junction following the 2001 Jos crisis.

Now living at Jantan Mangoro of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau, Mansack said he has not been finding life easy and that nothing has improved in his life.

Moses explained that after leaving Tudun Wada Junction, he didn’t face serious challenges regarding accommodation, but found it very difficult to meet up with the daily needs of his family.

He said: “When I left my house after the violence, I was warmly received by kind-hearted people who offered me accommodation to settle for a while. I was known by many people and that was why it was easy for me to get shelter.

“But my bitter experience of life at the beginning was what to do in terms of business to sustain the family because then, I had already retired as a police officer. Really, in the beginning, the hardship is unquantifiable and can’t be described. It was backbreaking.”

The retired police officer added: “Since I came back to this community, life has never been easy for me. We are six in the family. My pension has been N25, 000 for decades which the family solely rely on. It is not sufficient to cater for the family needs. Before now, I used to go out for labour of any kind to complement the meagre pension to survive.

“And with the little I earn from the labour and the pension, I managed to save a reasonable amount to buy the house I am living in now at Janta Mangoro. I tried to raise my four children with the little I had all these while. Now, I am older, I can’t engage in any kind of labour. The family is still surviving on the N25, 000 pension,” he said.

Kachollom Bulus, a 70-year-old woman who was once a resident of New Market area in Jos, and now living at Jenta Adamu, said starting life in her new environment after the 2001 crisis wasn’t easy for her and other members of the family.

She said: “We lost everything we had during the crisis. When we got to this community, we were received by good Samaritans.  Even though some of the places we were kept weren’t conducive due to our large number, but we were able to lay our heads for a good period of time before we finally got this house.”

Kachollom, who lost her husband many years ago, said life hasn’t been easy because she is still doing nothing and has become older.

“I am living here with my brother who often assists me with food. Whatever we get, we eat and if we don’t get anything, we sleep on empty stomach.

Resting on the doorstep of her house, Kachollom said she wouldn’t like to go back to her former house.

“I am quiet and calm here. Definitely, I miss my neighbours who are mostly Muslims but I still want to remain here for the rest of my life.

“I remember when I was there, we used to interact with many of those living around New Market area. I used to fry yam and potatoes and everybody patronized me including Muslims. But the crisis has destroyed everything. Honestly, I prefer to remain at Janta Adamu, despite what I am missing,” she said.

Monday Sabo, who lived at Gondola area and later moved to Janta Adamu, said despite what had happened in the past, he is still interested in going back to Gondola because ‘home is home.’

“If I have my way, I will go back,” he said.

Traders turned farmers at Baram Gada

About 130 kilometres drive from Bauchi town, a new settlement was formed by those who fled from Garkawa and Yelwa in Mikang and Shendam LGAs of Plateau State. It is called Baram Gada.

Located along Bauchi – Tafawa Balewa Road, the new community according to the residents of the area was once a bushy area.

It now accommodates hundreds of people who have built houses and business outlets. The Bauchi State Government has also provided primary and secondary schools and a primary health care facility for the community.

Just like Narabi, the formation of Baram Gada with over 3,000 population density, also motivated the Bauchi State government to appoint a ward head, chosen from among the displaced persons who helps in resolving minor conflicts among members of the community.

Isa Gambo, who is the ward head of the new Baram Gada settlement, explained that most of them were business-oriented people when they were in Garkawa village but have turned to farming due to the circumstances they found themselves.

“We engaged in different businesses because then we had the capital but since we moved to this settlement, we turned to farming activities to sustain our lives.”

Despite missing friends, neighbours and associates, many of the people at Baram Gada are still not dreaming of going back to their ancestral homes.

All those who spoke to Daily Trust on Sunday said they were not returning to their original homes because they have already settled in their host communities, saying there was no need to go anywhere.

Alhaji Usaini Ahmad Garkuwa, who lived in Yelwa in Shendam LGA of Plateau, and now lives in Baram Gada, said:  “We have been accepted as indigenes of Bauchi State. We have been provided with schools, primary health care facility and boreholes. We know that there are other challenges, especially electricity, but we are contented with what we have so far.

“I am living here in peace and I can’t go back despite what I am missing. Yes, I am missing a lot but I have decided to remain here for the rest of my life,” he said.

Idris Yusuf also said he was not considering going back to Garkawa because he has also settled down.

“I have already started a business here. I am now a vulcaniser and I am making it. Whatever I earn here is helping me to feed my family. So, going back will be to start a new life again,” he said. 

Violence destroys societies, induces poverty – Don

Dr Imran Abdurrahman, who teaches at the Conflict Management and Peace Studies  Department of the University of Jos, said although conflict was natural and inevitable, it often has negative consequences on the society that affects people’s psychology, infrastructures and prevents development.

He said: “When you have conflict in the society, it means the society is unable to address its problem. When conflict becomes violent, it then leads to displacement and forced migration. If buildings and other valuable items are destroyed, you have to start from zero level.

“Whatever the level of the violence, it affects social relations which includes businesses, partnership, market operations and so on. There are also economic effects. The economic effect is enormous and this can be measured from individual to state levels. Poverty will increase because people find themselves unable to produce. People who are displaced often don’t have access to farm and therefore, the area will be economically bankrupt.”

Dr Imran, however, said there are things that could be done to prevent violence and conflicts, saying there are mechanisms that if properly put in place, would help to address crisis of this nature in any given society.

“In the community, we have aged groups who could always intervene when there is dispute. In the market place, we have leaders who are always expected to come in when there is problem. So, for any community to function well, you need to have a mechanism for addressing conflict, especially by disallowing it to degenerate to conflict,” Dr Imran said.

Daily Trust reports that many of those interviewed during the visit to the communities said they saw nothing good in violence, wondering why some people would always like to clamour for it.

They said the fruits of crisis are always bitter, explaining that since the start of crisis in Jos in 2001, nobody would tell how profitable it has been.

“The crisis in Jos and environs only resulted in agony, poverty, hatred, ethnocentrism and lack of trust among people,” said Aminu Abdullahi, a social worker in Jos.

“Everybody in the state is affected either directly or indirectly. Jos was once a melting pot of social and economic activities and the failure of the people to live together has diverted many businesses to neighbouring Bauchi, Gombe and Adamawa, among others.

“Our politicians have a key role to play in solving the problem. They should deemphasise the issue of indigene/settler status and treat people as citizens. They should also provide basic privileges to all. I am sure many people are longing to live in Jos, and once peace and tranquillity is restored, they would not hesitate to come back,” he said.

This story is supported by the center for Democracy and Development (CDD)