Jos: A tale of ‘two cities’
It’s no longer considered out place to see people transacting business or holding a discussion at unusual places in Jos, the Plateau State capital, nor seeing an ‘Okada’ man arguing with his passenger over which route to follow in order to arrive at the passenger’s destination. Safety is now the watch-word for Jos residents as […]
It’s no longer considered out place to see people transacting business or holding a discussion at unusual places in Jos, the Plateau State capital, nor seeing an ‘Okada’ man arguing with his passenger over which route to follow in order to arrive at the passenger’s destination. Safety is now the watch-word for Jos residents as certain areas are a big “no-go areas.” Today, so-called border areas or neutral grounds exist in a community that once lived peacefully for hundreds of years, affecting business and personal relationships.
Few markets in Jos, such as Terminus and Farin Gada are some of the few ‘safe’ places where people from diverse cultures and religions now freely interact without watching over their shoulders. Except for the skirmishes that occurred in the hinterland and recently, the multiple blasts on Bauchi Ring Road, many have observed that the crisis has subsided significantly. However, the situation in Jos has continued to leave residents and the business community, especially small-scale business owners in fear. Living arrangements wherein Muslims now live exclusively among Muslims despite their cultural difference, and Christians exclusively among Christians, whether indigenes or settlers, makes it difficult for much-needed peace.
Residents say they are mostly restricted to their ‘religious boundaries’ but sometimes, their social activities, businesses and work may force them to ‘switch lanes’ but in most cases, they prefer to meet at the various borders to transact business and exchange pleasantries. Schools, except for those that are located along the borders are mostly polarized along religious and ethnic lines spurring the creation of many schools on both sides.
According to Malam Uba Mainama, a meat seller at the Farin Gada market, “I used to sell meat at the New Market around Kwararafa, but I relocated to this place because my Christian customers were scared to go to that area since it is a Muslim area. They used to call me on phone to tell me that they won’t be able to come and buy meat so I decided to move to this market. This is a big market and both Muslims and Christians come here freely and we also transact business freely.”
Malam Mainama explained that traders were not happy with the present divide between Muslims and Christians, saying it is one of the reasons why small-scale businesses are not thriving in the state. “The incessant crises limit us to certain customers who belong to a particular religion. When I was in the new market, my Christian customers stopped coming and I only had Muslim customers. There are many people like that who only have Christian or Muslim customers because of the living arrangement and unless they decide to relocate to some of the larger markets where adherent of both religions can transact freely, their businesses may not survive.”
On his part, Bashir Ibrahim who relocated from Anglo Jos said both Muslims and Christians used to live and transact business peacefully, but the crises had made life difficult especially for businessmen who have lost their goods. He said: “We the traders in Jos are not happy with this situation, because it hinders our business and whenever we see people running, we also run for our lives and most of the times we have to leave our wares behind.”
Similar to the narration of Malam Uba is the story of Mr. Ebenezer Okafor who has to move the Gada Biyu market to Chobe Junction market where he sells motorcycle spare parts. According to him: “I have a lot of Muslim customers. I was initially at Dilimi area, the crisis forced me to relocate to Gada Biyu market but I realised that I lost quite a handful of my Muslim customers so I decided to move to Chobe market because it is more of a neutral area since Muslims usually patronize the market and many of them can now reach me.”
“Dividing the city can never be the remedy for the incessant crisis in the state. What we need as a solution to the crisis is forgiveness,” Okafor said.
Vera Sunday, who sells food early in the morning to commercial motorcyclists on Tafawa Balewa Street, also lamented the polarized nature of the state, saying the numbers of her customers have drastically reduced due to the incessant clashes. She said at no point a society will progress if there is division in the pattern of living.
On a larger scale, the Public Relations Officer of Farin Gada Market, Malam Tasiu Salisu said: “In the past, we used to have about 15 lorries from the southern part of the country coming to Jos to buy tomatoes, onions and other vegetables on weekly basis. They used to carry them to places like Aba, Onitsha and Port Harcourt, but now the situation is different. We hardly get two lorries now coming from the South, except for the J5 vehicles that carry some of the goods to Lagos. And all this is happening because the people are scared of coming to Jos. How can we progress if we live alone? Are we supposed to produce and consume our products? We need outsiders to come and buy these things and unless this fighting stops, life will be difficult for all traders and businessmen in Jos.”
Malam Salisu said the Farin Gada market was considered as one of the neutral grounds in the city where both Muslims and Christians come to buy and sell goods freely, adding that they had to seek the assistance of the state government to provide them with security operatives in order to protect their traders in the market and their customers. “We all have the telephone numbers of the security agents, so once we see any unruly behaviour or we notice anyone looking suspicious, we call them to investigate.”
According to him, “If you go to Gada Biyu market, you will notice that there are only Christians transacting and buying wares likewise if you go to the Filin Ball market, you will also notice that there are only Muslims buying and selling. This kind of atmosphere where Muslims and Christians live apart is not good for business.” For Istifanus Zakka, “A town cannot progress without traders and visitors alike and so we have to try and live together as brothers and sisters. As you see me, when I came to this town, the people who accommodated me were Muslims and they were the same people who provided me with the space to start my business here.”
While blaming the crises on irate youths, Rose Anyel Sunday Alamba said her mother and aunt used to sell potatoes in the market, but her aunt had died of a cardiac arrest after the crisis last year and so she had to join her mother in the market. According to her, “This crisis is an opportunity for some hoodlums to loot, as once it starts, we run and leave our wares. Sometimes our shops are burgled and our goods catered away and if you are unlucky the shop may even be burnt.”
Describing the divided pattern of living as unfortunate, the Director of the Business School in Jos, Mr. Ezekiel Gomos said there is the need for the building of mutual trust among religious adherents, adding that the governments at local, state and federal have to also build such trust. “With this, people will feel protected and have confidence in their leaders.”
He said “Our traditional and religious leaders must always exhibit, teach, and act love; there should be no discrimination at all levels. If this is achieved, it will go a long way in bridging the already existing gap within people in the state.” Gomos further proffered that “when the economy is booming and youths are engaged, the imaginary borders that divide people will automatically go. For instance, when there is a business activity that is booming for Dogon Dutse and all youths from both divides are engaged in that business, that will automatically break those barriers. Lastly, social activities such as sports should also be encouraged because they can serve as a good platform for meaningful interactions.”
Alhaji Sani Mu’azu Jos, a well-known movie producer/director, said the failure of security, unaddressed issues, politics of exclusion as well as youth restiveness are some of the issues that need to be addressed in order to bring back Jos to its glorious days. He said the fact that security of people cannot be guaranteed in a particular place will surely cause division among people, pointing out that failure to address some “burning issues” will continue to fuel the crisis in the state. “The Federal and state governments must take bold steps to tackle the problem of Indigene/Settler divides and political office holders must also carry all stakeholders along regardless of their affiliations.”
Mu’azu said part of the solution to the problem in Plateau and Jos North in particular is the lack of projects in the area, stressing that the positive impact of the subvention received by the local governments from federal coffers is not reaching the people that make up the larger percentage of the population which is the basis for the allocation. “Primary health care centres and schools have all been abandoned because the people manning them are not people from the community; people have to rely on commercial hospitals, schools and water vendors to survive.”
To Mu’azu, people in authority are in many ways amplifying the polarization in the state, adding that the issue of youth restiveness must also be addressed.
Although the state government is seen to be doing its best in bringing back the glorious days of Plateau state, but many as our correspondent gathered, have also aligned their position with Mu’azu, saying the lopsidedness in project executions in the state are counterproductive and only help in sharpening the line of division between the two sides where for instance new roads are constructed on one side, while none is even rehabilitated on the other.
As far as relationships are concerned on the Plateau, the story of two friends, one a Christian and the other a Muslim has to some extent gone round the city of Jos will always serve as poser to all. The two friends once lived on the same street but were separated by the incessant crisis and never met until some months back when they ran into each other along Ahmadu Bello Way. They hugged each other, both in tears, unmindful of the scene they were creating on the ever-busy street. Two grown men crying and hugging each other on the street? No thanks to the Jos crisis and the two cities that now exist in one.