Jos North needs urgent government’s attention
Jos North is, for many of its inhabitants, a squalid place. The prompt’s description of its roads as a “death traps” is not mere hyperbole but a painful reality for residents. Research and reports consistently highlight the poor state of urban infrastructure in the area. Roads are often riddled with potholes, lack proper drainage, and […]
Jos North is, for many of its inhabitants, a squalid place. The prompt’s description of its roads as a “death traps” is not mere hyperbole but a painful reality for residents. Research and reports consistently highlight the poor state of urban infrastructure in the area. Roads are often riddled with potholes, lack proper drainage, and are prone to flooding during the rainy season. This decay isn’t just an inconvenience; it’s a direct threat to life and livelihood. It hampers economic activity, makes transportation a treacherous ordeal, and contributes to accidents and vehicle damage. This pervasive infrastructural neglect extends beyond roads to sanitation, water supply, and electricity, painting a picture of a community left behind by the very system designed to serve it. The decay is not an accident of nature but a consequence of a persistent lack of investment and maintenance, a symbol of a community that appears to be deemed unworthy of developmental attention.
The assertion that Jos North has been marginalised since the introduction of democracy is a critical observation. The return to civilian rule in 1999, which was meant to usher in a new era of progress and inclusion, instead exacerbated existing ethnic and religious divisions in Jos. Conflicts that began in the early 2000s led to the residential segregation of the city, with communities retreating into ethnic and religious enclaves for security. This segregation had a profound effect on the political landscape.
Political power became increasingly tied to ethnic and religious affiliations, leading to a situation where local governments and state resources are often funneled toward areas perceived as politically aligned with the ruling elite. Areas with different political or ethnic majorities, like parts of Jos North, may find themselves at the bottom of the priority list for development projects, funding, and basic services. This political exclusion breeds a cycle of underdevelopment, as a lack of representation leads to a lack of investment, further entrenching the feeling of being a forgotten or punished community.
The condition of public institutions, especially schools, serves as a stark illustration of this marginalisation. The examples provided—Government Secondary School, Gangare and Government Secondary School, Angwan Rogo—are not just random instances of neglect; they represent a systemic failure. Studies on the impact of conflict on education in Jos North revealed a disturbing reality: schools in these communities often suffer from poor infrastructure, inadequate teaching staff, and a lack of learning materials. This is not simply due to a general scarcity of resources but is also a direct result of the demographic shifts and political decisions that followed the crises. As teachers and students moved to safer, more homogeneous areas, the schools left behind often became shadows of their former selves. The result is an educational system that is segregated not by law but by circumstance, where the quality of a child’s education is determined by the geography of their neighborhood.
While “apartheid” is a loaded term, it effectively communicates the lived experience of inequality and systemic neglect in Jos North. The reality is one of political neglect, where decades of ethno-religious conflict and a fragmented political landscape have resulted in uneven development. Addressing this issue requires more than just filling potholes or renovating schools; it demands a fundamental shift in governance. Leaders must commit to equitable development, ensuring that infrastructure and social services are distributed based on need, not political allegiance. It requires healing the wounds of past conflicts and building trust across communities. Until then, the sense of exclusion and marginalization will continue to fester, and for the residents of Jos North, the label of a city divided by neglect will remain a painful truth.
Hassan is a freelance journalist based in Abuja and can be reached via [email protected]