Life in Yankari, According to Nature
“I am an indigene of Bauchi. I am just a surviving member of a select few of senior citizens who have been treated shabbily by the government. Many of my colleagues have died while those who are still alive wish they were dead. I worked for many years with the mining corporation along with many […]
“I am an indigene of Bauchi. I am just a surviving member of a select few of senior citizens who have been treated shabbily by the government. Many of my colleagues have died while those who are still alive wish they were dead. I worked for many years with the mining corporation along with many of my colleagues. Till date, most of us have not been paid our entitlements despite unending promises by those concerned.
He gives the reporter the first insight into the famed Yankari: “Yankari to every Bauchi resident or indigene is the preserve of the super-rich. Only the rich can afford its luxury and only the wealthy ever thinks of going there. Getting there, in the first place, is an expensive venture. Any cab driver who agrees to take you there only does so if you agree to pay him over and beyond the prescribed rates. Getting someone to take you there is not easy. But this is understandable going by the mix of rich Nigerians and foreigners that you see at the reserve every weekend.” He adds quickly that, “that is not to say that you will not see people there on a daily basis. What I am just trying to tell you is that you will certainly not see the kind of people like us there, people who are still living from hand to mouth. It is only the rich, classy and wealthy who mingle there.”
If the 60-year-old commercial bus driver was to have his way, the funds that find its way to places like Yankari on a daily basis would serve a more noble purpose, providing succor to thousands of his co-travelers who trudge through the daily rigours of survival.
Safari at the park: a nerve tingling experience
Going to Yankari and not taking part in the safari is like not visiting the reserve in the first place. Energetic and vocal Mallam Haruna Mohammed, is one of the safari guides who has been in the employ of the park authorities even when the fortunes of the tourist site were still uncertain. He endeavors to put the minds of those in the 7-seater open mini-trucks at rest over the imminent journey into the bowels of the Yankari jungle. “The safari is all about luck. When you embark on the safari, the greatest prayer that should be on your lips is ability to attract luck. Some go on these trips up to four or five times on a daily basis and yet do not see any interesting animals other than a few wild pigs, baboons or snakes. Others go just once and are able to come across an herd of elephants or lions. It depends on luck,’ he announces. Many of us, depending on a diversity of faith, quickly muttered prayers pleading for divine intervention and luck even as the journey commences.
He goes further: “Yankari covers a large expanse of land so you will agree with me that we will certainly not be able to visit all the parts of this land in just one journey. We simply decide which part of the place we will be able to touch. Maybe by the time you go on about 5 to 6 trips, you would have been able to cover a substantial tip of the land and come across an interesting mix of different animals. Maybe also you may not be that lucky.”
A trip in the park’s truck takes roughly about one-and-a-half hours of rigorous driving over highly rough patches of wilderness-like roads. The ride is bumpy and no doubt, takes its toll on the body’s nerves and bones. At intermittent periods, the driver has to break roughly to avoid hitting ubiquitous herds of baboons, wild guinea fouls or the innumerable water bucks that suddenly take over the roads. Large sized antelopes dart in and out of the roads while the most daring ones trail slowly behind the truck apparently in a bid to outrun it.
The voice of the guide drones again: “the animals are used to visitors so they do not need to fear. But most importantly, we advise sojourners not to leave the trucks for any reason as we cannot guarantee their safety. As long as you are in the confines of the truck, your safety is assured. Yankari boasts of an awesome number of species of wild animals, birds and reptiles. Viewing them in their natural habitat is what makes the experience unique. It is a common sight to see a lion and its family moving a few meters from your vehicle at times. It would never attack you as long as you keep your distance. Herds of elephants constantly pass by without harming anyone but trees in their ways of course…”
The words are hardly out of his mouth when an unmistakable roar is heard in the distance. It could only belong to the king of the jungle. The guide points quickly in the distance. A few meters from what is apparently a den, three lionesses with inscrutable expressions lie at the entrance gazing blankly at occupants of the truck. The roar comes from the eerie darkness of the cave behind them. “That is the king himself inside. You will hardly see him outside except when he comes out to partake in the spoils brought home by the females when they come back from hunting. He is two times the size of the females you see. He is very ferocious in stature,” the guide offers. He adds apparently to calm ruffled nerves of passengers some of who are already squirming in the unprotected confines of the trucks: “lions will never attack you for any reason whatsoever except when threatened. In the history of the park, it is just once that we had a lion attack a human and it was not a vacationer. It was a little girl in 1980. A lion had been in a hot chase after an antelope and a little girl who had been left unattended to roaming outside the camp grounds was caught between the rampaging beast and its prey. The prey escaped but the little girl was not so lucky. She was mauled by the lion and dragged to its den. The next morning rangers trailed the lion to its cave and killed it while it was asleep. They then retrieved the remains of the little girl…”
Ironically, the guide’s ‘comforting’ words rather than bring relief to its hearers appears to achieve the opposite. Everyone on the truck only experiences unimpeded breathing only after the driver of the truck turns into a side road thereby bringing several metres between the hungry looking carnivores and the vehicle.
In Yankari, unfortunately the basic security needs of visitors touring the unpredictable jungle appear not to be taking a central preoccupation for the authorities. The trucks are unprotected and open to possible attacks from jungle beasts even though the authorities say this scenario is unlikely. The guides or the drivers are not permitted to carry guns and the rangers from investigations are too few in number to adequately patrol the large expanse of land. And according to the guide, with the recent preponderance of violent attacks on the rangers by an increasing number of armed poachers, security in the wilderness seems to be at the mercy of chance and fortune. Helicopters to attend to emergencies are lacking while ambulances fitted with modern medical appliances to respond to crisis is equally nonexistent.
The marshall caves and Gaji river: core of the Yankari jungle
The Marshall caves are a series of 59 interlocking curvatures etched intricately into a massive expanse of rock that spans a formidable area of the jungle. It is a few meters from the Gaji river which has a constant green tinge and is home to multitudes of buffaloes and crocodiles that mill threateningly underneath its murky depths. Hundreds of years ago, the caves served as a temporary innovative habitat for villagers who were trying to escape the rampaging slave dealers. The caves which are miniature in sizes are built in such a way that a potential slave captor who ventures into its insides would unarguably, get lost in a maze of puzzling tunnels that crisscross the surface of the rock. At the outset, it is near impossible to know that such an intricate fortress exists as the other side of the mountain like enclosure is covered with lush vegetation and spiky rocks. One way leads into this enclave. Another way, obviously etched in the memory of the guide after numerous such trips in the past, leads out. Without the companionship of the guide, an inquisitive visitor is irrevocably lost in the dizzying maze of the Marshall caves!
A 10 minute standoff with a resolute queen of the jungle
It occurred on the second trip into the recesses of the jungle. After coming across the usual mix of the animals that daily move about the reserve, it was apparently time to go back to camp but what better alternative than to pass through an area of the grounds which the guide claims is reputed to host troops of elephants. The driver, obviously fatigued, reluctantly agrees to entreaties from the indefatigable tourists.
Passing through a glade that has fallen trees strewn around and also coming across a long decomposed carcass of a female elephant, appears to give credence to the hope that indeed, a herd of elephants may just be around the corner. Many of the passengers prepare their minds for the imminent sight of the tusked ones. That was not to be.
Alas, just a few meters away down a mini stretch of road which is far off the main parts, an unexpected sight assails all. The feeling of excitement is quickly replaced with apprehension and for some, outright panic. A lioness looking ravenous and harassed, gazes at the occupants of the truck with wariness. To compound matters, it appears not to be in a hurry to leave the path for the truck to pass. With bated breath, everyone looks to the guide for instructions. Even the calmness resplendent on his face brings no reprieve. It appears to be a form of no retreat no surrender scenario as the beast faces the vehicle squarely. To show its determination to assert its territorial rights, the lioness simple goes down on its haunches and with a bleary look on its face voicelessly taunts us to come over. A ten minute stalemate commences.
At the end, the tensed wait in which the lioness refuses to give way, the driver on the instructions of the guide smartly reverses the truck and backs away from the beastly challenge and everyone breathes an explosive sigh of relief. The bemused guide offers a light hearted excuse: “due to the daily influx of visitors into the jungle in order to see the wild animals, at times the lions have to constantly change locations to avoid meeting people. This one has obviously had a bad day running away from different areas of the jungle and different groups of tourists and is obviously not pleased at the constant disturbance. Passing by it has the potentials of causing it further annoyance. It is better we retreat than proceed at this juncture…” No one offers any resistance to his suggestion. The safari had ended abruptly!
Life in the camp
The camp site presently has 25 luxury suites, 36 studio suites, three VIP suites and two executive suites. It also has a 200 seater conference hall. In addition there is a five room Royale suite ostensibly prepared for important dignitaries. Your pocket one no doubt, determines which you decide to go for. Securing accommodation at time becomes a herculean venture during peak periods when the reserve hosts more visitors than it can handle. To get around this, stout hearted guests are allowed to set up camp around the principal camp but of course, at their own risk. Renovation is currently going on to repair several of the suites which are in deplorable states.
In the camp, man and beast live in near perfect harmony. It is a common sight in the mornings to see groups of bush pigs or a solitary baboon nudging at your door. Visitors are however warned to keep their doors locked always as the management would not be willing to apologize on behalf on any baboon found taking a snooze on one’s bed or taking a pee in the bathroom! In Yankari, animals have as much right as their human friends. Recently, the management set up a baboon control team to monitor the activities of the animals on camp. Baboons especially can be frustrating. For lovers of herbs, the camp has it in abundance. The popular ‘chewing stick’ tree known in Hausa as Manke can be found in most parts of the guest lodges.
Several business minded individuals have equally observed the economic advantage unfolding at the camp and have cashed in on it. A few meters into the camp site, Malama Habibatu makes brisk business selling a local delicacy, Masara, a pancake meal with vegetable stew and beef to all who are willing to savor local cuisine. She says she has been in the business longer than she can recall and has no regrets as she makes a reasonable income from it. While she holds sway in the day, Alhaji Amadu Mai Nama is king at night. Guests gather around his mini stall at night to take some bites of his spicy meat suya which interestingly, is very affordable. For visitors who cannot afford the rates of obtaining meals in the resort’s high brow restaurant, the duo of Malama Habiba and Alhaji Amadu provide a delicious alternative.
Night life at the camp is unusually lackluster. The management says it is presently working in concert with the state cultural troupe to provide entertainment for its guests as this is a great challenge. However, until the authorities get its acts in order, visitors to the resort have to make do with sitting it out in front of their television sets in the guest quarters in order to get a little bit of fun. At midnights, the resort turns off its generating sets and vacationers have to sweat it out till the morning when the sets come on again or fortunately, when the power holding company is magnanimous to return electricity. In hot seasons, staying at the resort under such conditions may be a daunting affair.
What tourists say?
Bala Muhammad, a Bauchi based businessman, is visiting the resort for the first time and he opines: “I have been hearing about Yankari. The scenario is okay, most especially the infrastructure but it can still be better. One thing they should have been clearer about is concerning the safari. They should endeavor to tell tourists that seeing the animals is not 100 percent certain so that one would not be disappointed in the end. Sometimes, you go on several trips and end up not seeing any animal. It is only when you are already half way into the trip that the guide will confess to you that you may not see any major animal. That is one area I think they need to improve upon. It is a great resort and I really enjoyed myself. I will recommend the site to any fun loving person. It is also quite attractive.”
Bibi Ahmed, a student of the university of Jos, believes that retreating into the reserves brings a calming effect for her. “The resort is a place to relax and actually forget about the daily stress of living. I travel whenever I can basically to most parts of the north, especially Niger state but Yankari takes the icing on the cake. After surviving the ordeals of the Jos riot, coming down to Yankari actually reignites my hopes, joy and peace of mind and affirms that a human can actually live at peace, not only with himself but his fellow humans and nature,” she says.
For 35 year old Ibrahim Anwal, an indigene of Katsina, the key challenge is the high accommodation rates. He notes that, “the issue of accommodation needs to be looked into. It is too expensive. People like us who want to have a taste of what it feels like staying overnight cannot do this due to the high rates. We have to do with just visiting during the daytime and leaving before dusk. This is not good enough.”
His friend, Mohammed Haruna, has other concern: “the animals are what attract me. I go on the safari at times up to three or four times. When I am lucky, I am able to see the bigger animals but when not, we just see a few bucks and baboons which is not good enough after spending heavily for the safari. The management should think of innovative ways of bringing the animals out of hiding especially the bigger ones like the lions and elephants. This is what the resort is all about.”
Mohammed Sanni, a tutor at the Bayero University, wants the management to call the baboons to order. He enthuses: “the baboons constitute a nuisance at times. They harass visitors and can be quite violent at times. The management should look into how to control their presence on the camp grounds. Not everyone has the patience of enduring their pranks. They have been known to grab food and other items from people walking along the road. At night if care is not taken, they may attack an innocent person who passes along their way. The bush pigs are even worse. Just this morning, I saw three of them chasing two female vacationers.”
‘Yankari is slowly overcoming its numerous challenges’, says the management
Idi Usman is the manager of the Yankari Games Reserve and he says that very soon, visitors would have cause to smile going by the massive transformation that is in the offing. “The master plan of the Yankari Game Reserve is actually set in three stages. We have not even finished the first stage. By the time we are through with the final stage, the resort will no doubt be a choice tourist destination that matches any other around the globe,” he announces.
He enumerates some challenges: “funding is, no doubt, principal. That is why when people say the accommodation charges are high, it is interesting to note that these funds are used to maintain the infrastructure on ground. Our charges are competitive in nature and are not meant to dissuade any class of people from coming to enjoy the thrills of the reserve. The stride towards making the reserve a fulfilling one requires immense funds and we are happy that the relevant authorities are already responding positively.”
He adds further: “poaching is equally a problem which we have to contend with. Just this morning, some poachers were arrested. The punitive measures put in place to check their excesses is not stringent enough and hardly dissuades them from repeating their crimes. Some receive punitive sentences such as low as payment of fines of a N1000. The state government has to do much more to checkmatethe activities of poachers. We equally need the necessary tools for our rangers who have the herculean task of monitoring a large expanse of land occupied by wild animals and poachers who are equally dangerous. We have a very aggressive team of rangers who patrol the reserves on a daily basis.”
On the law activities on camp, Usman assures intending tourists that modalities are being put in place to make sure that some cultural bands and other musical groups come frequently to entertain visitors. “We are also in the process of installing internet facilities to aid tourists in their research. A communication outfit is also erecting its facilities on the camp. These facilities will be linked to the major mobile phone operators in Nigeria so that the problem of lack of mobile communication and sundry communication issues will be addressed. In the next couple of months, with active support from the authorities, the resort will transmute into a world class tourist center that all Nigerians will be proud of,’ he adds.