Why famous Jos Terminus Market won’t be rebuilt

The Jos ultramodern market with its magnificent architecture, sprawling overhead malls and winding interlocking sections used to be one of the centre of attractions in the Plateau State capital. Conceived by then governor of Benue-Plateau State, Joseph Gomwalk, to serve as an international centre for trade and commerce, the structure between the time it was […]

The Jos ultramodern market with its magnificent architecture, sprawling overhead malls and winding interlocking sections used to be one of the centre of attractions in the Plateau State capital. Conceived by then governor of Benue-Plateau State, Joseph Gomwalk, to serve as an international centre for trade and commerce, the structure between the time it was opened to the public and when it was razed in early 2002 could be said to have achieved all the purposes for its establishment while evincing an added spectre of being a tourist centre because of its unique architectural concept.

Painted in loud yellow under a background of beige, the edifice in its heydays was awe-inspiring while serving the unending demands of the commercially-oriented with its fortified perimeters, which protected those conducting business in its entrails from the hindrances of rainfall and excruciating sun. But the market with all the advantages it offered was forced to close down in 2002, as its major sections were blown to smithereens under circumstances that have remained a mystery to this day. The once magnificent edifice is believed to have been ignited in the wake of the sectarian crisis that rocked the state in late 2001.

Though the actual cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained as investigations into the matter have continued, the generally-held belief is that the market may have suffered from the direct effect of an explosive. A recent visit by our correspondents to the once thriving commercial centre revealed that the market has been reduced to an eyesore with most of its vital structures shattered by the effect of the vibration. Today, only the entrance to the market provides shade for die-hard traders who have refused to vacate the area while the structure itself lies shamefully dismembered.

At the inception of the present administration in the state, many had thought that as the issue of rebuilding the market had remained the priority commitment of those who aspire to leadership post in Plateau State, the present administration would take off from where the previous administration stopped in its bid to rebuild the market and re-earn for it its lost verve and glory.

The two previous administrations of Chief Joshua Dariye and Michael Botmang had indicated their willingness to rebuild the market. Dariye in whose administration the market got razed had several times given pledges to reconstruct the market, but it was under the fibre and half months administration of Botmang that something concrete was done in that regard. Under Botmang, contract for the reconstruction of the market was awarded to a firm and the groundbreaking ceremony was held in full public glare, while men and machines were later mobilised to site before that administration was sacked.

Botmang had then explained why his administration was concerned about rebuilding the market, saying burning down the market had brought economic activities in the state to a standstill, while it had also “seriously impoverished” the people of the state.

“This decision was informed by our firm conviction that a solid structure of a modern market will not only increase commercial activities but empower poor people economically,” he stated.  

It was learned that a commercial bank later offered to provide part of the finances for the rebuilding when the project was stalled, but the present administration has made it clear that it is not keen on reconstructing the market. Our correspondent learnt that the decision of the present administration rests on two major points — the state governor, Jonah Jang, had explained that the location of the market in the heart of the town has made it unsuitable for a market. His plan is to have new markets that contain the magnitude of trade in old structures built in other places and the second reason is that the cost of rebuilding the market would be quite prohibitive.

Many agree with the state government that development has caught up with the part of town where the market is located as it shares the same vicinity with other usually crowded areas like a railway terminal, a teaching hospital and other smaller markets resulting in serious overcrowding of people, heavy traffic and congestion in the area.

Deputy Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Baba Hassan, told Weekly Trust that the people of his constituency and the state at large view the market with a high feeling of nostalgia and would want it rebuilt, so that the former high volume of trade achieved in Jos would not only be revived but stepped up. Weekly Trust learnt that the deputy speaker had even presented a motion for the reconstruction of the market which had been passed by the Plateau State House of Assembly since July 2008 while the executive is yet to give its consent. Our correspondent also learnt that while the legislature is poised to having the market rebuilt, the executive thinks differently. The state government, according to our findings, intends to recreate the shopping malls from the  debris of the former imposing structure, rip the market of its international status and generally diffuse the idea of having the entire market in that area.

The Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Gregory Yenlong, who confirmed this to our correspondent, said the government’s idea is to decentralise the market by relocating the traders to the satellite market built for them in other parts of the town while working on the structure itself to accommodate a banking hall, fire service station and a police outpost. He said the state government is currently studying the bill of quantity of building for a new shopping centre which will commence next year after government completes all the necessary arrangements.

Weekly Trust further learnt that the state government intends to turn the entire terminus area into a city square to ease off both human and structural congestion as well as come up with new structures which would include a 5-star hotel and other modern edifices. An aide to the governor told our correspondent, “that related to the city square are developments that we have planned for that place, that is to say a shopping mall is expected. We have received the proposal and we have made final submission. Alongside that is the five-star hotel which we are equally proposing for the former JUTH area; we thought a 5-star hotel will come up from the outskirts of the city, but our partners are saying what they want is the city centre where they can put up a structure. So the whole of that place is probably not going to be as busy as it is now, because one, the satellite markets at Rukuba Road are being completed, Union Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Commerce and Industries has begun the renovation of those places and is ready to bring them up to standard for which most of the traders would be expected to move there.”

It was learnt that the state government is upgrading the satellite markets to accommodate the traders that would be displaced by the change in the status of the Jos ultramodern market. But Baba Hassan insists that since it is the wish of the people to have the market rebuilt, that it is only proper for the state government to do the right thing by acceding to the demand of the people.

“Many people have come to meet me over the matter and they include Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa and many others who have said they want the market back and as a representative of the people, what I have done by presenting the motion is to forward the wishes of my people to the authorities and it’s now left for them to act.” He further explained that the project is crucial not only to the people of his constituency but to the entire state, stressing that the market has become the hub of commercial activities in the state and that it would stimulate the growth of commerce and enterprise as it did in the past.

“Rebuilding the market is a better way of boosting the state’s economy as the state government stands to gain by rebuilding the market since it would enhance its internally-generated revenue,” he said.

There were fears expressed by some traders when the Botmang administration asked traders perching under the structure to relocate to other places pending when reconstruction work on the market would be completed, that it might be the intention of the then state government to take the structure away from a group of people in the state. Our correspondent found out that such fears still abound with the decision of the present state government not to retain the major market in the present location. The traders are also apprehensive of the cost implication of relocating.  

The secretary of the Petty Traders Association in Jos, Suleiman Yusuf Abubakar, explained that most of the traders in the terminus area were victims of the 2002 fire incident and do not have money to relocate. “If the government allocates a new site to us, which will be at our detriment, every relocation involves cost,” he stated.