Being ignorant of your real self, will deny you from growing into your full potential; & may never allow you take your rightful place in life.

“A child who was next to the throne, was tutored & guided by the palace instructors.
But the child was unaware of reality, as such didn’t take his lessons seriously.
Finally the tutors open up, & told him about his inheritance.
Upon hearing that, the child became composed & ready to learn.”

The discovery of his inheritance, made him take responsibility, that instantly affected his conduct & shaped his reasoning to reality.
But ask yourself this: What would have become of the child, if he wasn’t told about his mandate?

The “Not Too Young To Run Bill” was long overdue, but thankfully; it has come to reality at our time.
Now that you are told about this mandate, are you reasoning to take advantage of it? Or you are a tool to be used against your generation?

You can only grow to your full potential if you discover who you are & your rights in life.
Knowing who you are & what you can become, is the first stage of ‘maturity’ & ‘freedom’.

It simply means you have realized hidden potential in you.
God has blessed you with ideas, potentials & intelligence which lies in you.

So if at this time, information about your greatness is given you; & all you see is an opportunity to betray your generation via unhealthy political rivalry, surely you have posterity to answer to.

Worthy of note is this:
-what is the yardstick to deny yourself?
-why is it difficult to support your mates?
-are there no youths in your party?
-when are you ready to Govern?
-are you aware of time & death?
-what is your legacy to your children? that you sold your rights to feed on theirs?

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Navy and member representing Pankshin, Kanke and Kanam, Rt Hon Yusuf Adamu Gagdi held, today Monday 14th Oct., 2019, an inaugural meeting with members of the committee.

In his address, Gagdi solicited for support and cooperation from the members and enjoined them to work with him as a team in order to ensure that everyone of them give his input in the works of the Committee. He promised to operate an open door policy and expressed his desire to carry everybody along in order to ensure that they give their utmost best in the herculean task of transforming the committee work of the Nigerian Navy.

The workaholic chairman of the Committee used the opportunity to inform the members of developments having attended a few functions of the Nigerian Navy upon invitations as the Chairman. He informed them that apart from their statutory responsibilities of supervising the units and command as well as considering the budgetary allocations to the Nigerian Navy which is before the House, a comprehensive work plan of the institution will also be given to them to study for one week in order to abreast themselves with the policies and programs of the Navy before their next meeting.

Gagdi also reckon that with the combination of their experiences in legislative business and a few members of the committee being retired Navy Officers, there is both the necessary and sufficient conditions for the Committee to succeed in giving a new dimension to the committee’s work especially in reducing oil theft, bunkery and piracy in the Nigerian inland water ways and to improve maritime security in the country so that the committee will become the best in the 9th National Assembly.

The members of the committee variously expressed confidence in the leadership of Gagdi and assured him of their support and cooperation.

President Muhammadu Buhari salutes Brig. Gen. Yakubu Rimdan (Rtd) on his 80th birthday, wishing the retired officer and gentleman more strength and good health as he continues to serve God and humanity.
President Buhari joins family, friends and associates of the retired military officer in celebrating the milestone, lined with memories of meritorious and patriotic service to the nation, starting from 1956 when he entered the Boys Company, now Nigeria Military School.
At 80, the President believes the octogenarian has a lot to be thankful to God for, considering his strategic positions in the history of the country, especially participating in the Independence parade on 1st October 1960, heading many tactical formations of the military and commanding troops to uphold the integrity and unity of the nation.
President Buhari urges the retired officer to always avail his experience and wisdom to upcoming officers and leaders in various sectors, commending him for discipline, bravery and loyalty to every rightful cause.
The President prays that the Almighty God will grant Brig. Gen. Rimdan longer life and good health.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 14th, 2019

I was not in a mood to read anymore text messages that morning. There may be no limit as to the number of text messages with terrible news that one might get in a day but I had surpassed whatever that limit could be. All my hopes for a glorious financial year had just gone down the drain as the Foundation for African Advancement had, through a text message, informed me that I would not be getting the grant that I was sure I was going to win. My girlfriend had dumped me through a terse text message. Her message was nasty: “You have just lost the best thing that has ever happened to you. I gave you many chances to marry me. You kept dragging your feet. Now, you can kiss my ass goodbye forever. Loser.” It was true I had dragged my feet over marrying Tina. I liked her sassiness and her sense of humor but I just couldn’t reconcile myself to how much money I would need to spend on her Brazilian wigs for the rest of my life if I married her. In our two years of a tumultuous relationship, I estimated that I must have spent over one million Naira on her Brazilian wigs. I thought Ethiopian and Somalian women had better and more beautiful hairs. I bought five wigs of Ethiopian “Natural Human Hairs” but Tina rejected them when she found out where they came from. Her scorn-laden words were, “You expect me to wear hairs from starving Ethiopian and Somalian women’s heads? If you like, you can donate those hair pieces to women in your village who don’t know the difference. This head is not wearing any sorry-ass wigs from Ethiopia.” Then, my third text message informed me that my share of our uncle’s funeral expenses had been fixed at 1.5 million Naira and the money must be sent to Okibe, our treasurer, within two days. I did not know whether to laugh or to cry. This was an uncle who was very mean to me when I was growing up. He forbade his wife from giving us food without his express permission. When I asked him to pay just 200 hundred Naira for me to register for my secondary school examinations two decades earlier, he refused. And now, my “share” of his funeral expenses had been set at 1.5 million Naira? I would attend his funeral only because of his young and beautiful wife. Zainab was only twenty-five years old. Zainab was tall, shapely and exquisitely beautiful. I could not understand why she agreed to marry my uncle. I was not in line to inherit her as a wife but it would not be a bad idea for her to see that I liked her. Maybe my luck could shine and Zainab would say that it was only I that would inherit her as a wife. I was salivating over how I would sock it to my uncle by inheriting his trophy wife.

My phone’s text message alarm kept beeping but I was determined not to even look at the screen to see another bad message. I decided to just turn off the phone. That would not stop the bad news or make them go away but if I did not get to read them, as far as I was concerned, they did not exist. Then, as I was about to turn off the phone, the first line of the last message caught my attention. It read, “I understand you like to write about death.” Now, this was interesting. Could the sender have a challenge for me? If the challenge had anything to do with writing about death and dying, I was game. Funeral rites fascinated me, from the simple and quick funerals of Muslims to the elaborate Yoruba funerals, including their second burial ceremonies. I was always intrigued by what we did for the dead, things that we would not do for them while they were alive. I remembered the disgust my elder brother felt when his friend, Joe, the first celebrity lawyer in Idomaland died. Joe was diabetic and could no longer practice law and had become penniless. He could not afford to pay for insulin. My brother tried to rally round Joe’s friends so they could raise the money to buy insulin for Joe. He got money from only one of Joe’s friends. With my brother’s own donation, he raised only ten thousand Naira. However, when Joe died from diabetic complications two months later, a “Committee of Friends” was immediately formed and it raised almost two million Naira for Joe’s funeral. Joe needed only 50,000 Naira to live. He couldn’t find it but his friends raised two million Naira to celebrate his death. Splendid.

The rest of the text message was interesting. “My father’s re-burial ceremony will be held next Saturday at our village near Langtang. I am inviting you as a special guest.” I had no idea what a re-burial ceremony was. I knew all about second burial where the bereaved celebrated the life of the deceased but a re-burial ceremony was unknown to me. What would it entail? Exhuming the corpse and re-burying it? What was its purpose? How long after the burial did the re-burial ceremony occur? Was it every dead body that got re-build? Was it as expensive as a second burial that was no burial at all but a feast and a celebration for the dead?

I was really intrigued. I made contacts with the sender of the text message to inform him that I would be honored to attend the re-burial ceremony of his father. He told me many things about the re-burial ceremony. In the meantime, I did a Google search of re- burial ceremonies. I learnt that it was a ceremony designed to honor outstanding individuals among the Tarok people of Plateau State of Nigeria. The way it worked was like this. Several years after a person’s death, the children or other relatives would decide to honor the dead person by giving the dead a re-burial ceremony. The grave would be exhumed and the skull of the dead would be taken out and washed and cleaned. It would be examined by a priest to make sure there were no tell-tale signs on the skull that the deceased was a wizard or had brought dishonor to the community. If no such signs were found on the skull, the skull would be taken to a sacred grove and after an elaborate ceremony involving slaughtering goats and chicken, the skull would be cleansed and re-buried. A relative of the deceased would be assigned the task to take care of the grave and visit it often to clear away leaves and other debris.

I was intrigued by many things I read about this unique ceremony. The idea of burying good people in two places at the same time was fascinating to me. The game played with the chickens after their heads were cut off sounded quite fascinating. The headless roosters would be thrown on the ground and the owners would cajole and plead with them to flap their wings and run as fast and as furthest as possible. A cacophony of voices pleading and cajoling the cocks to win the race was quite mesmerizing. The owner whose headless chicken travelled the longest distance was declared the winner. After the game, all the slaughtered animals would be barbecued and the meat eaten on the spot. Roasted chicken, roasted goats and a liberal supply of burukutu and other alcoholic drinks under the canopy of death? Intriguing. I must be there. This was what all funerals ought to be like: games, honor and merriment.

I arrived the village two days early. I wanted to get a first-hand knowledge on this re-burial ceremony before the event took place. It was exciting to be an eye witness to this elegant ritual. It was a ritual that honors the dead but sees death as a game. I was elated but at the same time sad that this was another beautiful African death ritual that had been disparaged by our new religions of Islam and Christianity. They do not believe in the return of the dead to the world of the living. They even talk about putting a closure to death as if there could be a neat separation between the living and the dead. For them, the dead can only wait to go to heaven or hell. Their dead do not drink alcohol or eat goat meat. Their dead do not come back as masquerades, bringing fertility, meting out punishments to evil-doers, and running, jumping, and dancing to entertain the people. Their dead are truly dead until the day of Resurrection which never comes. Their dead lie dormant while ours are active. Dispensing favors and melting out punishments.bOur dead look after us as we look after them. We treat our dead so well they cannot wait to come back to us. We give birth to our fathers, mothers, uncles, aunts, and other relatives as our children. Our relatives who have come back reincarnated as our new babies. They are happy to come back as our children just as we are happy to be their parents the way they used to be our own parents. For us, the cycle of life and death is an unbroken circle. Not so, the Christians and the Muslims whose dead are permanently separated from the living, yet, they disparage our religions, our cultures as primitive and paganistic. Maybe I should ask for a re-burial ceremony. I knew that I had a beautiful skull and I was intrigued with the thought of exhuming my corpse and washing, cleaning and cleansing my skull until it shone brightly.

The village was in a festive mood. A brisk business on chicken and goats emerged as many relatives of Pa Zingfa had come from far and near to honor and celebrate the old man. I bought a big rooster. I checked carefully to make sure that it was healthy and agile. I wanted to win the game of the race of the headless roosters. I selected the most healthy-looking rooster. A large brown and aggressive rooster that I was sure would assert its dominance even after its head had been caught off. With this big cock, I was convinced that I, a novice, would have the winning headless rooster. I bought a goat too and I brought along five cartons of Gulder beer to donate to Mr. Zingfa, my host. He was delighted to see me. He introduced me to his uncles, mother and other relatives.

Melodious flutes announcing the re-burial of my friend’s father woke us up early in the morning. I did not really sleep that much. I spent much of the night teaching photography to two beautiful sisters. I gave each of them a camera and told them how to shoot the re-burial ceremony. They laughed and said that women were barred from some of the rituals. I thought that this was odd. Women are the owners of life and death. Why should they be excluded from any ritual of death? Anyway, I was eager for the ceremony to begin. The sisters were a delight, particularly the younger one. Her older sister was more matured but the younger one was more lively. Yes, the Tarok had beautiful women and on top of that, the Tarok knew how to cook and eat Okoho, the draw soup of all draw soups that the Idoma people thought was their unique contribution to global culinary skills.

As the ceremony began, an old man was handed a hoe. He turned to the north and hit the hoe on the ground. He turned to the east and hit the hoe on the ground again. He did the same thing for the other two cardinal points. He then handed the hoe to the man designated to take out the skull. We all trooped eagerly to the tomb where Pa Zingfa was interred. The handler began to dig out the tomb to exhume the body. When he got to the body, two grass torches were lit and handed over to him as he was standing in the grave. The fire was meant to obliterate any evil spirits or bad vibes in the grave. It was to cleanse the grave and make it safe for him to touch the dead body. Fire and smoke enveloped the grave but the handler was not touched by the fire. He reached down and carefully began to run his right hand on the corpse to separate the skull and the jaw bones from the rest of the body. We waited with bated breaths to witness Zingfa’s skull being separated by the neck from the rest of his body. Tradition required the handler to be very careful not to damage any part of the skull as he was removing it and bringing it out. If he was successful, he would hand the skull to one of the relatives while he was still standing in the grave. All was quiet. It was a very solemn part of the ceremony. The rest of Zigfa’s body would bid farewell to his skull, which, if Zingfa had led an honorable life, would be re-buried in the sacred grove among a pantheon of other notable men of the village. This was not going to be a fake title like calling the most dishonorable Nigerians, Honorables. Nor would it be like the doctorate degrees conferred on illiterate governors who have only distinguished themselves in kleptocracy and sadism. This was not another chieftancy title conferred on the thieves of the commonwealth. There would be fake cap purporting to be a unity cap worn by our politicians who accumulate their power and their wealth by dividing our people. No, nothing was going to hide the sordid history of the deceased. His skull would be the recorder of his history. This would be a community honoring and appreciating one of their own who had made the village a better place than he had met it. Anticipation continued to build.

The handler paused in his delicate task. Time for drummers and flutists to announce to the village and the surrounding communities through joyful drumming and reed musical instruments that Zingfa was about to be brought out and escorted to the place of high honor high above the hills. Birds and crickets would chirp their approval and welcome all night. Grasses would bow in honor of Pa Zingfa. Trees would shed extra leaves to welcome Zingfa to the hill of fame and honor. Even vipers and other snakes would be magnanimous today. Sharp stones would blunt their sharp edges to spare the barefooted who would be escorting Zingfa’s skull to its deserved place of honor.

Mourning for Zingfa would end today. From today on, Zingfa would be in three places simulateneously: his original grave, his new place of burial and as a spirit among all the other dead. His children would walk with their heads held high: their father was not a wizard. He was an honorable man. In his new place on the hills, among all the other notables, he would bless his children. His daughters-in-law would be blessed with fecund wombs. Millets would be blessed to grow abundantly so that Zingfa’s descendants will have plenty to eat and plenty to make plenty of nchi beer. Young men would drink gruels from the millet, the guinea-corns and the maize so that they would become strong and reproduce themselves and thereby reproducing the village. The Chief Priest would intone that all was well with Zingfa and if all was well with Zingfa, all would be well with his descendants.

Then, the handler let out a piercing scream. A blood-cuddling scream. Sharp enough to pierce the heart and frightening in its unexpectedness. He tried to climb out of the grave but fell on top of Zingfa’s corpse. He scream some more. In utter terror and fear. He face was ashen. He looked as he had seen a ghost. What could he have seen that the rest of us looking inside the grave had not seen? Zingfa’s body, covered in the burial shroud, was right then in the grave. We could see it but the handler felt the body and we could only see the body and not feel what the handler had felt. The handler was saying something but I did not understand him. I thought it was because I did not understand Tarok language but none of the Tarok speakers could understand him either. An old man suggested that the grass torch fires used earlier had not sufficiently purified the grave. Some evil spirits were being stubborn and must be smoked out of the grave to allow the handler to safely separate the skull from the rest of Zingfa’s corpse. The handler would hear none of it. He dropped the hoe, climbed out of the grave as quickly as possible and took to his heels.

A new handler stepped forward. Two new sets of grass torches were lit and handed to him as he jumped inside the grave. He waved them over and above his head and over Zingfa’s body until the torches were burned to their handles. He asked for another set. Again, he waved the burning flames over the grave and above his head. Fire and smoke filled the grave. We were ready again to witness Zingfa’s skull separated from his body. No evil spirit was strong enough to withstand the purification by fire. The new handler reached down and began to carefully remove the burial shroud over the skull and he too let out a scream. There was no skull. Someone had removed Zingfa’s skull. Zingfa was not going to be buried in the sacred grove but he would not suffer the humiliation of being judged a wizard and his skull smashed to smithereens to be eaten by hungry dogs. His fate was worse. His skull was missing. Where his skull ought to be was empty. Instead, there was a short note: “Zingfa was not a man of honor. He stole from the people. We now drink our sacred concoctions from his skull.”

Even before the secret note attached to Zingfa’s body was read to the end, many of us took to our heels. We did not want our skulls to serve as drinking cups for some fiendish people. The Chief Priest did not have to make a judgment on Zingfa’s character. The villagers knew who he was. A wizard cannot be honored by his community. The verdict was instantaneous. No need to wait for the Day of Resurrection. Zingfa may continue to exist but without a head, without skull. He may wonder the earth and the grave a headless man. His headlessness was his scarlet letter. His head that had conjured up all those atrocities against the people now occupies the same space as cheap plastic drinking cups made in the Peoples Republic of China, a place that some of our governors have turned into graves of our commonwealth.

Plateau Northern Youth Groups Kick Against Appointment of APC LG Candidates as LG Chairmen
PRESS STATEMENT BY THE COALITION OF PLATEAU STATE NORTHERN YOUTH GROUPS: OUR POSITION AS REGARDS APPOINTMENTS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT COMMITTEE CHAIRMEN

14th October, 2019.

The above named group is concerned about the recent appointments of Transition Management Committee chairmen in four local governments in Plateau State especially in Jos North Local Government Council.
In an era that the tenets of democracy and its entire ideals should be upheld sacredly, we received with great shock and consternation the further suspension of democratic processes, illegality and the appointment of Transition Management Committee chairmen in Jos North and three other local governments’ councils in our dear state.
We are hereby appalled by this reckless abuse of democracy making this noble group to issue the following statement.

That the recent appointments negates the ideals of democracy thus insulting the vision and mission of the Simon Bako Lalong’s led Rescue Administration and Next Level.
That the appointments of the flag bearers of the ruling party’s candidates at the October 2018 Local Government Elections is the new level of bias and injustice; we therefore condemn such an ignoble act in its entirety.
That the appointments with particular reference to Jos North ridicules and is an insult to the God Given heritage of the autochthonous peoples of Jos North LGC and exposes their heritage to jeopardy and bargain.
That the said appointment lacks neutrality and sensitivity as it has pitched the government of the day against equity and reason.
WE DEMAND THE FOLLOWING:

That the unfortunate appointment be reversed forthwith and replaced by Director(s) of Personnel Management (DPMs) while elections be duly organized and conducted in no distant time in accordance with the spirit and letter of the law and democratic ideals.
That in the alternative of those appointed who are flag bearers of the ruling party in the state be replaced with neutral persons or non-flag bearers.
That what belongs to the autochthons of Jos North LGC be duly given them and not be mortgaged for any favors or political aspiration whatsoever of under whatever guise.
The Coalition of Plateau Northern Youth Groups is not partisan and it desires that justice which guarantees peace be done in Jos North LGC and in Plateau State as a whole.

We would like to also use this medium to appeal and caution all youths within our region to demonstrate restraint and not to resort to violence as the group will continue to dialogue and consult with relevant stakeholders to resolve this anomaly.
However, out next line of action(s) shall be duly communicated to our comrades in this struggle for equity, respect and fairness.

BUILD THE YOUTHS, BUILD THE NATION!

Yours in Struggle,

Com. JK Chris Esq.
For the Concerned Plateau Northern Youth Groups

1. PROTOCOLS
2. It is a great pleasure for me to personally attend and address you on this historic occasion which is th e opening of the 2019 Jos Trade Fair.
3. This event is dear to my heart and our Rescue Administration because of our desire to not only restore the glory of our beloved State, but also build an economy that will provide opportunities and support the entrepreneurial spirit of the Plateau man, woman and youth.
4. This is why I welcome and appreciate all businessmen and women, corporate bodies, and exhibitors that have come from far and near to participate in this Trade Fair and join us in the process of rebuilding our state.
5. Since assuming office in 2015, our Rescue Administration has continued to remove all obstacles that are inimical to economic growth such as insecurity, poor infrastructure, and stress of doing business among others.
6. Today, we have made a lot of progress in turning around the security situation, such that many investors are now eager to bring their money into Plateau State and are reaping huge benefits.
7. This has not only encouraged us to do more in marketing the business and investment opportunities on the Plateau to the outside world, but equally assisted us in mapping out strategies of achieving our Next Level Vision, which has Sustainable Economic Rebirth as one of its three pillars.
8. Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, I have been informed that the theme of the 2019 Jos Trade Fair is “Trade Fairs: A Platform for Promoting Tourism Potentials on the Plateau”.
9. No doubt, this is a well thought out theme that supports our Government’s efforts at developing the abundant tourism potentials and re-establishing the fact that Plateau State is indeed the Home of Peace and Tourism in Nigeria and Africa.
10. Plateau State as you all know is a very viable investment hub in the Nigerian tourism industry. Our cool temperature, serene and enchanting beauty and other natural gifts are begging to be utilised.
11. I invite both local and foreign investors to come and invest in holiday resorts, game reserves, hotels, picnic sites, entertainment, fashion and other opportunities that will meet global standard and improve tourism business.
12. As part of making the investment climate more friendly, our Rescue Administration is putting in place infrastructure such as roads and street lights on major and feeder roads in the State Capital and environs as well as beautifying roundabouts with the support of corporate organizations.

13. We are ready to do more in line with our commitment to providing a conducive atmosphere for smooth operations and partnership with private sector under PPP arrangements.
14. A fair such as this undoubtedly provides a window to showcase the beauty, people, and endowments of the state and serves as a forum for dialogue and exchange of ideas between producers and consumers of goods and services.
15. Our government is committed to supporting the Jos Trade Fair as it opens doors for our small and medium entrepreneurs to showcase their innovations and products; having gone through various processes of training and coaching by the Plateau Small and Medium Enterprises Agency (PLASMIDA).
16. As you may be aware, Plateau State has continued to churn out high level of technological innovation such as the locally manufactured Tractor and equipment spearheaded by Jerry Mallo.
17. Only recently, a Power Bank and accessories innovation by Zang Luka Bot again retained the dominance of the State at the National MSME Awards in Abuja, where he emerged as one of the overall best nationally.
18. It is to showcase these and more that I directed that the Government Sponsors a Pavilion with about 20 booths at this Trade Fair, specially dedicated to showcasing Made in Plateau Products.
19. This is our own way of supporting indigenous entrepreneurship and keying into the Federal Government Policy of Sustaining Local Production.
20. This is one of the major ways we can create jobs, reduce unemployment, boost our economy, and engage our teaming youths thereby eliminating crime and idleness.
21. Besides, we are determined to radically improve our revenue base to meet up with demands of providing basic services to our people. Accordingly, we have engaged a reputable tax consulting firm to work with our Board of Internal Revenue to achieve our goal.
22. Other steps aimed at boosting the commercial portfolio of the State include the rebuilding of the burnt Jos Main Market under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, as well as providing a befitting complex which will serve as a One-Stop-Shop for investors doing business with us.
23. Let me at this point appreciate the good working relationship between the Government and the private sector through the Plateau State Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (PLACCIMA) for the general economic development of the State.
24. Your efforts at partnering the Government to promote economic activities such as this Annual Trade Fair in the State is highly commendable.

25. Let me use this opportunity to say that the State Government is planning an Investment and Economic Summit within the year which will further deepen the implementation of the Five Year Development Plan recently adopted by the Plateau State Executive Council.
26. For the organizers and participants at this International Trade Fair, I wish to assure you that the security of your lives and property is guaranteed as adequate security measures have been put in place throughout the period of the trade fair. Feel free to explore and enjoy Plateau State while you are here.
27. I also call on the peace loving people of Plateau State to demonstrate our usual high level of hospitality to our teeming visitors and participants and also patronize the trade fair to the end.
28. As you settle down for business, I wish the organizers and participants at the Jos 2019 Trade Fair all the best as you relish in one of the unique activities that mark the sustainable economic rebirth of the State.
29. On this note I hereby declare the Jos 2019 Trade Fair Open to the glory of God and humanity as well the prosperity of Plateau State.
30. Thank you and God bless.

Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Simon Bako Lalong
Executive Governor

Residents of Jos, the Plateau State capital, have been suffering in silence from the activities of criminals who have invaded the city like a plague in recent months. Our correspondent, YUSUF AMINU IDEGU, xrays the prevailing security situation in the Tin City.

The Plateau State Command of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and gangs of cultists and gunmen are engaged in a supremacy battle in Jos, the capital of Plateau State. The supremacy war is all about the control of the soul of the capital city. So far, it is not certain that the police, with all the weapons in their arsenal, are winning the war. While the police appear to be in control in the day time, the cultists appear to gain the upper hand at night. The city once reputed for a vibrant night life has since yielded ground to gunmen and all manner of cult groups who are now firmly in charge in the dark hours.

The cool weather at evening and night times, which once made it a destination point for tourists, is fast becoming a nightmare to residents. The situation in the last six months has vastly changed the attractive features of the Home of Peace and Tourism. Every morning in the last six months comes with scary tales of the activities of cultists and gun-trotting hoodlums in one part of the city or the other with the result that residents’ hearts are left to bounce like football. It is basic knowledge for most residents of the city that it is no longer safe to move about at night. Consequently, they now live in a sort of self-imposed curfew. Residents of the once socially vibrant city are now left to rush to bed as early as 8 pm. The alternative to not doing so can be costly.

As a matter of fact, the criminals who used to terrorise the villages and were often described by security agents as ‘unknown gunmen’ appear to have moved their base from the villages to Jos city. A resident of Dadin Kowa suburb in Jos, Abel Gomina, said: “These criminals have been operating in a manner that made residents doubt if there is a police headquarters in Jos. They target private car owners. If they ask you to stop and hand over your car and you resist, they will shoot you dead and go with your car. Several innocent people have lost their lives to these criminals who take control of the city as from 7:30 pm every day.”

The insecurity in Jos actually became noticeable about two years ago, mainly due then to the activities of members of various secret cults. In recent times, however, the situation has degenerated in a manner that gun-trotting criminals are now found in every nook and cranny of the city. Just three weeks ago in Dadin Kowa, right at the centre of Jos, a young man who runs a supermarket and POS banking facility was robbed and killed by gunmen. Unknown to the victim, he was being trailed by his assailants. As soon as he closed his shop at 9 pm and started going home in his private vehicle, the gunmen trailed him right to the gate of his house. As he alighted from the car and made to open his gate, he was gunned down and left in a pool of blood. His wife and neighbours, who heard the gunshots, came out later to find him lying dead.

The victim was buried the next day. Before the Dadin Kowa incident, another shop owner at Zaramaganda junction along Bukuru Road was attacked in a similar manner. He relived his experience thus: “I had closed my shop and parked my bags and family into my car to go home and rest, but some boys, who apparently had been waiting for me to close shop, accosted me. “They pointed a gun to my head and asked me to surrender all the day’s sales to them. I did, but they felt what I gave was not enough, so they decided to abduct one of my kids, but my wife resisted and grabbed the child they wanted to take away. “But while they were dragging my child with my wife, the gunmen feared that they were going to attract a crowd. In anger, they shot at my wife twice and fled in their car. Luckily for me, the bullets only caught my wife in the waist.

“They had aimed her belly, but God directed the bullets to her waist. They went right down her right hip and passed out through her buttocks.” The woman, he said, was still receiving treatment for the gunshot wounds at the Airforce Hospital in Jos. “If not for my wife’s bravery, the gunmen would have gone away with my child and demand for ransom after robbing me of a huge sum,” he added. About a month ago too, at another provision shop located on Tudunwada Ring Road in Jos, three gunmen parked their car responsibly by the roadside, entered the shop, locked the door and ordered the shop owner to lie down at gun point. While the shop owner was lying down, the gunmen picked all the sales proceeds available, including recharge cards and other valuable items. After gathering all they wanted, they ordered the shop owner to accompany them to a waiting car and zoomed off before he could raise the alarm.

The same group of criminals proceeded to State Low-cost Housing Estate where they robbed another shop. But luck ran out on them at Low-cost estate. Although they succeeded in shooting the shop owner dead, the sound of the gunshot attracted some vigilante youths who were watching football nearby. When the criminals noticed that the boys were coming towards them, they rushed back into their car in a bid to escape. However, one of them was not fast enough, so the car zoomed off and left him behind. When the vigilante men noticed that it was a robbery operation, they gave the other member of the gang a hot chase. He decided to drop his pistol, thinking that those who were chasing him would be distracted by it, but they simply picked up the gun the gun, shot at him and left him to die there.” In the past few years, cult activities have been noticed in Jos North Local Government Area, particularly in Angwuan Rogo, Layi zana, Katako and parts of Bauchi Road. It later spread to Zaria Road, Gadabiu, Kabong, Rukuba Road, Jenta Adamu and Polo Roundabout.

Cases abound where rival cult groups embarked on supremacy war, like the Sarasuka Boys attacking the Yandaba Group and verse versa. It has got to the point that cult boys attack innocent road users at night. They rob people at will at Polo Roundabout, which is the centre of social activities at night. At this point, it was not just the case of Sarasuka cult and Yandaba cult boys, the old cult groups like Eye Confraternity, Black Axe and Black Eye became prominent in the city, particularly in parts of Jos North LGA like Apata, Faringada, Chobe, Busa Buji and Jankwano. Most beer palours around Polo Club used to operate till midnight or even beyond, but due to the activities of the cult boys, the beer palours no longer run beyond 7 pm. Polo area has become a dead zone to night crawlers in the city. Worse still, the ability of the cult boys to operate in the city at night unchallenged has given them the courage to also operate in broad daylight. It came to the point that security agencies were recovering dead bodies around Polo Roundabout and Kabong on a daily basis.

The trend was particularly prevalent in the second quarter of 2019. A Jos resident, Mr Michael Udom, recalled a scene in Polo area of Jos where an innocent man was shot dead by cultists in broad daylight simply because he wore a particular colour of dress. He said: “I am afraid of the boldness with which these cult boys are operating. Only yesterday, a young man was shot dead around Polo area by some cultists simply because they felt that the victim was wearing their colour while he was not a member.

The innocent man’s offence was that he wore a red shirt on white trousers. “The boys ordered the innocent man to pull off the dress in the middle of the road in broad day light. The man hesitated. He paid dearly for his hesitation; they shot him dead and fled immediately. So, it is now an offence to wear any colour of clothe you like as citizen? Where then is our freedom?” Cultism in Plateau State was once restricted to university campuses and hostels. But after the Jos crisis during which heavy and light weapons found their ways into the Home of Peace and Tourism, cult activities in Jos city became more pronounced.

But while cult groups were only noticeable in parts of Jos North initially, the presence of cult boys has engulfed the entire Jos North and has spread to Jos South in the last two years. It is not as if the authorities are sleeping over the situation. There have been efforts to tame the implacable criminal elements. As part of measures to check the menace, the state government decided to install streetlights in different parts of the city. With the activities of criminals in mind, Governor Lalong ensured that virtually every street in Jos city is installed with solar-powered street light. At the moment, not less than 70 per cent of the streets in Jos have been installed with streetlights. That, however, has done little to reduce the invasion of the city by criminals. In the face of the dangers that residents face on a daily basis, it is difficult to say that the police have done nothing.

As one resident, Musa Isah, puts it, the police are doing their best, in most cases, at the risk of their personnel’s lives. The thing is that criminals are not relenting and I don’t know why.” The reality of the invasion of Jos city by all manner of criminal elements is that the more arrests are made by the police, the more the criminals appear to become. The police are now begging residents for assistance by way of providing credible information about the people they suspect are being harboured in their neighbourhoods. Realising that they can no longer depend entirely on the police for their safety, most streets in the city have reconstituted their vigilante groups, many of which, unfortunately, have resorted to jungle justice. Once they grab any suspected criminal, they burn him alive. Only recently, there was a case in Kabong part of the city where thieves broke into the house of a widow and carted away some valuable items in broad daylight. Two of the thieves were caught and were about to be roasted alive when the police intervened.

The police had to beg the local vigilante men to release the suspects to them. But for the timely intervention of the police, the suspects would have been sentenced to death by incineration. In spite of the combined efforts of police and community guards, no one is at ease in Jos. You cannot afford to loiter around the streets once it is 8 pm. At home, you are only entitled to sleeping with an eye closed. In some streets, shop owners close as early as 5pm for fear of attack by gunmen.

The last time Jos city experienced such a life was at the peak of the ethnoreligious crisis in the city between 2009 and 2010 when government had to impose a dusk-to-dawn curfew and residents were forced to go to bed by 6 pm. But they had long forgotten the period since peace was restored. With the invasion of the city by criminals, however, the people themselves have taken the initiative to impose a curfew on the city by retiring into their homes as early as 7 pm. Of course, it is a decision they have taken against their own wish. They want to enjoy their night life but the hordes of criminals in the city would not just let them. •All effort to get reaction from the Police did not succeed

In the not too distant past, I had to drive through one of the States in core Northern Nigeria. Having been driving for some five hours, I stopped in a popular town to eat food and refresh. I ordered for ;”Tuwon shinkafa” with “miyan kuka” from one of the bukas. Before I settled down to eat, I was suddenly surrounded by dirty little kids in tattered clothes holding dirty plates in their hands. The owner of the place shooed them away and I proceeded to eat my food.
I ate half way through my food and I ordered for a chilled bottle of Coca cola, but the woman was too busy attending to other customers who had just arrived by bus. I stood up, deciding to serve myself. I went to her refrigerator to pick a bottle of coke and behold, all those dirty boys rushed at my food. They picked it up amidst fights and then proceeded to share my food handful by handful amongst themselves. Some who couldn’t get a morsel, were contented with licking the soup. There were over 10 of those boys standing by waiting another “foolish” customer to leasver his food for just a moment as I did.
The owner of the buka was furious and kept shouting at them, “shegu… Yayan banza” over and over again. She begged me and offered to give me another plate. I refused but calmly asked her to give those boys N2000 worth of food to share. That’s ten plates of food, because a plate is N200.
I got some suya and armed with a bottle of coca cola, got into my car and sped away with different thoughts on my mind…
I kept asking myself why this is only in found in states like Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Yobe, Katsina, Zamfara and Zaria? Why is this spectacle not seen in Plateau, Benue, Nassarawa, Southern Kaduna etc? Why is this sad and tear-invoking scene not seen in Southern part of Nigeria?
Whenever you speak to ten Nigerians, there is the possibility that seven out of them would tell you that Northern Nigeria is the most politically conscious region in the country. They would tell you that politcians from the North are more astute and united in playing the game politics in Nigeria. And also with the large voting power in the North, no other region can rule Nigeria except if the North agrees. Yes all these are true, but does that translate to good governance in the same north where poverty is so glaring?
Politicians of Northern Nigeria are a wonderful people. For long they have been singing religion and using it whenever it is to their advantage. Unfortunately, Islamic scholars use their positions to get close to people in power. It pays handsomely. They are made members of Islamic related committees, be they committees on Hajj, Shariah, Zakkah, hisbah, Da’wah, etc. Opportunities became even greater with the coming of this fourth republic when every Northern Governor began to launch and relaunch one kind of Shariah-related programme or another to help improve his popularity. Scholars who were hitherto fighting in the name of the poor in the region came together as Shariah champions to work for the ‘progress of Islam’.
Some emirs who are the officially-recognized leaders of the Muslim Ummah have been getting their allocation from the budgets of local Governments in their domain and serve as umbrella for retired civil and military officials who pay to get crowned with one traditional title or another. They go with every Government and their relations and cronies are favoured in Government contracts and appointments.
All these they are doing forgetting to cater for the millions of almijiris who roam the streets of Northern Nigeria without a hope for the future, or even of life itself. And whenever it is convenient, they tell these boys that the poverty of the North can only by assuaged if they (the almijiris and their hapless parents) vote the same thieving lot who share the same faith with than vote for some infidel politician from the South South, or South East or South West or Middle Belt. And the poor Almajiris and their parents would gladly queue in the rain and sun to vote for such politicians as long as the religious card has been dangled before them.
Until we make religion lose its potency in our political life; until we remove ethnicity and sentiments in our national psyche, the prevalent poverty in Northern Nigeria would always be a scourge. Even when Bishop Mathew Hassan Kukah (Catholic Bishop of Sokoto) offered to rehabitate and educate some of these Almajiris, some politicians in the North (who prefer to keep these children in perpetual povery) vehemently opposed. To me, educating the Almajiris would, perhaps, raise a generation that may question the Political leaders of the North to produce the trillions meant for their people which they collected from the monthly allocation shared by the Federal Government.
As I drive on, I shudder to think of the lot of the teeming poor, especially in Northern Nigeria. For many of them, death is a blissful escape from grinding poverty and hunger.

Speaking out for Prof Angela Freeman Miri
In between 1989-1990 or thereabout I had applied to work at the University of Jos Staff School, confident that a space was available for yours sincerely, if I met Prof Mary Lar; then chairman of the school board. To cut the long story short, it didn’t work as there were more applicants other than from Plateau State.
In my naivety, I asked several questions: How could I be denied employment in an institution that came through the sweat of ‘our’ people? If the others who applied have federal universities in their states, couldn’t they return to those to seek for employment? Were they not stopping several of my kin and kith from being gainfully employed in their state?
When in 1990 an opening came up at the Federal Ministry of Establishments and Management Services (Federal Training Center, Calabar), I got posted there on the recommendations of the Federal Civil Service Commission. God bless Ambassador Bagudu Hirse, who was then the Federal Commissioner in charge of Plateau. I know better when staff from other states are on the payroll of federal establishments not resident in their state.
If you were in my position, I am sure you may have veined your spleen to get answers for the same questions; or even much more. The point being made is that it is commonly believed that federal institutions located in a particular state would serve the interest of the people in that area only. By virtue of the establishment of such federal institutions, it is understood that the interest of the state where it is located and other states would be taken into consideration.
If you are in Plateau State, for instance, you are aware of the ‘wars’ it has fought for its teeming unemployed youth to be considered for vacant positions; which should have been filled by them, but unfortunately are taken over by people from the states where the chief executive officer of the organization comes from.
It is in this regard that the case of the Federal University Lokoja, where Prof Angela Freeman Miri is its Vice Chancellor. For the avoidance of doubt, she is a native of Qua’an Pan but married to a Langtang North man. I only know her by virtue of the fact that she was a commissioner in the government of former Governor Jonah David Jang; having been brought in from the University of Jos.
She was appointed the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja by the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. I am aware that other universities established at the same time, had heads of those institutions brought from various parts of the federation. They were eminently qualified to head those institutions upon appointment.
Lately for the sake of the institution, she has come under heavy criticism by certain organized groups on the social media. It is getting interesting, and for starters; let assume that she is not from Plateaus State, would I have kept quiet on the issue? I would have still come out in defense had she been the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Dutse or Lafia or even Kashere. They were established at the same time; and to be fair, all of them would be employing new staff to fill certain vacant positions.
Like the Federal University of Lokoja, they all would be employing staff from the state they are located and from some parts of Nigeria; and since they are federal establishments they would need to complement the employment process with some from other states. That is what the federal character principle stipulates.
To think that the vice chancellor will only employ staff from the state the institution is located would mean that that the person may not be knowledgeable about issues concerning employment. You may not be wrong if you say that employing staff from states such as Plateau, Benue, Nasarawa and indeed any other from the other parts of the federation speak volume.
If the Prof Angela Freeman Miri has not brought just people from her state; but interjected with personnel from other states, she deserves to be commended. I have been told of about two departments in the University of Jos whose personnel are mainly from Kogi State. What can we say about this, if not for the fact that, this is an example for others to copy?
Perhaps, it may be said that the University of Jos is the only federal institution that should have all manners of staff drawn from other states? May be the Federal University Lokoja is dedicated only for people from Kogi State? In an institution such as this, it is not possible to only have academic and non-academic staff from Kogi State alone; rather, what gives colour and respect to an academic institution for that matter is the assemblage of staff from all corners of the world.
Today, even in state universities, the presence of staff from other states has become the normal practice. Therefore to imagine a federal university without the presence of this academic character kills the essence of the nature of the academia.
It all started when the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja, Prof. Angela Freeman Miri raised an alarm over organized conspiracy against her administration by some personalities of the host community since she came on board. The reports below had been captured elsewhere.
She was reacting to allegations of sale of employment slots between the sum of N500, 000 to N1million and diversion of Kogi indigenes slots to her home state, Plateau as reported in the Social Media and Independent Newspaper of October 2nd told journalists that the exercise followed due process.
It is on record that the purported accusations said approval was granted by relevant authorities for the University to carry out the recruitment exercise which was subsequently supervised by the Federal Character Commission and certificate of compliance to issue letters of employment to successful applicants.
“I am confident of myself in the conduct of the exercise because out of the 300 junior staff positions approved for recruitment, 220 Kogi indigenes have already been issued with appointment letters under the first batch while other successful applicants will follow in due course. Also slots were allocated to states across the federation”.
She further disclosed that out of the initial staff strength of 828 in the institution, Kogi indigenes constitute 567 staff with the remaining shared among the rest of the states in the country.
Prof. Miri said since assumption of office she has ensured that justice and equity reign supreme in addition to her concerted efforts to transform the University to meet international standards, both academic and the provision of needed infrastructure, vowing that no distraction from any quarter would frustrate her from living above board in running the University.
Recall that the university’s host community had accused the Vice Chancellor of lopsided employment of staff with no positive consideration for the qualified indigenes, maintaining that recruitment of junior staff should be exclusively reserved for the home state of the institution.
The Administrator of Lokoja Local Government Area, Mohammed Dan Asebe who led traditional rulers from the zone to lodge complaints to the Vice Chancellor over the development condemned her action of allocating 13 slots to members of Plateau State at the National Assembly.
Given the insinuations to disparage Prof Angela Miri by the host community, a group known as Kogi Integrity Group has described the actions of some indigenous section of the state to tarnish the reputation of the Vice Chancellor of the Federal University, Lokoja. It referred the group’s action as a political gang up.
President of the group, Zacheaus Dare Michael reacted that the misinformation making the rounds about lopsided employment alleged to have been done in the institution said after a careful finding, Kogi State indigenes were the greatest beneficiaries of the employment opportunity.
According to Dare, the rumor making the round that non indigenes were the ones favoured by the Vice Chancellor was not true and described Prof. Miri’s travail as politically masterminded, adding that it was the handiwork of those behind the several written petitions and organized protest aimed at making governance difficult for her since her assumption of office.
He observed that rather than condemnation, Prof. Miri deserves commendation and explained that for a federal university, whose employment opportunities is open for all citizens of Nigeria, 220 employment opportunities already given to Kogi State indigenes from the employment so far made by the institution was a fair deal, and sued for caution so as not to create issues that may lead to ethnic crisis.
The group leader explained that rather than the erroneous impression created by mischief makers, the employment of the University staff was done by a committee , where two staff of the Federal Character Commission took part in the recruitment, and condemned the misinformation making the round that the Vice Chancellor single handedly made the employment.
While wondering why mischief makers would want to sacrifice the Vice Chancellor, when evidences abound that she has made selfless sacrifice her watchwords in making the institution a cynosure of all eyes, the legal luminary pointed out that since her assumption as Vice Chancellor, evidences abound that Prof. Miri has been selfless, and has tried her best to reposition the citadel of learning to be one among the best in standard amongst universities in Nigeria.
He explained that under the leadership of Prof. Miri, the institution has attained full accreditation for all her courses, and called for caution, saying, tempers and emotions should rise, as that would destroy the good works and reputation of the Vice Chancellor.
He equally disclosed that one efforts of the Vice Chancellor was her ability to get approval for the institution to begin Master and PhD programs in the University, adding that these achievements were within the tenure of Prof. Miri and urged all concerned Kogi stakeholders to appreciate her good works as a way to encourage her to do more’.
Nigerians, speak no more of Angela Freeman Miri; if you don’t have anything incriminating about her tenure as Vice Chancellor, Federal University, Lokoja.

Kor Development Association KODA, Jos Branch holds its monthly meeting at Tudun Wada Jos, in the meeting a pep talk was given by Mr Alhamis Gokas on how to do and strife in business, he emphasis on the Kor people who are known in Ngas land as hard working farmers and gardeners to replicate same in Jos so as to augment the monthly salaries that comes from government or private organisations.

Contributing, Pharm Simon Gondyi advised that people should not first collect loans to start a business but collects loan after establishing the business so as to boost their business, at the end of the business talk, Mr Gokas caution especially women who are into business not to give out products on credit as it kills business instantly thereby crumbling people permanently with debts from banks or people you collected loans or products from.

Nde Samson Remson, KODA, Jos Branch Chairman admonished members to not only attend Kor meetings alone but Pankshin District meetings and Ngas Development Association meetings to enable them meet other people and know what is happening in those places, in conclusion, he advised youths not to indulge themselves into drinking of Goskolo or illicit drugs so as to be good citizens of the country.