By Godwin Tyonongu
Ado, a sprawling town on the outskirt of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), is under New Karu Local Government Area of Nasarawa state.
Seen as a gateway to the FCT, it derived its name from a river. The name, it was learnt, has a correlation and colouration of Gbagyi origin. Findings show that the original owners of the land are Gbagyis, a people who see themselves as most hospitable and relatively accommodating.
Perhaps, this explains why since the relocation of the seat of power from Lagos to Abuja, a greater population of residents, especially civil servants, have found shelter in the fast-growing town.
For almost 37 years running, Ado has existed with relative peace with her glaring hospitality and social life undercurrents. Apart from co-habiting residents from different social backgrounds and tribes, it is one settlement adored for a tantalizing night life. Chronic night crawlers have attested to this claim.
However, in the daytime, the town is innocent and calm. But at night, it is the opposite; it is full of life and bubbles to the brim. To be fair, Ado has been one area rated high as the melting pot for fun seekers willing to find their delight.
Apparently owning to its proximity to the highway leading to the Federal Capital City (FCC), some travellers also decide to have a stop-over at the place, to soothe their nerves after a long journey and perhaps, catch a glimpse of thick cultural dance bands such as the popular “Swange Dance” which thrills onlookers with glitz. Just like birds returning to their nest in the evening hours, so it is with fun seekers who have found a nest in Ado. You see them stopping by at the
place as they return from work in the evening hours to relax and interact with friends at the road side entertainment outlets.
Madam Hilltop, one of the operators of the entertainment outlets at Ado, told Blueprint that the place was always singled out as “a no dull moment” area, which for years has beamed her social prowess to the people.
However, despite these interesting features of the town, it is begging for government’s attention in the aspect of social amenities such as access roads, transformers, health facilities and schools.
Mallam Zakari Salihu Ibrahim who is the traditional ruler of the area says, “I have been to the local Government Council, crying to them to do something about the basic social amenities.
“If I am to choose one amenity as a priority to be tackled, I will go for electricity. Because light is very important, it can do so many things to the people economically; secondly, I will choose education as the bedrock of human development”.
In the same vein, Idris Danjuma Madaki, who oversees affairs at Ado-Central, wants authorities to revisit the story making the rounds that the World Bank gave funds as assistance to develop the area.
He said the population of those he termed as “strangers” has already outweighed that of the indigenes, yet, they are living amicably in peace.
