Since the beginning of the Plateau state crisis, there has been no social, political or economic benefit derived by its citizens apart from the enormous devastation recorded on lives and properties as well as plunging the state into a humanitarian crisis.
Though the crisis has displaced a number of people from their homes, arising from the massive destruction of schools, hospitals, farms and other critical infrastructure, the citizens failed to realise its negative consequences on the state’s social, political and economic development.
The decade-long crisis, which was ignited by nepotistic and tribalistic trails, metamorphosed into a religious crisis, ending in serious unrest in all the nooks and crannies in the state. The unfortunate crisis brought about poor governance in the state.
Whoever has known Plateau state in the last three decades, knows it for its rich and colourful cultural heritage, tourism and hospitality. It is also the business nerve center in the entire North-central geopolitical zone. Plateau state is blessed with immense natural resources ranging from tin, columbite, granite, tantalite and fluoride to bismuth. But, today, all the aforementioned endowments no longer attract not to talk of generate revenue for the state.
Instead of the state progressing, it retrogressing. The recent tribal upheaval in Mangu local government area of the state has given rise to a severe humanitarian crisis. The victims are currently struggling with severe hunger and lack of shelter. However, those who are accommodated in the IDP camps are vulnerable to diseases due to mosquito bites, poor diets, unhygienic water and overcrowding.
The repercussions of the deadly and icky events are that the huge number of internally displaced persons, including their wards, would no longer have access to good healthcare and educational facilities in the state. This would probably bring an increase in the number of out-of-school children, streets beggars, female prostitutes, snatchers, armed robbers, among other acts criminality, in the state which is a threat to the nation’s security in general.
Annoyingly, despite the serious social, political and economic setbacks Plateau dtate has been experiencing right from 1999 to date as a result of the series of crises that occurred, the people of the state are yet to disassociate themselves from the deadly and horrible crisis. My question is, what exactly have the people of Plateau state been reaping from all these crises over the years?
Neither Berom nor Fulani nor any other tribe will remain last forever on Earth. We are dying leaving the tribe, religion and the land we lay too much claim to be our own. To me, all are immaterial and not worth fighting for. Therefore, it is high time Plateau state people desisted from all these unprofitable fighting and build their darling state.
It is awkward for people to kill themselves in the name of religion and ethnicity. Finally, I appeal to the good people of the state to, as a matter of urgent public importance, lay down their weapons and embrace peace for the growth and development of the state and Nigeria at large.
Ukasha Rabiu Magama,
Magama, Toro, Bauchi state
[email protected]