Senator Gyang Dalyop Dantong at Fifty

Senator Gyang Dalyop Dantong is the senator representing Plateau North at the National Assembly. He turned 50 on February 20th. The celebration came belatedly on the April 5th. Staying alive for half a century is indeed a milestone. It became necessary for Dantong to tale stock of his life. Thus the celebration was marked by the lunch of a magazine called, the Land Mark. It chronicles events of his endeavor during these years.

Dantong was educated at the University of Jos as a Medical Doctor. From the Landmark magazine, one could gather that the Senator is one who lived up to the ideals of the medical practice. People go into the medical practice to help mankind. The knowledge of this fact leaves people wandering why the nation suffers brain drain that is particularly grim in the area of the medical practice in Nigeria with medical doctors preferring to practice in foreign nations where they find 'better working conditions.’ Perhaps Dantong’s upbringing as the son of a pastor ensured he grew up to develop an observable sense of humility. He chose to practice at the Vom Christian Hospital in the heart of the Berom Land. He says one of his greatest challenges at the Vom Christian Hospital was to work without basic tools and enough support manpower. There was a period when he was the only Medical Doctor at the hospital for six months, at times doing two shifts and with no salary all through the period. This gives the impression of one who actually wanted to serve his people.

As Dantong grew, politics also grew with him. His political life dates back to his time in secondary school and on campus where he held leadership positions in the area of students politics and also within religious associations on campus. In the mid 1990s, the peak of the political struggle against the military in Nigeria, his name was mentioned in connection with the tussle for the chairmanship of his local council of Riyom. The fame of Senator Dantong however started when he won elections to represent Riyom/Barkin Ladi at the House of Representatives under the All Nigeria’s People Party, ANPP in 2003.

Nigerian political parties are not founded on foundations of ideologies. As sad as this may be, it has made it possible for politicians to change from one political party to the other. While Dantong’s political momentum was building up, it appeared a certain arrangement within the ANPP made it impossible for him to run for a second tenure. Determined to maintain this momentum, Dantong switched over to the People’s Democratic Party, the PDP and successfully contested for the northern senatorial seat in April 2007.

Nigerian politicians have been the subject of criticism for perpetual betrayal of the nation due to nothing other than selfishness. There is no denying the fact that a large majority of Nigerian leaders have a distorted understanding of what success is and what it is not. There are however, pockets of acceptable leadership here and there. It is obvious that Dantong’s new political role has given him a bigger opportunity to demonstrate his belief that there is no sense in life that is stationary or one in which more steps are taken backward than they are taken forward. He says he “sees politics as a game people should venture into in a bid to render service to others and not as a money making enterprise.” There seems to be a general consensus that he has lived up to his principles.

Dantong believes that so much has been learnt in the nine years of democracy so far and had military rule not interrupted the steady progress of the Nigerian political life, the nation would have learned far more that we have learnt. He says that in as much as we can learn from the mistake of others, people should not be comparing the Nigerian democracies with some of the oldest in the world.

According to the Senator, people always come to politicians to ask for money and that is unfortunate. He however believes that the people will eventually come to understand why this isn’t right.

Senator Dantong is married to Hannatu with whom he has four children.

Timaya and the Niger Delta Problem

Timaya the Bayelsa born Nigerian afro-ragga musician is not among the multitudes of artistes that have remained behind the veil. He is one of the spectacular colors in the spectrum of the Nigerian musicians. His second album, gift and grace, has consolidated this.

 

Musicians use certain tokens to become conspicuous and relevant. For Timaya these qualities have become more evident in gift and grace. The album reveals the complete maturity and confidence of the artiste. The greatest revelation of the album for which the artiste remains the sole beneficiary however, is that Timaya can now be regarded as the greatest Lyricists in Nigeria. If the rating of the lyrics of a song can be done on a scale of five stars, his lyrics by Nigerian standard could be said to be excellent. Good lyrics should not be there for the sheer sake of filling the space but should have meaning, evoke thought and be sensational and entertaining. By the current album, the artiste can boast of these.

 

Political leaders, particularly in Nigeria, often have little or no business at all with musicians. While they see themselves at one end of the social range, they see musicians at the far side. Musicians however, can change the course of history. Prominent musicians anywhere, constitute strong voices that can sway the opinion of the people in favor or against constituted authorities.

The Niger Delta is the home of militants that have been fighting for self determination. Bayelsa state is the most turbulent of all states in the region. The people of Bayelsa fortunately, see Timaya as a hero that has made them proud.

Gift and grace turned out to be that album that opened the heart of the artiste regarding his side on the topic of the Niger Delta struggle. This could be heard in the song if to say which means ‘if I were..’ The relevant lines in the song went thus: if to say a be country, I go become Nigeria. Nigeria na my country, Bayelsa na my state. If to say a be Vice President I go become Goodluck Jonathan. If to say a be freedom fighter I go become Asari Dokubo. If to say I be militant I go become…. (blank). If to say a be NLC President I go become Adam Oshiomole.

On the basis of that song alone, the opinion of the loudest voice from the Niger Delta regarding the future of the region is now clear: Nigeria is his country and Bayelsa is his state. If he were to be a Vice President, he would have preferred to be Goodluck Jonathan the current Vice President who supports a united Nigeria. If he were a freedom fighter, he would have preferred to be Asari Dokubo, the first major militant leader from the Niger delta who gave the nation serious headache but who later reconciled with the nation and now advises other militants to do same. It is up to the Nigerian Government to know how to take advantage of Timaya and have an edge over the militants

In Search of Lasting Peace and Development in Plateau State

Bulus Dabit

Introduction

Peace is the socio-economic condition that provides the right environment for the development of any nation, state, local government or community. It is therefore not surprising that the state government in fashioning its 10-point agenda, places peace and security as the 1st agenda

The priority given to peace and security can be better appreciated when viewed against the backdrop of disturbing the peace in the recent past (i.e. 2001—1-2004 and 2008) crisis. These sporadic violent have been over reported, and this gives Plateau State a bad name. Indeed no reporter who writes on conflicts and crises in Nigeria will avoid the few cases in the state. The over emphasis on the crises by the mass media tend to over shadow our basic character as a peaceful people and the tremendous development we are witnessing through the effort of the government at all levels.

The campaign shall therefore redirect our minds and the mass media to the positive development on the Plateau. It is against this background and the urgent need to achieve sustainable peace and security in the state that the agency in line with its statutory functions is embarking on a state wide campaign using interface sessions with stakeholders and motorized campaign in all the 17 LGAs of the state to preach the social gospel of peace and love. One of the chief means of preaching this gospel is to showcase the peace that is inherent in our culture and tradition, finding expressions in our accommodating and hospitable nature.

In this tour therefore, the state directorate will remind the Plateau people that Plateau State earned the accolade of Home of Peace and Tourism given the imperative of her peaceful and hospitable disposition. Available records and the testimonies of Nigerians leaving in Plateau State have confirmed that her people and groups are peaceful, accommodating and hospitable. This accommodating and hospitable culture needs to be sustained especially in a democratic dispensation with a government that is desperately making efforts to deliver the dividends of democracy to the electorate across the state.

As already stated, no meaningful development can take place in an atmosphere of insecurity and violence. The lack of peace and security as occasion by the sectarian crisis witnessed in the state between 2001 and 2008 did not only thwart and retard development but also reversed previous development achievements, setting the state probably 20 years backward. Ours is a classical case of how the lack of peace can erase any achievements that had been made in the past.

Our experience during this crisis shows that when one part of the state is hurting because of the crisis, the other parts of the state share in the experience. So no part of the state is safe from the adverse consequences of violent conflicts in any part of the country. Violent conflicts in the recent past have affected our tourism, commerce and industry, the provision of social infrastructures, capacity utilization, leaving us with an ugly scar that can only be removed by love and resolve for peaceful coexistence.

The governor’s ten-point agenda, the president’s 7-point agenda as well as all government policies and programmes cannot be achieved in an atmosphere of chaos. It is important to stress that peace is not what the government provide for a people. Peaceful coexistence through tolerance, love, accommodation and hospitality is the product of a social contract between the people and the government.

In this campaign, the National Orientation Agency believes that we are where we are because some people discarded our cherished virtues which made us the natural Home of Peace and Tourism. Today some of us disrespect constituted authorities, traditional institutions and break public laws at will in the process of acquiring material things and positions. Such people have become so intolerant of the perceived differences amongst us so much that they pick up arms against each other at the slightest provocation.

Indeed, peace is an essential ingredient of development, and can only be achieved and sustained through attitudinal change. Unless there is a resolve by our people to live in peace with each other and promote peace amongst them, peace will continue to elude us. This resolved is the most essential attitudinal change that would transform this state and indeed this nation into an advanced society. With increased attitudinal changes towards positive values, we can reduce poverty and hunger, illiteracy and ignorance, moral decadence and corruption, discrimination and the politics of exclusion, as well as wastes in the economy. Violent conflicts and bad attitude make us suspicious of one another. We now live in fear of one another and can no longer trust each other. The present segregation settlement pattern in our urban centres is a case in point. Violent conflicts have left many of our loved ones death. Where is our Jos Main Market? Where are our beautiful houses? It is time we rethink our attitudes and actions. It is time we learn to live together.

Peace and attitudinal change remains a panacea to development on the Plateau. We shall make more progress than we are making at the moment if and when we decide to live together. No one can progress in isolation; we have to do it together. Development after all is all about people. Development does not know religion, ethnicity, political party, social status and other primordial sentiments, politics should therefore be about developing the people, and hence it is a must that we live in peace.

Our people are as diverse as the land. With about 54 ethnic groups and varied terrain, we can tap this diversity to build our dear state. After all, diversity is instituted by God. This evidence abounds in nature. Therefore ethnicity, religion and political parties should not tear us apart in the 21st century when the world is globalizing. Homogeneity is out of place, the norm is pluralism. Let us all work towards a harmonious society. Democracy is a participatory government; everyone has a role to play. In democracy you have rights and obligation of supporting them to succeed. We must therefore learn to live, work, do business together and build the Plateau of our dream as one people under one God with one destiny.

The History of the Gbong Gwon Stool

According to the history and tradition of the Beroms, late Da Dachung Gyang was the first Gbong Gwon Berom and ruled from 1935 to 1952. The traditional stool was in the present day Riyom Local Government Area where he presided over 79 traditional rulers as the first Chairman of the traditional council.

The 79 traditional rulers came from the then Jos Division that eventually evolved into six local government areas including Jos North, Jos South, Bassa, Riyom, Barkin Ladi and Jos East.

From 1952 the stool remained dormant until it was restored in 1974 when late Rwang Pam became the first elected Gbong Gwom Jos and died in July 1979 after 22 years on the throne.

In 1970 the second Gbong Gwom, late Dr. Fom Bot ascended the throne, ruled for 32 years and died 1st December 2002.

After two years, Da Victor Dung Pam emerged as the fourth Gbong Gwom Jos and died in March 2009. He was immediately succeeded by former Comptroller General of the Federation, Elder Jacob Gyang Buba who currently sits on the throne.

Tarok People of Langtang in Plateau State



President of Ngwan Ishi Tarok, Rtd. Gen. Joshua Dogonyaro



The Tarok people are found in Langtang North and South, Kanam and Wase local government areas of Plateau State. Langtang North and south are however, the heart of Tarok land in the lowland area of Plateau State, central Nigeria. The journey from Pankshin to Langtang, the main town of Tarokland which is bye-and-large a descend through a road that meanders around spectacular rocks to open up in a broad plain. The plain is encircled by high mountains that leave a few accesses to the town. Once these accesses are patrolled, you cannot come into Langtang without being seen. It is said that the choice of the location was deliberate in order to guard against enemy tribes.

The Tarok people have an annual event, the Ilum O Tarok (Tarok Day). The celebration of Ilum O’Tarok is driven by the imperativeness to push for peace and togetherness among Tarok people. It is also a platform for updating the Tarok traditional skills for the sake of spurring technological development leading to economic and social development. If Tarok people must remain distinct, there is also the need to encourage upcoming generation of Tarok men and women to uphold the culture and traditions of their ancestors. One cannot deny the link between a distinct culture and tourism and the economic blessing that trails it. A tribe living in isolation cannot move on with ease. Thus the need for community with neighboring tribes is another driving force behind the Ilum O’Tarok.

The Tarok people are indeed proud of their heritage and are determined to preserve it. This is evident in many of the cultural elements of the Tarok people. For instance, the traditional Langtang architecture has endured till today. This conspicuous architectural style sharply marks the boundary between Ngas land and Tarok land such that one gets the impression of a cultural change at the boundary. The people live in round huts with coned-shaped roofing of grass that the environment provides. Usually a number of these huts that depend on the size of the family could be seen clustered together.

In view of the plain nature of the topography of the biggest town in Tarok land, Langtang, houses are opened to the destructive menace of the winds. Planting trees to serve as wind breaks has thus become a practice among the Tarok people. The most favored plant used for this is the dogonyaro plant that has thus defined the uniqueness of Tarok skyline which is evergreen.

The coming of a new born is seen as a blessing not just to the immediate parents but the community at large. If the community must benefit from the blessing a new child brings then he must live and grow up to become a man. There is however death and some women often give birth to children that usually die soon after their birth. As a result subsequent children are initiated into the Orim cult to prevent them form dying.

Polygamy is a cultural element of the Tarok people and the number of wives a man has marks him out among his peers. Great men are also known by the size of their harvests, the number of children and the spirit of giving to the less privileged. Those that lead men to war to come back victorious are also, without doubt, among great men in Tarok land. Above all a great man is one who once killed a leopard an extremely ferocious animal. Thus he has the right to wear a cap made from the spotted skin of the animal. The cap is now generally won as symbol of greatness among Tarok men.

In life generally love can come at first sight. With consensus. with a Tarok girl meeting a boy for the first time can follow him to his house to become his wife without prior notice to her parents. The love rendezvous is usually market places on market days. The next day, a relation of the new husband is led by a mediator, unim sel, to the girl’s parents to inform them that they should not panic as their daughter is in the custody of their son. They then present a gift that the girl’s parents hardly take on the first day to avoid creating the impression of selling their daughter. The eventual acceptance of the present, usually snuff, is an endorsement of the marriage.

The next step is for the new husband to pay the bride price. This he does by building a three hut apartment, farming for a few years and buying a traditional wear for the father-in-law

Children are named based on the circumstances surrounding the birth. There are names like Nanmwa meaning God has provided, usually given because the parents where almost given up on having a child. Byenchit meaning that it is good. Ventim means ’restored by God.’ In other contexts, Ventim may mean ‘unity’, given when a child is born at a time when there is a disagreement that divides the community into two or more

Tarok people say that militarism naturally runs in their veins. This they say is the reason why the Tarok are remarkably successful in the Nigerian Armed Forces such that it is rumored that there is one Military General in every squared kilometer of Tarok land. The adventures of their men in the military had made the land famous and the sons and daughters of Tarok very proud of whom they are. Hence a distinguished military career has also become a mark of greatness that guarantees one the freedom to adorn the leopard cap.

Funeral rites in Tarok land are also unique. The death and subsequent burial of an elderly man is usually followed by ngaga that involves the beating of drums, chanting of incantations and wielding of spears meant to drive away death. This is followed by nken orim during which the spirit of the death man is received and reunited with his ancestors and by extension the people.

Rural Tourism is the Best Option for Nigeria

Gompil

Mr. Semshak Gompil is a professional in the area of tourism. He got his background by virtue of his training from the Plateau State and Kaduna Polytechnics. After backing a Higher National Diploma in the field of tourism from the Kaduna Polytechnic, he worked with the Plateau State Tourism Corporation for seven years before retiring to private practice. While in private practice he has also added a Postgraduate Diploma in the same field. He runs the Fair Trade Network in Jos Plateau State, Nigeria.

In view of his rare resourcefulness in the area of tourism, the News Tower Magazine sought to know from him the prospect that tourism holds for Plateau State and Nigeria at large, the progress so far and what challenges lay ahead if we must fully develop the industry to a level where we can be fully classified among the tourist destinations around the world.

From Gompil, we have been able to gather that the greatest prospect for tourism in Nigeria as a whole is in the area of material culture which is found mainly in the rural areas. This is because our target tourists are from the developed nations. By virtue of their rapid technological advancements, these nations have moved far away from nature. Thus, most tourists from there set out, looking for hand-made crafts that are organic and natural. The extensive cultural diversity of Nigeria with an ethnic population of about 350 translates to so much distinct material culture and a huge prospect.

 

Hence rural tourism is the area where Nigeria has the comparative advantage to create a niche and attract tourists enough to bring about the economic and social development of our rural areas there by ending a steady rural to urban migration of youths looking for scarce white-collar jobs.

In the course of his studies, Gompil has had to carry out a research to find out what contribution tourism can make to the economic emancipation of the rural areas. The aim is to boost the efforts of those working towards the prospect of rural transformation through sustainable approaches. He says the prospects are enormous.

The benefits of tourism to Plateau State presently come largely from the export of this material culture. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, according to Gompil, come from the export which his organization does three times a year. The tourists are also coming and buying some of these items directly. It is just that their number is not encouraging enough for us to feel that we have finally reached the end of the road as far as tourism development is concerned.

According to Gompil, the benefits of the sale of these crafts to the rural area would have been far greater if the local population can be encouraged to buy them, taking into consideration our population and the fact that Nigerians have the money.

The sad news however is that we may never develop the industry early enough to benefit from the huge promise the industry has for the nation. This is due to the modest role governments often play towards the attainment of the goal. Successive governments often pride themselves as having the monopoly of knowledge by refusing to bring in professionals who are imperative in the planning of policies and the legislations needed to accelerate the growth of the industry. Even in the area of urban planning, it is always wise to involve professional to avoid situations where the tourist needs of city master plans are not overlooked. It is experts that are in a position to inform the authorities that the towns have nothing to offer. They are also the ones to inform the government that the emphasis now is on the encouragement of green rooms for which we have an advantage. The experts alone can help to plan well by taking into consideration our strength and our weaknesses. In Plateau State, Gompil says, we have the highest number of tourist experts in Nigeria by the virtue of the fact that the Plateau state Polytechnic undertakes training in the field and the enrolment policy of the institution ensures that 90% of students come from within the state. These experts are not been utilized, he says and all these mistakes are slowing down the speed of progress towards the development of the industry.

The best option for tourism is not in the concentration efforts in the cities but rather to redirect these efforts towards improving tourist resorts in the rural areas and also basic needs such as water supply and shelter. In the area of security he says that Plateau State is quite okay despite the ethnic problems we have experienced recently. This is because tourists travel to parts of the world where the security situation is worst. With the exception of the Niger Delta, security elsewhere in Nigeria is quite okay.

There is also the need to train tourist guides. Tourist guides should be trained to know the locations of the tourist resources and the history of these resources in case tourists need information regarding them.

Gompil also noted that the sale of tourism online or through conventional print media is the sale of an illusion and emphasized the need for Nigerian tourism promoters to guard against exaggeration to avoid situations where tourists turn deaf ears to promotions of Nigerian tourism

The Falling Popularity of Isa Yuguda

The name Isa Yuguda first came to public attention during the Obasanjo administration when Yuguda was made the Minister of Aviation. We eventually came to understand that Isa Yuguda comes from Bauchi State and is a member of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.

Isa Yuguda is a man or was a man with a mammoth popularity in Bauchi State. Those who never knew how popular the man was learnt it when he expressed his intention to become the successor of Adamu Muazu as Governor of Bauchi State. He was quickly accepted by the people of Bauchi State.

In contemporary times it is difficult to tell a Nigerian political story without touching the area of reckless financial dealings by serving politicians. The ordinary man in Bauchi however, saw Yuguda as a rare politician that comes from a wealthy background, so wealthy that he will not be interested in the public resources. All that mattered to him was the well being of every day people in the state.

As 2007, the year of election approached however, it became obvious that Governor Mu’azu had another candidate beside Isa Yuguda. Mallam Isa Yuguda failed to secure the endorsement of Mu’azu under the PDP. It was then the popularity of Isa Yuguda was demonstrated. The people advised him to decamp from the PDP and contest on the podium of the All Nigeria’s People Party, ANPP. So it was.

In the state of Kano four years earlier, a new voter strategy was successfully put to test. The Hausas describe it as a kasa, a tsare, a raka, meaning ‘cast, protect and follow up.’ It was used when the Kano people decided they were fed up with the administration of Mallam Rabiu Kwankwaso. One of his commissioners, Ibrahim Shekarau, was advised to decamp to the ANPP to contest against his boss in the next election. It worked and Shekarau is now enjoying the second tenure as Governor of Kano State. A kasa, a tsare, a raka, was put to test in Bauchi state in 2007 and was successful as Isa Yuguda became the fourth democratically elected Governor of Bauchi State. The popularity of Isa Yuguda was further demonstrated when the people decided to punish Mu’azu for daring to deny them their wish by ensuring that the Muazu lost his contest for the Senate. It was described as a major upset. This is despite the fact that Mu’azu was one of the best Governors within the period 1999 to 2007.

Two years after Isa Yuguda became the Governor of Bauchi State; his popularity seems to be on the fall. It started when Isa Yuguda decided to stab the ANPP on the back by decamping back to the PDP. Prior to decamping to the PDP was his wedding to a daughter of President Umaru Yar’adua. A lot of people see adding of an additional wife as a frivolous issue for a Governor that already has a wife even when his religion allows him freedom to have more than one. The fundamental reason for grudges among the citizens of Bauchi State centers around the delivery of the administration in its two years. The people are now beginning to see the worth of Mu azu.

When people begin to lose faith in an administration, the atmosphere also becomes rife for wild rumours. One of the rumours linked to Isa Yuguda now, has to do with the presidency. It goes that there is a good chance that Yar’adua may not go for a second tenure, except there is an assurance that he has fully overcome his health problem. Should that happen, the President would be adequately compensated with his daughter as the First Lady of the Federation. In other words, Isa Yuguda wishes to become the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The second rumour is in connection with the shortcomings of the administration of Isa Yuguda in Bauchi State. It goes that Yuguda believes that Muazu, during his time, saturated Bauchi State with developments such that there is nothing left to develop. Thus Yuguda has decided to use the opportunity to enrich his friends.

Mu’azu is now emerging as the real hero of Bauchi State.