From its creation, the historical journey of Plateau State has been that of hope and resilience. Since its founding, our forefathers had hoped that Plateau would be a leading state in Nigeria since it has a good climate and the desired cultures and religious diversity to be an excellent example to many, especially in the Middle Belt and Northern Nigeria. Plateau State had met this goal for some time when it served as the hub of many activities around the country until the early 2000s when an ethnoreligious crisis engulfed the state.
Plateau State, the home of “Peace and Tourism” before the 2000s, was the center for religious and business activities. Since the 1900s, it has been the headquarters for COCIN Church, ECWA Church, and now TEKAN. Roman Catholics have a huge presence with a Major Seminary in the city of Jos and the headquarters of Jama’ Atul Izala, EYN, and ECCN Conferences.

As for business, from the colonial period to Gowon’s military regime, the Plateau served as a mining center whose resources, in addition to the south-south’s oil, were used to build the country into what it is today. For music and sports, Plateau State has served as home to both secular, moral, cultural, and gospel legends like Adu Deme, Christabel Bentu, Panam Percy Paul, Dan Tala, and Dan Maraya Jos.
Politics to militarization, although Yakubu Gowon was the only military Head of State the Middle Belt has produced, every military regime has had Plateau citizens in strategic positions, namely Domkat Bali, Joshua Dogonyaro, Jeremiah Useni, Col. Dungs, and Jonah Jang, as well as many others.
From education to socialization, Plateau has many educational and professional institutions like NIPSS, Kuru; Police Staff College, TCNN, JETS, Islamic University, and the National College of Accountancy. Tourists from the 1970s to 2000s have always chosen Plateau State because of its conducive weather, beautiful landscape, vegetation, and demographics (urban plan); Jos, the capital of Plateau State, is not as densely populated as other bigger cities in Nigeria.

This is not to say that Plateau State has not faced difficult times. From the ethnoreligious crisis that engulfed the state from the early 2000s to recent times, it has experienced dark moments in its history. During this period, the blood of innocent men, women, and children littered the streets of Jos and villages; a period where dead bodies lay on the streets for hours, and some went missing altogether. A period where children and older people cried together day and night. A period where for the first time in the history of this country, citizens experienced bomb blasts in the marketplace, religious gatherings, social gatherings, and schools.
One of the historical bomb blasts that will linger in the memory of the Plateau people forever occurred on Christmas Eve, 2016. This was the period of ethnic cleansing from Dogon Na Hawa to Riyom, Angwan Rogo to Terminus, Bokkos to Mangu, and Miango to Magimgi. These are a few events that make the Plateau people think and wonder if there will ever be a change in the socio-political atmosphere of the state and whether or not, one day, we will have leaders who will stand up and fight for the ordinary person to stop the ethnic cleansing, bomb blasts, and religious crises.
Added to these listed problematic events is the falling standard of education on the Plateau. Although we have the foundations of many schools, many are low in standard and record no modern advanced education growth. Besides private and faith-based schools, Plateau State cannot brag about its public schools. The last time I checked, the Government College, Jos building had fallen apart, and every traveler who passes by sees the dilapidated building as a representation of the collapse of secondary education on the Plateau. There are many dilapidated buildings in the College of Education, Gindiri, and an acute shortage of facilities the government has not supplied to upgrade the school. How about Plateau State University, Bokkos, Plateau State Polytechnic, Jos and Barkin Ladi campuses, School of Nursing, Vom, School of Forestry, Kurgi, and Veterinary School, Vom? When was the last time the Plateau State government recruited new lecturers and professors for efficient teaching and learning in different areas of specialization? How about primary schools? The state government has neglected our primary schools, which are supposed to be foundational schools for children. We see video clips of village pupils sitting in flooded classes during the rainy season to learn. We can go on and on with these laments.
As for unemployment, too many Plateau youth lack jobs or the capital to start a business. Everything is stagnant on the Plateau. All of these result from bad leadership and governance. We hear politicians stealing and stashing our resources abroad or in other states. We also see governors traveling abroad regularly for no reason, accompanied by a considerable entourage. This must stop.

Despite all the cries, the fear, the anxiety, and the uncertainty we are experiencing, Plateau people still demonstrate hope. Plateau people remain hopeful people in every aspect of life. Considering all they go through, it takes only optimistic people to go and vote in 2023. This hope keeps us awake at night, and this hope causes people to continue to go to their farms, students and pupils to continue to go to the same public schools, and for women to continue to carry their yams and potatoes on their heads for sale. It takes hope for pastors, priests, and Imams to preach to their congregations, “let us pray for Plateau State.” I imagine many clergymen tell their congregation, “Let us pray for Plateau State,” and their response would be, “for how long?” Despite the suffering, poverty, and struggles, you hardly hear anyone committing suicide. In my lifetime, I do not know of any who has committed suicide on the Plateau.

Mr. Governor-elect, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang I am sure you are aware of all the things I mentioned in this reflection. If you are unaware of any, please tour the seventeen LGAs of Plateau State. I hope you have a plan that addresses the needs of the Plateau people. I hope your four-year tenure will not be business as usual. I hope you will provide security to our people. I hope you will not be an “Abuja Governor.” I hope your appointments will not be based on ethnicity and denominational biases instead of competence. I hope you will not pretend to see the state of Government College Jos, Government College, Gingiri, and Government College, Kabir. I hope you will not avert your eyes when traveling by road to Abuja when you see the condition of Government Science School, Kuru.
I hope your administration will not be celebrated only by paying civil servants their entitlement. I hope you will be the “People’s Governor,” not the president’s “House Boy.” I hope you will be a governor who cares for the people, youth, women, and children. I hope you will empower as many youths as possible to be financially and academically independent. I hope you will build a strong business network. I hope farmers would smile on the Plateau.
Mr. Governor elect, Barrister Caleb Mutfwang, we have come a long way and cannot return. We have hope that our dark days will be turned into brighter nights, “for sorrows last for the night, but joy comes in the morning.”

Mr. Governor, you can take Plateau people to their promised land or have them stagnate in one place for the next four years, but we will never go back to the yesteryears between 2000 to early 2023.

God bless Plateau State, and God bless Nigeria.

Sir Kefas Lamak,
University of Iowa.
[email protected]

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The Hope That Keeps Us Awake At Night – Kefas Lamak