WHEN the people of Mambilla Plateau in what is today Sardauna, Kurmi, Gashaka and some other local councils of present day Taraba State voted in a plebiscite to be part of the Federal Republic of Nigeria rather than join Cameroun, they thought it was a sound choice.
After all, they had been promised good roads, potable water, hospitals, higher institutions, industries and other good things of life.
That was in 1961, now 51 years after, the people are no longer sure joining Nigeria was a wise choice.
Among those now almost regretting that choice is the village head of Mbamnga, in Sardauna Local Council, Alhaji Abubakar Sale who told The Guardian none of the promises has been kept.
“Year in year out, we continue to wallow deeper and deeper in poverty.
“The Federal Government, whether in Lagos or Abuja, has not showed it cares for us?
“None of the promises it made because of which we agreed and voted to be part of Nigeria has been kept.
“We have nothing to show as Federal Government presence, particularly in the area of roads, which we are paying dearly for.
“Every Mambilla man is not only hard working but peace-loving, but the bad condition of these communities, in spite of the plebiscite agreement with the Federal Government, is giving us serious concern,” he said.
A first-hand experience of what Alhaji Sule was talking about came when The Guardian made a trip to Cameroun from Gembu; the administrative headquarter of Sardauna Local Council.
The distance of about 75 kilometres took almost eight hours by bus due to the deplorable condition of the roads.
Somewhere during the trip, many passengers, including The Guardian had to abandon the bus, which kept being trapped in the muddy roads, and continued on commercial motorcycles.
That was not any easier as, too often, the passenger had to get down and push along with the rider to free the motorcycle, which was also entrapped in the muddy road.
A not-too-happy Alhaji Sule told The Guardian their plight ought not to be as sorry as it is because “there are enough natural resources here that can be exploited and the revenue used to better our lot.
“Why is the government looking only at oil when there are so many other minerals here that can improve revenue accruing to the Federal purse as well as create much-needed employment?
“Because they do not care in Abuja since they are not spending money here, no one has noticed that our neighbour, Cameroun has started encroaching massively into Nigeria’s territory and before we know it, what happened to Bakassi may repeat itself here.”
The motorcyclist that conveyed The Guardian, Mr. Ngandi Sale, was unhappy that the only available infrastructural facilities in some of the communities were self-help projects initiated and executed by some of the sons of the communities
He mentioned the State Commissioner of Justice and Attorney General, Gebon Timothy Kataps and the Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly, Abel Peter Diah, who had tried to uplift their communities.
The only cottage hospital and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) lodge in one of the communities was donated to them by Kataps while Diah has been behind the Millennium Development Goals projects.
Both men are said to have been at the forefront of drawing Federal Government’s attention to the 1961 agreement and the deplorable condition of roads in the area.
In separate comments to The Guardian, Diah and Kataps said the abundant natural resource in the area were enough to entice the Federal Government.
“All that is needed is just for the Federal Government to construct roads, open a free trade zone between Nigeria and Cameroun.
“If done, the Federal Government would derive more revenue here than from Seme or any other borders in this country” said Kataps
He continued: “Our governor, Danbaba Suntai would have built the roads but for the lack of resources and of course, these impassable roads are owned by the Federal Government.”
An Immigration Officer who bared his mind at one of the border outposts blamed the Federal Government for the deplorable condition in the communities
“I do not know the Deputy Speaker or the Commissioner of Justice, but for them, these people would have been thinking of seceding.
“I am not from this part of the country, but I must admit that the Federal Government is unfair to the Mambilla people.”
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