TARABA TAKES LAST AGAIN
By Emmanuel Atsue
Again Taraba State comes last for internally generated revenue IGR among states in the country.
How and where can we generate revenue in Taraba state when Bali, Marrarba, Peva, Manya, Kente, Baissa, Donga, Tella, Dananacha, Sabongida, Gindindorowa, Ibi, Zaga, Jatau, Tsukundi, Rafinkada, Wukari markets are no longer functioning as before and most of them closed down completely due to crisis?
When traders in other markets like Garba chede, Iware, Zing, Monkin, Kasuwan Bera, Mayoreno, Apawa and Marrarban Kunini are always attacked by bandits and kidnappers on market days?(The security issue is a discussion for another day).
Let me recall that in 2017 the 2nd Plenary Session of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria CBCN was hosted by Jalingo Diocese and the venue of the conference was St. Charles Borromeo Pastoral Centre in Jalingo the Taraba State Capital.
While welcoming the Church Fathers in his capacity as the host, His Excellency, Arc. Darius Dickson Ishaku unveiled and showcased the potentials of the State to the applause of the bishops who came from different parts of the country, representing every Catholic diocese and every state in Nigeria.
Of course, Taraba Green House which has earned His Excellency the title of ‘Baba Cucumber’ dominated the discussions.
Among others things that the governor said which I will never forget and which I will quote verbatim(because I was present at the ceremony) is that: “Our land in Taraba State can produce any type of food bountifully even without the application of fertilizers.
In fact, whenever I meet with my friend governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State I used to tell him that we produce the food in Taraba, while Benue State put it in the basket as food basket”.
Now does this lowest internally generated revenue surprise anybody? For me, I am not surprised. Most of our food and animal production areas in Taraba State are the most hit with ethnic crises.
The tourism sector of our state can be best described as moribund. Unfortunately, and strategically in the last three years, these crises broke out at the wake of planting season and during harvest time.
This means apart from the aim of destruction of lives and property, if you look critically at the timing of the crisis, your guess is as good as mine.
If you call a place your own and then destroy it again, does it make sense? Because eventually that onced fertile land that has sucked so much blood especially those of innocent children and pregnant women will not even produce any food again.
God cannot be cheated. The other day I saw a mad woman wearing facemask and her action kept me thinking all day. So even a mad person somehow knows that all is not well and that is time to do something differently.
Brothers and sisters in Taraba State. What do we really want. Why can’t we consider the future of our children and put an end to this crisis now once and for all? I am sure you won’t like to know the total number of indigenous medical doctors and nurses in Taraba State now that we are in need of medical personnel to fight Covid-19 pandemic.
This is another farming season. Our neighbours in Adamawa, Benue, Bauchi, Gombe, Plateau and else where are carrying farming implements and actually cultivating the land for farming, we are busy carrying guns, bows and arrows pursuing one another. Yet we are asking the Federal and state governments to supply food for us at the internally displaced camps. Where should the food come from? Imagine that every tribe in every state were fighting themselves? At least one of the lessons the outbreak of CORONA VIRUS has taught us is that wherever you are, where ever your money can take you to, eventually your own home, village remains the best place to stay. Of course the “STAY AT HOME” rule is real and not metaphorical.
Well let me tell us that if we think Governor Darius Dickson Ishaku alone can end the crisis, generate revenue and develope our state then of all citizens of thia country we are to be pitied the most.
I do not and will never exonerate nor support the seemingly helpless posture of the state governor in the ongoing and previous crises in the State.
He remains the chief security officer of the State and it is only right and just that he should do the needful as he swore on 29 May 2015 and agin on 29 May 2019.
But do you need the state governor to come to your house and tell you how to love your wife, children, parents and those under you? So why don’t we translate this wisdom into our relationship with one another and give peace a chance? Is Governor Darius the one that tells us when to eat and what to eat? Does the governor go to the farm? Does he go to the markets? Does he drive commercial buses and trucks? Am sure when we want peace to come, we will rise up and say it is enough and unless we come to this realization, let us continue chasing, burning, looting and killing each other. Even if we can’t feel it now, the generation after us will harvest whateverwe are sowing now.
Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Atsue, a priest of the Catholic Diocese of Jalingo sent in this piece from Jalingo, Taraba State
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