Africa is a home to the ‘black’ race. It is made up of families in little settlements, hamlets, little communities and societies. Africa is an accommodating continent with a high sense of respect for humanity in its traditions and cultures. Though a growing continent among others, Africa is a continent with a number of firsts and it houses about fifty four (54) countries, most of which are blessed with rich human and natural resources, among which is Nigeria.
Nigeria, a West African country, has produced the richest person in Africa (Aliko Dangote), and it is a home to other well-meaning citizens spread through the north, south, east and west. Nigeria is among the oil producing nations not only in Africa, but the world at large, which is a thing of pride. Nigeria, mainly made of the northern and southern part, has birthed the north-west, north-east and north-central, then south-south, south-west and south-east.
Aside from the recorded military interrupted rule, Nigeria has interruptedly run four republics, with the fourth, beginning from 1999, enjoying twenty-five (25) years of uninterrupted democracy. This is a plus for Nigeria, especially considering the supposed dividends therein. Despite threats of secession by certain quarters of the nation, Nigeria has enjoyed a unity that deserves a tap on the shoulder, not minding the security challenges and the problem of leadership that eats deep into our coffers as a nation.
The strength of the unity in the thirty-six (36) states of the federation, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) is highly commendable. With all the blessings upon Nigeria, there is no doubt that some communities suffer lack, in one way or the other, from government and well-meaning Nigerians.
It is on this backdrop that I wish to present a disturbing plea for help on Sakiyo Attakar, a community in Atuku ward, Jema – a Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
As a rural settlement, Sakiyo came to be when, in about the eighteenth century, the colonialists demanded that the Attakar people relocate from the Attakar Hills, after originally migrating from Bauchi State. This demand was made a number of times, unsuccessfully, not without the destruction of properties of the natives, and killings of both the natives and the colonialists by both sides. The successful attempted demand came with awful gunshots from the colonialists, years later, sending fear in the natives, leading to their coming down from the hills and settling in different localities, one of which is Sakiyo Attakar today, with its paramount ruler, His Royal Highness Tobias Nkom Wada (Agwam Takad I) in Fadan Attakar of Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna state, and Mr. Bulus Musa Owen as its District Head.
Sakiyo, a home to some Attakar people in Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, with Katsak and Tajak as its neighboring villages, all of the same local government, has been a peace loving community from inception, evidenced in its cohabitation with the Fulanis in the past. While some neighboring communities in Attakar land have suffered a number of attacks as a result of the lingering insecurity, Sakiyo has suffered none, all thanks to God and the peaceful natives. It is good to note here that other Attakar people are also found in Kaura and Riyom Local Government Areas of Kaduna and Plateau States respectively.
As a small community, Sakiyo Attakar has its sons and daughter in the Nigeria Army and the Nigeria Police Force, apart from some retirees who have died years back (including Late GNR Dogonyaro Avong). It has produced two (2) Roman Catholic Priests among whom is the late Rev. Fr. Clement Dogonyaro Avong, Pastors (living and dead) and graduates of different institutions of the Federation. Sakiyo has played and still plays vital roles in shaping the political life of Jema’a Local Government, Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole, most especially since 1999.
This is evident in the aftermath of the just concluded local government ‘elections’ in Kaduna State where one of its sons, Emmanuel Utung Moses, emerged as the vice chairman of Jema’a Local Government Area. Sakiyo has played vital roles in revenue generation for Jema’a Local Government Area through its neighboribg markets of Ungwan Mailafiya and Gidan Waya; it has also generated revenue for Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State through its neiboring markets of Fadan Karshi and Gwantu.
Despite its contributions to the growth of Kaduna State and Nigeria, Sakiyo Attakar is way behind in reaping the dividends of governance.
Sakiyo is about less than a half kilometer from a tarred road that links Kaduna State to Plateau and Nassarawa States, yet it does not have any tarred road, which makes it difficult to access the markets with their goods and services and access health facilities especially during the raining seasons.
During the government of late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa (the then governor of Kaduna State), an attempt to fix the road that leads to the village from the aforementioned tarred road was made, leading to an uncompleted construction of a bridge that links the two areas that make up Sakiyo community. Unfortunately, this project died down with Yakowa.
Each year, the people of Sakiyo make efforts to locally fix their roads through community efforts, yet with fruitless results since the project is beyond their capability. Succeeding governments have promised to complete the project, but nothing is done to this day. Sakiyo has never had electricity in its years of existence, even when it hosts part of the trees managed by the Kaduna State Forestry Management.
Sakiyo has an almost non-functional educational facility which is in its worst state, with Jema’a Local Government Education Authority giving a blind eye and a deaf ear to it.
The people of Sakiyo are hardworking farmers who are discouraged by the unavailability and inaccessibility of agricultural facilities to boost their farming capability. The people of Sakiyo have no access to clean water as they still depend on streams, a handful of individually owned wells, and the rains to secure water for their domestic use. These have caused diseases, not excluding typhoid and malaria, a growing cause of death, among the people. Amidst all of these, there is no single health care facility in Sakiyo, even though there was an attempt by the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan to secure one, but it was not possible. Sakiyo suffers poor network coverage as no network provider has its masts installed in the village. This cripples communication from within and outside the village, a disadvantage to the twenty-first century Nigerian.
Summarily, Sakiyo Attakar is urgently pleading for the following needs from its government and from private organizations:
1. Good Road Network
2. Health Facility
3. Electricity
4. Educational Facilities
5. Access to Agricultural Facilities
6. Clean Water
7. Mobile Network Facilities
As Sakiyo Attakar awaits positive response of the aforementioned needs, it is believed that the best will locate the community for its untiring effort at ensuring the growth and development of Kaduna State and Nigeria as a whole. This call is for both the government and private organizations, including mobile network providers, to make haste to help us.
On the part of the government, it is the right of its citizens to be cared for, especially in needs as dire as these. While we all nurture our nascent democracy and uphold an enduring democracy in Nigeria, we ask that the dividends of the same democracy reach us, a plea that is not an offence to make as citizens of a country we all belong to.
With the resources that abound in Nigeria and the philanthropy of well-meaning Nigerians, I am optimistic that Sakiyo Attakar shall smile to its ears, soon.
Long Live Sakiyo Attakar
Long Live Jema;a Local Government Area
Long Live Kaduna State
Long Live Nigeria
DOGONYARO John Owen is a writer from Sakiyo Attakar, resident in Kaduna metropolis. You can reach him through:
07058246090/08036051914
dogonyarojowen@gmail,com