Plateau State: Home Of Peace And Tourism -By Muhammad Jaafar

The state is strategically located at the heart of the nation, the state serves as a gateway to other parts of the country to the Northeast people. The state has one of the most favorable weather condition in the country, it is blessed with a lot of tourist attractions that sits on a lot of mineral resources which have remained untapped, and a vast variety of crops and fruits are grown on the Plateau due to its fertile soil with a beautiful landscape but behold, the state and its capital are one of the worst in the country in terms of basic social amenities such as a functional water system and a proper waste management disposal system.

The state has the potential to be one of the best states in terms of peaceful coexistence, economic activities and infrastructures, and capital development but it has always been held ransom by two(2) main factors, which are, ethnic bigotry/religious intolerance and lack of visionary leadership since the return of democracy in 1999.

Ethnic bigotry and religious intolerance have resulted in many conflicts on the Plateau which have consumed hundreds of thousands of people, displaced hundreds of people from their ancestral homes, and destroys businesses, and structures running into billions. The crisis has also sent away hundreds of investments away from the state.

While on the other hand, the lack of visionary leaders both on the sides of politics and religious activities has deprived the state of its potential to achieve greatness on the part of peace and development. Almost all the leaders that have steered the affairs of the state since the return of democracy have absolutely nothing tangible to show in terms of development apart from championing their ethnic course, breeding, and fueling ethnic tension among the different ethnic groups in the state and recurrent religious crises.

As I have stated earlier, the state has all its takes to be an essential player in the country and this can only be achieved, if the different ethnic groups within the state can embrace each other to enhance good working relationships among themselves and also to let go of the ethnic and religious politicking and embrace all in other to choose competent and progressive individuals to steer the state into greatness.

May we all have the plateau of our dreams.

Muhammad Jaafar wrote this piece from the plateau.