Sylvanus Viashima, Jalingo
For thousands displaced by various crises in Taraba State, celebrating Christmas in Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps was not just cool. It came with a displeasing experience different from what they were used to. Its dense echoes could be heard against the forthcoming jingles of joy and happiness.
Twelve-year-old James Tundri, who escaped to the IDPs camp in Mayodasa, Jalingo, the state capital, when armed herdsmen attacked their village in Kona a few months ago, admitted that there is no Christmas without the gift of new clothes or the company of his old friends.
He told Daily Sun: “This is the first time that I am celebrating Christmas without new clothes. When they attacked our house, we ran out, leaving everything behind. I only came out with the clothes I am wearing now. And now, my parents could not even buy me new clothes for Christmas.
“This is the first time that this is happening to me. And my friends are not even here with me. I don’t even know their whereabouts. And I don’t have friends among these children here. This is the most boring Christmas of my life.”
Tundri’s unexciting feeling is the same for many of the over 2000 children displaced by the farmer/ herdsmen crisis that had sacked several communities in Kona Ward and its environs in Jalingo and Ardo Kola local government areas. Some of the families ran to squat with their relatives around Mayodasa and ATC areas, but most of them are still stuck in these camps, where life is not just stressful but less than dignified.
For those of them quartered by relatives, they face challenges ranging from lack of basic freedom and lack of the basic needs to celebrate Christmas. However, the situation is worse for those in IDPs camps. The problems in these camps included harsh weather, living without good and comfortable accommodation, lack of food to eat and absence of any form of privacy.
Mrs Joshua Ambata lost her husband to one of these attacks and celebrated Christmas for the first time, without her husband. She has three children under the age of 10 and burdened with the responsibility of ensuring their return to normal life:
“I got married to my husband in 2008 and we could not have children until 2011, when we welcomed our first child. He is eight years old now.
“We later had another boy and a girl who are five and three years old respectively. My husband was in the farm on that fateful day when the marauders stormed the village and killed many. He was among those killed.
“We later moved to this place and we have to live with the reality of his passage. But it is now that this reality of our bereavement is becoming clearer to me. This was the first time the children spent Christmas without the loving presence of their father. I am so confused that I didn’t know what to tell them whenever they asked me about their Christmas clothes.
“When my husband was alive, they used to have their Christmas clothes before other children in our neighbourhood. We could not even boast of a good meal for Christmas. If it were not for the support we get from people around who have come to sympathize with us, we could have gone without even a Christmas rice and meat.
“I am just grateful to God that the children are not taking it so hard. You can see them playing with their new found friends in what has now become our new home- pending the time things will stabilize enough for us to return home to a normal life.
“For me, this was the worst Christmas of my life so far and I hope it would pass away quick. I hope I will overcome all of these regrets and move on to a new chapter of my life in the coming year.”
But typical of Nigerians, the displaced persons are not left alone to suffer their fate and misfortunes alone. People across ethnic and religious divides are coming in in various capacities to give them succour and a sense of belonging.
Recently, the Catholic Youth Organisation of Nigeria from Saint Justina’s Parish in Mayodasa mobilised some food items and clothes to support the IDPs. President of the organisation, Mr Toochukwu Michael, said: “This is part of our activities to mark and celebrate this years end. We are grateful to God for the gift of life and youthfulness that comes with the grace to work hard and earn much.
“As a group, we believe the best way to show our appreciation to God is to reach out to those who are in dire need. These people here are persons who lived a normal life until they were sacked by armed herdsmen from their homes. Now their lives are turned upside down. That is why we have chosen to share the little we have with them in the spirit of Christmas so that at least they will also have something to celebrate with. It is not enough to just pray.”
Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Mr Joseph Albasu Kunini, also reached out to the IDPs at various camps with carious items to support them and ameliorate their hardship especially during the festive period:
“This is the time to get out of our comfort zones and reach out to those who don’t have anything to celebrate. We must give them reasons to celebrate this season despite the odds. Our gesture is not because we have so much but purely because we know the need to share and understand how it feels when there is acute lack.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on the good people of this state to reach out to these people. They need our assistance most especially at times like these so that they don’t feel cut out from humanity. Their condition is sad enough. While the government is making concerted efforts towards their rehabilitation, it is important that we all play our little roles in ameliorating their plight. These are hardworking and well to do persons ordinarily, who have found themselves in this helpless situation for no fault of theirs.”