UNDER normal conditions, citizens of any civilized country endowed with huge human and profitable natural resources are not entitled to lack of common daily needs, irrespective of whatever form of protocol engaged by its leadership. This scenario seemingly is a far cry from what is today in Nigeria – a country with an estimated population of 211 million, the most populous black nation on earth rated as the 8th world producer of hydrocarbon, and a respected member of a cartel tagged OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries).
Certainly, it is no new news that some states in Nigeria do not have the financial muscle to sustain themselves even on their meagre internally generated revenue (IGR) besides drops from federal government, due largely to deliberate negligence of not utilizing available resources in their domain. Their situation is further being worsened by the invasion of immigrant suspected armed herdsmen on the peasants’ farms who supply across Nigeria the bulk of food eaten.
This is also a similar scenario in Alkaleri, one of the local governments created in 1976 when Bauchi state was carved out of the defunct Northeast State of Nigeria from the hitherto 12 state structure. Undoubtedly, Alkaleri is the most richly blessed local government council in Bauchi state and by extension in Nigeria.
The council with its headquarter at Alkaleri town, 64 kilometres along Bauchi -Gombe road from the state capital, has a population of over a million people, with a land mass of 5918 square kilometers. It shares its eastern boundary with Kirfi and Akko local governments of Gombe state; on the north with Ganjuwa, and west by Bauchi, while it is bounded in the south by Dengi local government council of Plateau state.
Its towns and villages include Alkaleri, Duguri, Pali, Yelwa-Duguri, Gar, Mainamaji, Gavin-Duguri, Gokaru, Gwaram, Yashi, Fanti-Gar Dan, Dugudi and several other smaller farming settlements with not less than 200-500(per settlement) persons.
Majority of its citizens are fully and happily engaged in bearable sustainable peasant farming on its fertile red soil. Among crops they produce are rice, beans, soyabeans, corn, sorghum, cowpeas, cassava, millet, sugarcane, water and melon. They also keep domestic animals, birds and grow assorted vegetables for survival sell, and home consumption. While an insignificant fraction of its population is into petty trading, few are into civil service at local, state and federal government levels. Others are on national service in the military, para-military and few participate in partisan politics.
Traditionally, it is part of Bauchi Emirate Council. Its hospitable people practice Christianity, Islam and enjoy sharing generously their farm produce, especially at festive periods held throughout the year.
However, the 46-year-old local government council, like many of its types nationwide, is presently grappling with several severe challenges associated with under-development, though it has more resources than many states and even some sovereign nations in Africa and Europe.
Majorly among the challenges are conspicuous absence of basic human necessities such as feeder roads that its rural dwellers, especially the peasants, should normally use with ease to transport their farm yields to access better prices. Health facilities to handle their healthcare needs to elongate their longevity and add value to their social lives, reduce rural to urban migration, decrease crime rate, minimize unemployment, and downsize youth restiveness, fast-track economic activities that make for better life; Water supply; education to aid general development; and structure for modern communication, easily available affordable farm in-puts and security of lives and properties.
Besides its abundant human resources, which include skilled and unskilled, the local government is home to the most popular premier tourist destination in Nigeria and West Africa – the Yankari Game Reserve. The Game Reserve, which is variously described as a melting pot for tourism, is recognized as a tourist destination worldwide.
The local government, by its geographical location, is a gateway to northeastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon Republic that shares boundary with Nigeria.
Gas and crude oil have been recently confirmed to be in large commercial quantity by Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in the council.
Like the gas and crude oil which produce many valuable by-products when refined, embedded in the bowels of the local council are Kaolin, Coal Oil, Clay, Granite Marble, Silver Bochite and Tantalite. Other minerals deposits found in commercial quantities include Gypsum, Meca, White Phosper, Rotalite, A-mites, Spire, Magnetic Iron, Pyrite and Limestone.
Also spread across the Alkaleri soil are Gold, Lead, Zygone, Brelium O, Topas Square, Topas Ice-fish that could be picked at a scratch of the soil. Gum Arabic is also available in commercial quantity.
According to a national mineral survey said to have been carried out in 1980s, Alhaji Yusuf Garba, chairman of the council at a Trade Fair exhibition in Bauchi 2020, confirmed that “Alkaleri has about 22 mineral deposits. But as at today, only hydrocarbon is being explored. Already, NNPC has confirmed that there is gas in commercial quantity.” Therefore, it is no exaggeration to tag Alkaleri as the most richly blessed local government in Bauchi state and or the most richly endowed local government area by nature in Nigeria.
It is noteworthy that hydrocarbon (oil and gas) has been acknowledged to be in commercial quantity, efforts are on to explore other minerals in area by state government (source-Bauchi state Governor) to harness the natural gifts (no time frame set for the mineral exploration) which for now the federal government has a sole monopoly on all mineral resources in Nigeria.
From its creation in 1976, Alkaleri local government has been known and identified more with its tourism, the famous Yankari Game Reserve, more than the over twenty (20) assorted mineral deposits that are also Naira (dollar, euro and pound) spinners globally.
Tourism potentials in Bauchi, particularly in Alkaleri, are great; the opportunities are seemingly limitless, the exploration and exploitation of tourism products as healthy hefty revenue generators are known, but either half-heartedly looked into or ignored, perhaps due to lack of strong political will to utilize them or due to “third world syndrome” approach of appreciating foreign products more than the home-made.
It is a known fact that many nations all over the world, such as Brazil, India, Togo, and The Gambia, etc, with few developed natural and man-made tourist attractions (festivals) have been making “good kill” of their attractions because they engage deliberate planning strategies and employ skillful marketing and management technics to gain reputation and to maximally generate indispensable revenue for their national budgets.
Sadly, Alkaleri, abundantly blessed by God Himself with life changing natural and historical attractions that can transform its landscape usher in better living conditions of its citizens, continues to depend on state and federal governments’ stipends for existence while its unutilized potentials referred to by experts as “goldmines” remain relegated.
Established in 1950, as a research point on fauna and flora, Yankari Game Reserve & Resort, was opened to members of the public in 1962 as a leisure holiday spot and fun seekers’ haven. Located on a 2,244 square kilometer land made up of hills, valleys as well as flat land, there are streams that provide water for animals, birds and the Savannah vegetation year in year out. But what puts the leisure haven in the superlative are its rare good quality contents of over 50 carnivorous and herbivorous (animal) species (Elephants, Lions, Hyenas, Monkeys and rare Baboons inclusive), over 30 different types of reptiles, rare butterflies, more than 15 bird species in a natural habitat under a breath-taking ever green forest providing all with a secured better life throughout the year.
The Anthills of Savannah you probably read about are special attractions and not in short supply. The Duke smelting furnace where iron weapons, iron wares were produced for hunting, self-defense, domestic use in the early centuries, and Marshall Caves used as residential houses, are a must-visit sight.
Amazingly, in the Game Reserve, unlike many things in human life that are ever changing, the popular Wikki Warm Spring – one among other undeveloped 6, has constant temperature of 31.1 degrees Celsius from January to December, even with the present” Global Climatic Change.”
The poverty level and under-development of the council recently gingered sons and daughters of the area to set up a 15-member Development Pressure Group to provide solution to their pains. The group, drawn from the academia, politicians, civil servants, youth outfit, traditional institutions, business associations, reason that “tourism is a multifaceted industry that generates revenue without fail throughout the year when sustainably managed strictly by specialized professionals. And since the federal government of Nigeria encourages percentage derivation such as the 13% given to oil producing states in southern Nigeria, and since Bauchi state government owns the Game Reserve, which is on Alkaleri soil, it is legitimate for us to demand for our appropriate per cent age of proceeds from the Reserve and or go for a 45% share while the state government gets 55%.”
The group chairman, who declined to give details of the outfit assured, “It is our belief that funds sourced from tourism will be utilized to harness the mineral deposits, provide quality education, improve or provide better healthcare, construct good roads, potable water, power supply, increase and enhance our agricultural activities, create jobs, provide other infrastructures and generate better life for rural dwellers.”
The 15-man group is to identify, plan, rejig the management of Yankari, develop, package and market and sustainably manage the facilities and encourage human dynamism as profit-oriented concern.”
“Yankari Game Reserve and Safari, a famous tourist destination, an international tourist melting pot for long, has not been maximally managed in a way that will not only generate funds for self-substance but contribute meaningfully to the local government, state and federal budgetary needs. It has potentials to greatly reduce unemployment in the state governments.
“We will apply the present global technologies, the man power and equipment for good quality sustainable development and bring in willing investors,” the chairman assured.
Trusting the group’s vision and mission are a desired panacea for Alkaleri, it is the belief of many that a strong political will unnecessary bureaucratic and legislative hurdles, must be surmounted to crush these challenges enslaving Alkaleri and its inhabitants. But this lies in a focused dynamism of the 15-member crusader. After all, local governments in Nigeria have been given a level of autonomy.
For Alkaleri, it is time enough for a purposeful people-oriented leadership.