Jos in January: Cold and Comfort
Posted by Kola
by Chinenye Mgbojikwe and Chijioke Chris Chuwa

Jos is a small town in Plateau State, in the middle of Nigeria, at approximately 1200 metres above sea level, making it one of the highest points in the country. It was originally occupied by the Nok people in the early Iron Age, but has now been populated by people from all around Nigeria. The cold environment was particularly attractive to the Fulani because it was an uninhabitable place for the tsetse fly which caused sleeping sickness in their cattle.


The famous rock formation near Riyom in Plateau State
I’ve lived in jos all my life and as such, I’ve grown accustomed to the weather in this beautiful city. Right from time I was introduced to custom of wearing multiple layers of clothing paired with socks no matter the type of footwear I donned on my feet.

One of my most notable experiences with the Jos cold came from my time in secondary school — I attended Baptist High School, Jos, a boarding school. We took our baths, when we could, with cold water, because who was going to gift you hot water as a JSS1 student? The harmattan period which usually came around November – January was a true test of grit.

One day, my roommate and I had secured a bucket of water at night to avoid the long queues to get water in the morning. We had been worried that the water would have been stolen by other students. The next morning, we soon found out why it was left untouched, our water had ice in it! Not large ice blocks as you may think but thin sheets of ice on it! We had to dry clean ourselves — an act where you only wash your hands, legs and face — before heading off to class.

We later learned from our more experienced seniors that to prevent your water from getting colder at night you need to use a towel or thick piece of cloth and cover the top of your bucket leaving no gaps. As time passed and it got colder we eventually avoided morning baths and opted to have our baths after classes mid-afternoon. The school also noticed how the cold was increasing and made it a rule for each student to wear a sweater at all times.

As time went by, the students also found ways to keep warm such as creating fires to boil water using hot coals gotten from the kitchen and any available metal bucket in the vicinity. This wasn’t as effective as it may sound because it was limited, not everyone in school could boil water, just a few people who hustled to get to those hot coals early enough.

Around 2011, the PTA decided to build heater rooms to provide hot water for the students so we could cope with the weather. Things are much easier these days as I’m told, more measures have been put in place to combat the cold.


Jos weather is often said to be bi-polar, because of the way it randomly changes. You could be shivering by 7 am and sweating by 3 pm. Yet despite all these, the city is still the preferred location for most people, especially those who grew up here. The people of Jos are so accustomed to the cold it’s sometimes uncomfortable to live elsewhere. Some residents even joke that the cold weather prepares them for various trips outside the country.


Ayodele
@ayodele_aro
· Dec 24, 2019
Come to Jos https://twitter.com/ms___dale/status/1209360084251348992 …

LushByDale�
@ms___dale
Ibadan is so freaking cold!!!
Damn!


E L I X I R �
@LizAtule
I miss jos cold especially the January cold. �

8:47 AM - Dec 24, 2019
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Edward Davou
@Eddiesofall
· Jan 2, 2020
I miss home Jo's.
Don't worry the Angel in charge of Cold is fixing the situation. Lol#JosIsCold https://twitter.com/faitholamini/status/1212695171181223936 …

Ola Mini
@faitholamini
#JosIsCold , why is Lagos complaining , any update from Panksin (jos) the town with snow....

View image on TwitterView image on Twitter

Ola Mini
@faitholamini
Miss jos too. Did my NYSC in jos, I really enjoy my stay + the cold

12:30 PM - Jan 2, 2020
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Why is it so cold?
The city experiences low temperatures because it lies on a slope. Jos is approximately 1200m above sea level and at heights such as that the weather gets colder and the air thinner.

On the 3rd of January, it recorded a low temperature of 6.7ºC. This was the lowest recorded throughout the harmattan period. For contrast, London on the same day recorded a temperature of 9ºC. The high altitude of Jos makes it susceptible to jet streams which are fast-moving air propagated by the northeast trade winds. Due to the sun, the air around warms up in the afternoon period but drops once it’s evening and the sun has set.

What are the effects of being in a region this cold?
Unlike places abroad that deal with cold weather on a more frequent basis, Jos does not have the resources to keep its residents warm. There is a lack of room heaters in offices, eateries, and homes.

This causes people to limit their sources of ventilation. You turn off your air conditioner, turn off your fan and maybe close some windows to stop all that cold breeze from coming through. This raises some health concerns.


Boys gathered around a fire to keep warm
The harmattan and dust combine to propagate different types of viruses that may cause illnesses such as pneumonia. Due to the cold weather, people tend to congregate and stay in groups, this alone makes it easier to pass along germs and bacteria from one person to the next.

According to a health service provider at the Jos University Teaching Hospital, Ifechukwu Ezeonugo, this period brings an influx of patients who bear symptoms of a common cold, the majority being children and the elderly.

How do the residents cope with the cold?

A resident of Jos all covered up because of the cold
The people of Jos cope in many different ways, I for one carry around a flask of hot water or tea wherever I’m going, to drink and keep me warm. I Always wear socks and if possible gloves when I’m going out to run errands. The cold affects different people in different ways. I decided to get a few stories from people working in Jos to get their perspective.

The Keke drivers

Keke drivers in jos have a curfew of 9 pm, after which they aren’t permitted to work till the next morning due to security measures.
Usman, 30, says since the cold began business has been a bit tougher for him. “I no de too see customers like that again, nobody wan de comot for this kain cold may breeze de blow them on top,” he says. He has had to change his routes a couple of times to get more customers. He doesn’t like to come out as early as he used to because sometimes the cold can be unbearable in the early hours of the morning so he waits for time to pass and hits the road by 7 am then he closes by 8:30 pm so he has some time to get back to his family. The cold affects his work because he can’t increase his rates due to the cold alone, seeing as the fuel price and distances remain constant. He has had to cope with the cold as best he can.

The office workers

I strolled into a popular bank (they wish their name to be kept off the record) to ask how they were faring with the weather and the woman at the bank teller said it’s tough. They don’t use their air conditioners or fans anymore and it’s hard to get to work each morning. You see fewer public transportation so she has to wait outside more than she does on a normal day because of the cold.

Something else that bothered her was the body odour some customers had, “You can tell some of them skipped having their showers this morning, but I understand that due to the cold it is unpleasant to shower so early in the morning,’’ she said. The cold hasn’t affected the flow of business in the bank, things just go as they always do.

The bike men

Bikes aren’t too popular in Jos, they have been restricted for some years from the main roads, so they operate in inner settlements of the city. I walked around for some time until I found a bike man who was willing to talk to me. Mr Dung says he doesn’t come out to work till 8am, because the cold is so severe in the mornings. He also does not have his bath till mid-afternoon when the sun is out and its a bit warmer.

He dares not forget his sweater, head warmer, gloves, and socks. It’s suicide to leave even one. He said that because he operates within a small settlement, people have no choice but to make use of his services. If not, they would have to brave the cold and make the long trek to the junction where they can get a cab to their desired destination.

The maishai (tea makers)

There are a few maishai around Jos. You can spot them carrying large trays on their head containing flasks of hot water and nylon filled with loaves of bread.
I walked around till I could spot one. And although he was busy, he obliged me and answered the few questions I had for him. He said the cold is nothing new to him, he expects it. He has lived his whole life in Jos and has only been to a few other northern states.

To cope, he takes his bath early and always with very hot water and comes out as early as he can. Business is booming for him this period, he says. Everyone who goes about their business outside such as drivers, hawkers, and even pedestrians can get cold and need a hot drink to keep warm. He says business is so good that he has to go home and refill every few times.

For him, the Jos cold is a blessing.

The traders

I walked into this shop because, at first sight, it just felt like a warm place to be in at the moment. After feeding my eyes I walked over to talk to the owner of the shop find out how the cold was treating him and his business.

He entertained me briefly because he had customers to attend to. The period was the best for him, he said, because he had to get more wares ahead of time so he’ll have enough blankets and sweaters to sell to his customers. He has no shortage of customers. Most of his clients are mothers buying extra blankets and sweaters for their wards going back to school in this harsh weather, he says.

He’s covered head to toe in warm clothing, moving back and forth and responding to the needs of his various customers. He is one of the benefactors of the cold that comes around this period.

Here are some common myths about the Jos cold
It snows. Sorry to disappoint you but it hasn’t snowed in Jos and the likelihood of it ever happening is low due to its geographical location.
It rains ice. Technically it doesn’t rain ice, but Jos has been known to experience hailstones during the rainy season and not the harmattan.
Pipes bring out ice water. While this is a possibility, in the past few years there has been no documentation of such happening in the state, a few videos have gone round saying otherwise but those are videos taken from other locations.

How to survive in the Jos cold
Never leave home without a sweater. You might come out in the afternoon and the weather feels a bit warm and you say to yourself I can do without a sweater, my dear brother/sister this is a bad idea. Remember what I said about Jos weather being bipolar? In a split second the weather can change and you’re left in cold chattering your teeth and rubbing your palms together to create warmth.
Avoid dust at all costs. Dust inhaled can cause loads of health problems for you including asthma and pneumonia. You can get a surgical mask to prevent inhaling dust or use your handkerchief as a makeshift cover if you can’t find one.
Get extra clothing. Additional clothing such as gloves, scarves, head warmers, and socks are incredibly helpful.
Avoid cold water and fluids. The weather is already cold no need to make your body feel it anymore, use hot water to bath and only consume drinks at room temperature or warmer if possible.

When all that’s said and done, Jos is an interesting place to visit during the harmattan period. You get to experience the feel of a different region entirely and see firsthand how people cope with the weather.

____


Chijioke Chris Chuwa is a chemical engineer who loves to write. He is based in Nigeria and writes articles, short stories and poems. He is also a content creator and digital marketer.

Chinenye Mgbojikwe is nutritionist and a student at the University of Ìbàdàn, where she is currently doing her masters in Public health. She is a model who has worked with several brands. During her free time, she indulges her love for books by editing.
Photos by Jacob Dakshak and KTravula.com

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