₦airaland Forum

nas00:
Nice one.

You camped in Wukari exactly a year after my set (Batch B, 2010).

I served in Karim Lamido, but came all the way to Mambilla Plateau (lodged at a hotel in Gembu) to spend some time. That was a 16-hour journey (6 hours by road from K/Lamido to Jalingo; 10 hours from Jalingo to Gembu). I would never have had the slightest inkling of how much I missed, had I not gone on that trip


Do you remember any or all of these features?

-**The Highland Tea factory is in KAKARA.. With vast a plantation of tea leaves (I noticed you said Nguroje. Nah)

- There is also a hydro-electric dam under construction in Kakara. The lake is such a beautiful sight.

- The Nigeria Football Federation has a high altitude training ground on the Mambilla Plateau (I think in MaiSamari, but can't remember precise location now)

- There are extensive areas of softwood plantation. I was told those beautiful trees were first planted on the plateau by white people. There is lumbering activity, and the characteristic vehicles used to transport planks on the plateau have a funny look (like wagons used by Nazi Germany to prosecute the Second World War )... Trucks that bring goods to Mambilla often take planks OR cattle back in return.

- If you stand for a while at NGUROJE, you would notice clouds drifting through the houses, including yourself... AND if you stand at a point you can observe the deep green valleys below, you would see clouds hanging in the air below the level where you stand

- When you talk in Nguroje, you observe a visible flow of steam from your mouth

- There are two houses (duplex) side by side in Gembu, said to each belong to Obasanjo and Atiku. The houses are on the steeps of a small hill

- The people of Mambilla have a peculiar type of basket they carry to farm. It has straps, and it is usually carried on the back, exactly the way one would carry a school bag.

- Because Gembu is just about 15 minutes to Cameroonian border by bike, there are lots of Cameroonians in Gembu. Cameroonian products also come in via that route. E.g. Drinks

- Abundance of very fresh and cheap fruits in Gembu

- There are no mosquitoes, unlike what you have elsewhere in Nigeria.

Sardauna LGA is the equivalent of Yankee in Nigeria. I wish I served there like you

One more thing, TR is in NORTH-EASTERN Nigeria, not north-central.

Cheers bro!

Thanks bro for the correction...It was a mix up, and you really expanded on my description of gembu town.

Leme was where our ATLANTA '96 gold medal heroes were camped but had their training elsewhere along gembu-nguruoje road.(Not too far from the camp though).

Nguruoje is really a cold place, with some record of daytime temperatures dropping to as low as 12-16 degrees(Celsius), its also popular for having a COW MARKET (every monday)where many herdsmen from all over the place display & sell their stock in large numbers to merchants and co. Trucks are loaded with purchased cows in huge numbers and transported to different parts of naija.

If you looking for adventure, gembu is the place to be...need I remind us that gembu has a high HIV prevalence rate. If you are in love with nature, gembu awaits you... I hope to do 'something on gembu soonest,cheers!

This write-up brings back some nostalgic feelings...I was posted to Taraba in 2011 Batch B,my set were the last set that used the polytechnic in Wukari as orientation camp following the conversion of the school to a Federal University of Technology by the FG under the last administration. Camp really 'came to life' in the second and third week. I was posted to a secondary school the 'dreaded' town called GEMBU(where I call the coldest part of Naija as I eventually got to find out)in sardauna local govt. Gembu was fun, I love cold weather but Gembu gave me 'run for my money' mehn! Gosh! Mehn those guys love and respect corpers a lot(cant say about now though), everywhere we went then with our kaki,nysc vest or jungle-boot, be it an office,school, market,churches or mosques we were accorded so much respect. To me,the kaki exuded an aura of EXCELLENCE such as i can equate to being "a celebrity" sort of . Kai, I adapted almost immediately, picking up the local language known as FUFULDE where whenever anyone asks about your well being, ya response should just be 'JAM'. Chai,farming is their way, lots of corn,millets, brown beans,cassava,guava,tomato,tea plantation at NGURUOJE(HIGHLAND TEA) such a beautiful place, to mention a few.Then there is GECHAAN(a centre built by a faith-based organisation for people living with HIV/AIDS),their sponsors are majorly USAID. Men,my students loved us cos we taught them with so much intensity and tried our best to instill in them the 'can-do it' mentality. Many of them still call me to ask about my well being,teachers and student alike(even after years after my service year). I now belong to the school of thought that says,'never judge a book by its cover.' So many fond memories of Gembu ,I think am gonna do an epistle of my service year in Gembu so I can shed more light. Call the town backward,but the raw-feeling of nature at its peak cant be compared with anything else. So OP if you are posted to Gembu,just relax ya mind and enjoy your service year jare,am sure you'll thank me later,cheers! Shout out to all past and present corp members serving(or served) in Gembu Sardauna Local Govt,Taraba State,North Central Nigeria. ( Shout out to NCCF Gembu ...It was a great journey to the mambilla plateau!

There are two sides to this and hopefully our electricity challenge...Government BANNING the importation of these small generators is a good move cos it has caused quite a huge number of deaths and poisoning. However, if government wants to meet up with the growing demand for electricity in Nigeria, they MUST(as a matter of urgency) augment present electricity production output with alternative sources such as SOLAR SYSTEM(s),WIND TURBINES,more DAMS obviously(all environmentally friendly).
Though they are long term projects(considering the present state of the economy and her purse), alternative sources for government would be to mount INDUSTRIAL generators on the streets of towns,as is obtainable in some states like Warri, Asaba, Minna, Ph, Akure et al. These generators vary in capacity as some can produce e.g 3250KVA which in my opinion(not as an electrical engr) can serve an entire area/street,such that can be alternated with PHCN whenever there is light.

KONGA1! KONGA!! KONGA!!! Why are agencies in charge of promos in this country not fining these companies...imagine the huge number of Nigerians that were left disappointed,that's why its naija sha! They can do 'stuffs' and get away with it,SMH

This giant will rise again and will take her rightful position in the committee of (advanced)nations...where pipe-borne water shall flow 24hrs a day(365days a year), electricity 24hrs a day( 365days a year), good education and healthcare system, good security and infrastructural development, economic stability and employment for all. A country where we would no longer tolerate but appreciate our differences and find common ground for the good of all...and lots more in Jesus name,GOD bless Nigeria!

The end of times are here...BVN(Bank Verification Number)will be used by the anti christ when he takes over the world as stated in the scriptures.

Does that mean Christians shouldn't participate in the registration?

The answer is NO! We should get registered but MUST be prepared for the return of Jesus which is now closer more than ever...

I pray GOD to grant us the grace to be rapturable on that day,shalom!

I weep for my country...now is not the time to cast or trade blames! We all need to pray to God to PERSONALLY intervene in Nigeria cos all the hope of having a UNITED,PEACEFUL and PROSPEROUS nation is fast vanishing into thin air.

GOD please help and heal NIGERIA!

Congrats to the ULTIMATE warrior CHINEDU..
He was my choice from day 1,his charisma,smiles,perseverance and atheletism endeared Me to him.

Can't forget what he said when he was asked about evicted contestants(especially ladies) who left parting-inscriptions/notes for Cosy/Cannon/Emma et al...he answered(very intelligently),"hopefully,i would be the last MAN standing so that I won't need to drop any parting-note to anyone"

#ChineduUbachukwu#UltimateWarrior#UltimateMan#GUS11#TheMissionisAccomplished#Genius

I hail thee...@OP
You want banks in Nigeria to close @ 11:59pm?SMH
I guess you don't understand the rigors of a bank job...please do the needful(do your findings) before you arrive @ ya conclusions.
And regarding armed security personnel guarding the ATM machine(s)...
Hard guys aren't smiling,there have been instances where they(hard guys)made away with millions of naira and I guess U already figured who bears the brunts of such loss...the bank(branch)!

He's a good buy for Chelsea Fc but I hope he has an injury free season...he's a top notch player,no doubt!

Thank God for his Life...Its basically GOD and nothing more!
Am wondering when AFRICAN leaders will begin to think more about her citizens than themselves.

This report goes to show us how TRUE leaders (e.g US)value the lives of her citizenry.

Why do tribes in Nigeria ALWAYS have these ethnic division? I feel really exasperated whenever this 'endless' animosity and antagonism is displayed. We keep complaining of our leaders,yet we(the populace) won't do the right thing...I fear for the future of this nation and for posterity.
#SMH

God bless NIGERIA...No COUNTRY ever made it by sudden flight,all we need is more in every ramification of our economy.