The victims of insurgency in the North East who are currently taking refuge in Jos, the Plateau State capital, had never wished to celebrate Christmas outside their original homes. But they had no option but to spend the Yuletide in the cold atmosphere of Jos since it was not possible for them to go back to their homes.
Before Christmas, the refugees had marked their first anniversary in the Jos camp on November 1. That was the day they arrived the camp in 2014 when the deadly Boko Haram sect overran their villages and declared them Islamic territories. They had seized the opportunity of the one-year anniversary to cry once again to the relevant government agencies that they had over-stayed in the camp and wished to be returned to their homes.
They had then declared: “We don’t want to spend another Christmas in camp. We want to go back home. President Buhari is the father of all Nigerians. The only help we need from him is to take us back home for us to celebrate Christmas in our homes.”
According to Mr. Mark Lipdo, the Programme Manager of Stefanos Foundation, the NGO that provided the camp for the IDPs, “We have kept 479 families in the camp for over a year. My NGO only thought of providing them a temporary camp, expecting government to take them over. But it is now one year and they are still here.”
He added: “The NGO has only managed to integrate some of them into various communities in Plateau State. However, there are at least 94 families in the camp comprising of 466 people, including 38 males, 88 females and 340 Children.”
These are the categories of victims who marked the 2015 Christmas in Jos IDPs camp. Of course, they are all Christians. And not minding their situation, they had to join other Christians all over the world to celebrate the day their Lord Jesus Christ was born.
On the eve of Christmas, the IDPs arranged one of the classrooms at Zang Commercial College, Jos, where they are taking refuge, to hold their church service. It was announced in the camp that the church’s mass would commence at 9 am on December 25. So, the women woke early enough to prepare the Christmas meals before the mass. By 9 am, they had all converged on the church for the service.
Of course, there are pastors among them. One of them, Pastor Daniel Daudu, and the leader of the camp, Pastor Manch Daram, served as the officiating pastors. They took a reading from the Book of St. Luke, Chapter 2 to preach to the congregation.
The mass was rounded off at about 10.30 am and the IDPs returned to the camp to enjoy their meals.
It was, indeed, a moment of so sober reflection for many of the IDPs who wished they were in their original homes to celebrate Christmas the way they used to. One of the IDPs, a British woman who got married to an evangelist when during her missionary work to Gwoza, Borno State in early 1960s, Mrs Daniel Guza, said: “This is the situation we found ourselves, and we have to bear it because we believe it is temporary. The Bible warned us earlier that as Christians, we will be persecuted like Jesus Christ. So we take this as a revelation of what the Bible says and we take solace in the words of the bible that this one too will pass away.”
Her husband, a retired reverend, Daniel Gula, said: “We have just conducted our church service here as we used to do in our original homes. It does not matter where you worship God because God is everywhere, He is the same God in Maiduguri, Adamawa, Yobe, here in Jos and anywhere under the sun. God told us that whereever two or three people gathered in his name, he will be there with them. So, we are the children of God and God is with us right in this camp and we believe strongly that God has received our prayers today.”
A mother of three in the camp, Mrs. Elizabeth Sally, 35, said: “Since I was born in Gwoza, 35 years ago, I had never spent Christmas outside Gwoza. But this is the second Christmas I’m now spending in this camp. I am not happy here. There is no place like home. I hope to return home someday.”
Another refugee in the camp, Mr. Luka Samson, said: “In my village, Madagali, we used to celebrate Christmas for two to three weeks. We use the period to hold several cultural activities and we enjoyed our native meals and delicacies. But we can’t do that here in the camp. At the moment, our life is not complete and that is why you can see that no one is happy. We are missing home and we pray we return home one day.”
But in spite of the gloomy mood in the camp, many of the children, apparently oblivious of their predicament, were seen playing around. Some of their parents were able to buy new cloths for them as some of them were seen in their new Christmas dresses. The children were also thrilled with the arrival of Father Christmas in the camp.
Because of the cold weather of Jos, the men in the camp sat in the sun to enjoy the Christmas meals prepared by their women. The food was mostly rice and stew, corn or millet meal with okra soup. Most of them preferred to eat the rice the traditional way.
But while they were enjoying their meals, the Governor of Plateau State, Rt. Hon. Simon Bako Lalong, paid them an unscheduled visit at about noon on Christmas Day. Lalong, who was accompanied by five of his commissioners, was received at the camp by the Programme Manager of Stefanos Foundation, Mr. Mark Lipdo as well as the camp leader, Mr. Mancha Daram.
While welcoming Gov Lalong to the camp, Lipdo said: “You are the first governor to visit the camp. These IDPs have spent one year and two months in the camp. Your visit today is a major source of relief and encouragement to the IDPs. This shows how much you care for their situation.
“We remember you came to the camp during your campaign and you have come again after your election. You have shown that you are indeed a leader for all in the state.”
Explaining his visit to the camp, Lalong said: “I have to be here personally to show my love to these victims. I recognise the fact that this is the season to share love and gifts, but I thought that it would not be enough for me to send my gift to the IDPs. I just need to be here personally to see what is going on. I was here during my campaign earlier in the year. I remember I promised to come again after my election.
“I am happy because the camp’s population has reduced compared to the last time I came. I am aware of the trauma you are going through, but there is hope that it will come to an end one day; a day not too far from now.
“The APC government of President Muhamadu Buhari is so committed to the plight of IDPs and he has the desire for you to return home. But before you return home, the home must first be secured. The good news is that the federal government has defeated Boko Haram. The next plan of government is to rehabilitate the IDPs.
“So, you can rest assured that you homes have been cleared of Boko Haram. That means in no distant period, you will be asked to return home. So let’s keep praying for Mr. President to succeed in his plans to rescue this country from insurgencies and economic distress.
“As a state, we are determined to do our best to provide for you within the period you are here. I am determined to make sure you don’t regret your stay in Jos.
“The most important thing is that you are alive. You should help government in promoting peace when you get back home and not to think of vengeance.
“For your Christmas celebration, I would have loved to spend time with you here so that we celebrate together, but I can’t. I have a lot of state matters to handle at the moment. But I have here two cows and five bags of rice for your Christmas celebration.”
Pastor Daram expressed gratitude to the governor on behalf of his members. He said the visit of the governor would last long in their memories and they would continue to remain grateful to him.
Pastor Daram asked the governor to convey their message of gratitude to Mr. President, saying, “We join other Nigerians in prayers that God Almighty will see him through in his administration.”
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