Mambila Plateau Ascension
Waking up in a new city everyday can be really tasking but the feeling is ecstatic; when you are visiting a place for the first time, it broadens your mind and your body gains information by seeing the features of the physical environment, feeling the breeze on your skin, smelling the air and breathing it, tasting it and generally just absorbing the milieu. I would not trade this for anything in the world.
The plan to visit #Gashaka-Gumti national park and the #Mambila Plateau became a reality as the journey began at 11:00am from the city of Jalingo where we got a few supplies, and started driving to the destination, after calling several people to get information about the terrain as it was our first road trip to the area.
The journey started smoothly and in high spirits, we left Jalingo and moved into Sardauna Local Government, across towns like Bali, Mallum, Serti, etc. Duration of the ride up to Gashaka-Gumti in Serti took over three to four hours, as we passed the national wildlife park along the way with the aim of reaching the top of the Mambila Plateau through its hills and valleys. The climb from Serti took another three hour ride which was not rosy along the bumpy and dusty Nigerian roads, the expanse of land was thrilling and we wondered why there was so much space out here while the cities were choked up, congested, and some sources talk about overpopulation.
Ascending the Mambila Plateau was tough, I got to understand that you have to travel far enough to meet yourself. The Mambila plains feature lowlands and valleys, hills, rocks and mountains, coastal plains, and plateaus or uplands. The area is naturally beautiful and attractive, it is a sight to behold, due to certain circumstances, not many tourist can easily get there without a tour guide or someone who is familiar with the plains.
The people around here deal with timber and all sorts of wood; this is evident as we saw a lot of trucks taking large amounts of wood pieces out of the town through the snaky roads that aid vehicles going up and down the Mambila. Along the way, there were many farms growing several agricultural crops and animal farms especially cows, the area breeds some of the biggest cows.
On our climb to the top, we got to see the famous "Highland Tea" farms which stretched through a large portion, tea grows at a high altitude of 1,500meters this makes the Mambila Plateau a good location as some villages are over 1,800m.
The highest point in the Mambila Plateau is Chappal Waddi with an Elevation of 2,419 m (7,936 ft). More about the #Mambila #Highland #tea in another article. The manufacturing plant of the Mambila highland tea is located at Kakara-Gembu, although the headquarters is located right in the heart of Gembu town.
Other farm crops that can be gotten here include; cocoa, ginger, risga (local carrot), cucumber, garden eggs, chilli (Gembu special) and different vegetables, etc. The chilli peppers grown in #Gembu are popularly known as the hottest found in the region.
The major occupations of the people consist of farmers, lumberjacks, and hunters. The women contribute a lot to the livelihood especially with their immense contribution to farming and agriculture, all over the town they carry baskets specially used to harvest from farm plantations. There is a sculpture at the heart of Gembu town which depicts the ancient roles of men and women in these parts.
The sculpture at Gembu town
The men as shown here are warriors and hunters while the women are farm hands. Both played complimentary roles to support the community back in the days, in contemporary times, it is evident that women still play their primary role in ensuring the welfare of the family while most men are out there tending their cows and sheep or doing more modern occupations.
The language they speak include Fulani (Fulde), Mambilas, Yamba (Kaka), Wimbum (Kambu), Hausa, and Banso etc. The people are calm and hospitable, the unique weather makes the area more attractive to people who do not like the heat in Jalingo.
The uniqueness of this place got me thinking about originality. As humans we ought to understand our authenticity by discovering who we are from knowing the world around us and observing nature. True religion is self-knowledge, never compromise your personality because you are you and I am I. Everyone and every place has peculiar characteristics and features which should be appreciated and cherished. I wonder how many people think travelling hours for sightseeing is a total waste of time but for me, it is a necessary part of life.
Adventure feeds the soul
Look Mama, we made it!!!