Road Trip to Vandeikya: Episode 3: #Deforestation
Not many of us know that the forests found in Vandeikya were planted and developed by the Tiv Native Authority (which became Gboko Division) under the colonial administration. These planted trees date back as far as 80 years ago while those that grew naturally are over 200 years old(For those still standing). I have been pondering over the following: was part of Nigeria a desert or were they thinking desert encroachment or were they planting these trees strictly for economic reasons……? For the people of Vandeikya LGA, they see the forest as an inheritance from their parents. Since oral tradition is gradually drifting away because our youths have abandoned their ‘elders’ (not political elders though, because our political elders have constantly failed/betrayed us from the likes of JS Tarkaa to Present day), shown lack of respect and reverence these fountains of knowledge prefer to die with their knowledge than pass onto a generation that is not ready. Government institutions and researchers have failed to carry out proper field study regarding important topics like deforestation. Presently, Ministries and parastatals rather fight over supremacy rather than embark on genuine assessment of growing trends and way-forward. Rather, they fight over control for personal/individual financial gains.
Vandeikya before now boasted of massive hectres of forest estates, but today, Vandeikya has suffered unprecedented loss of those estates which is declining at an alarming rate.
Locals sell these trees to business men at as low as N10, 000 and as high as N100, 000 per tree depending on their specie and size. These business men hire saw machine operators and pay them between N10, 000 to N30,000 also depending on the specie and size. They also pay a transporter and loading/offloading. Delivery of these planks to vandeikya town is at an average cost of N800 - N1000 to wholesalers who in turn sell to the public at about N1,200. Having personally observed the number of wood obtained from each trunk, I discovered that these businessmen make over 150% from their sales while the wholesalers make about 50%.
Even the trees with secrecy are not left out as trees believed to house local witches/wizards and ancestoral spirits that control the market and/or tourment/protect the village are brought down after a ceremony by a group of old men. Typical of such trees are seen in the pictures insert. The vambe tree (a local draw soup) and the genger tree (also a local draw soup)
Wood business is brisk business in Vandeikya meaning in no distant time, a combination of factors will begin to affect a once serene, peaceful, fertile and hospitable people due to deforestation.
The forest and hills of Vandeikya will soon become the desert of camels.
We shall not sit and watch Vandeikya become ‘desert of camels’