By Edwin Philip
The recently Inaugurated leadership of Bassa Cultural and Development Union (BCDU) Nasarawa State chapter have reiterated their appreciation to the Governor of Nasarawa State Engr. Abdullahi Sule, who ensured that the Bassa people of Toto Local Government Area of the State returned to their ancestral land seven years after they went on force exile arising from the crisis that engulfed the area.
The new chairman of BCDU, Mr Dansabo Friday, made this known to news men in Lafia, saying that Governor Sule have made good his promise on assumption of office.
“You remember very well that when he came on board as the governor and our people visited him, he promised that he was going to do everything possible to ensure that the Bassa people return to their ancestral homes as the chief security officer of the State, he told us very well that he care for the people and he would not want whoever is displaced to be out of the state”.
The Bassa people triumphantly returned to their ancestral home on March 10, 2025, in collaborations with security personnel within the State and the effort of the chairman of Toto Local Government Area, Pharmacist Baba Yahaya.
The chairman of the Bassa people in Nasarawa State, said they returned home from exile to a new life with nothing left for them in terms of houses, farmlands and other means of livelihood.
“You know the fact remains that when our people were on exile, the places we left even some of the homes we left became bushes everywhere were bushy and it is just natural that other people will use such places for farming especially people who are into farming activities, upon our return we discovered that some of our farm lands have been taken over by some other people who were engaging on farming activities, they are some of the home lands were also occupied but in an attempt to reclaim the land, talk to people that this is my land and what have you know issues will definitely arise” he said.
He however said that they have strategise peaceful means to go about getting back what belongs to them, one of them setting up committee where such issues of lands and homes occupation is treated without any confrontation.
Adding that the chairman of the Local Government, Pharmacist Baba yahaya, had set up committee comprising of Bassa, Gbagi and Igbira to forsee the activity of this nature that will arise as a result of farm lands home lands been occupied.
” If you see your land occupied what you need to do is to just inform the committee in the local government and it will documented in the local government for discussion, of course issues like have been coming out in different communities but I can assure you that gradually we are beginning to take care of those issues, with the help of the chairman, security agents on grounds such issues are been managed even though some are still hanging we are optimistic that they will be taken care of” he added.
Speaking further, he said the returnee Bassa people are facing humanitarian crisis and pleaded for assistance from the government, non governmental agencies as well as public spirited individuals to come to their aid.
“A visit to where the Bassa people have returned now you will know a lot needs to be done in terms of humanitarian assistance when I say humanitarian assistance it encompasses a lot of things but let me breakdown to the issues of accommodation, very seriously since we returned to the secondary school in kucha where the base camp is, the school walls can not accommodate everybody ” he said
“So those who have returned to the villages try to build just shanties, make shifts tents with grasses, some with tampoline and what have you, but we have children who need medical attention, school to attend, even adult aside school and medical attention we need water to drink, in most of this communities they are no water, we struggle from the streams and all all of the places to get water, so all of this facility are needed”.
According to the community leader, over forty thousand people have returned to their various communities and villages, calling on the government, individuals or agencies to come in and assist his people in whatever way they can render whatever assistance within their means, soliciting for them to visit Toto Local Government Area and Bassa communities in particular and see what they can do to help the people.
Speaking of what his administration intend to achieve for the Bassa community of Nasarawa State, having been elected to pilot their affairs, said top in his agenda will be for him to see that unity of purpose that translates to peace is built not only in Toto LGA but in Nasarawa State wherever the Bassa person resides.
‘If there is no unity they can be peace so I want to see to the fact that a Bassa person is leaving peacefully with his Igbira brother or sister, same with his Gbagi neighbor, Gede, Hausa and every other neighbor that is around the Bassa person, it is our struggle to ensure that we leave in peace, for peace and unity to be attend, the local government is suffering because we are not united, no peace, for how long will we continue in that way, he lamented.
Calling on sons and daughters of Bassa wherever they are to come to Toto Local Government which is their home town and build as well as help in developing the area, as according to him charity begins at home, reemphasing the need for a peaceful and harmonious coexistence between their neighbours.
He however appreciated his predecessor Mr Emmanuel Gbaji for leading the Bassa people of Nasarawa State over the years and ensuring that their welfare was his priority, promised to maintain his legacy and improve on it for the betterment of the Bassa people of Nasarawa State.
On his part, the out gone Chairman of Bassa Cultural and Development Union in Nasarawa State, Mr. Emmanuel Gbaji, congratulated his successor, while promising to support the new administration when ever he is called upon, urging the Bassa people to give him the needed support and also respect other constituted authority begining from the traditional rulers.
He however requested for the recognition of Bassa people in the State scheme of things, as no Bassa persons name was among the list of appointments made recently in the State, calling on the governor, Engr. Abdullahi Sule to do something about it, as they are other positions which he knows better in some of the MDAs , even the local government that the Bassa person who is qualified can fit in.