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| The Tree through which the path to Christianity in Ngas Land was paved |
Considering what Christmas is to most Nigerians of the Christian faith, and indeed what the incident in the story I am about to tell represents for people of the community affected by the incident, something in me keeps telling me and reminding me that my resolve from the point of receiving the story to release it to the public December 25, 2025, is a decision well made. By the time you are done reading the story, who knows, you may end up thinking like me.
February 19, 2025, was the day I received the story, but like like I already noted, I felt that Christmas day 2025 is a suitable day to tell or release the story.
The community where the incident occurred and therefore, the center of the story I am about to tell is known as Tuwan. The Tuwan community, formally of the old Kabwir District is located in the present day Kanke Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau state.
Kanke Local Government Area is one the 185 Local Government Areas that late Head of State of Nigeria, General Sani Abacha, created on October 1, 1996. Jos East, Riyom and Mikang LGAs are the three other LGAs created in Plateau state by the Late General Dani Abacha in October 1, 1996.
The Tree (in the attached picture), is very fundamental to the story. Similarly, the relationship between the tree and the birth of Christianity in Tuwan-Kabwir is essential and the reason I chose today, 25 December, 2025 to tell the story that I received in February 2025.
By the time my story is told, digested and deeply understood, especially, by the ardent followers, believers and worshipers of the Christian faith, many people, including you, my esteemed reader will most likely come to terms with my decision to tell this story on a Christmas Day.
Before my story is told, let me identify with a strong lover of Ngas land. He is by name, Mr Gobum Rotdung Panchen, a Man with a very large heart, and indeed, insatiable appetite, and unwavering commitment to the land of his origin, Ngas land.
This space provides a unique opportunity to sincerely appreciate the unflinching efforts of Mr Panchen Rotdung Gobum to advancing any issue that relates to Ngas land, and its people: male and female, young and old, the formally and informally educated; practicing and non-practicing professionals of the land.
Worthy of mention also are Mr Panchen Gobum's consistency and commitment to pushing Ngas heritage and culture to the global community.
At every slightest opportunity, our Man, Mr Gobum is telling the willing something about Ngas, his beloved ethnic nationality. If he is not talking about what he consistently refers to as the numerous tourist attractions in the land: tangible and intangible heritages, sites and locations; he is talking about events and histories that define Ngas land. He has the knack also talk about the names in Ngas land and their meaning, the different versions of the same name, when borne by the male and when borne by the female folks in the land.
It was during one of Mr Panchen Rotdung Gobum's cherished moments of talking about the things associated with Ngas Land, few months after meeting him that he as a matter of fact, enlivened my life with the story I am about to share with you.
Tuwan-Kabwir as I earlier noted, is in Kanke Local Government Area, one of the two LGAs of Plateau state, predominantly occupied by the Ngas ethnic nationality. Thus, out of the 17 Local Government Areas of the state, the Ngas ethnic Nationality occupies two. The second local government area occupied by the Ngas is Pankshin LGA. However, due to economic reasons, the Ngas people may be found all over the globe.
Notable names from Tuwan-Kabwir Land include, but not limited to the following:
Reverend Gideon Gonap Genka, the first ordained Reverend in Ngas Land. Former COCIN Presidents, Reverend Dr Musa Gotom and Reverend Soja Bewarang. Others are Rtd Deputy Comptroller General of Customs, the amiable DCG Nde Gideon Gotip; the former Commissioner for Tourism, Plateau state, Mrs Tamwakat Welle, NEE Gofwen, and also Evangelist (Mai Bishara) Ethan Bilma Go'ar, popularly known as Baba Bilma, immediate younger brother of the mother of General Yakubu Jack Gowon. All these names, and the likes of Rtd Bishop Benjamin Kwasi, are of the Ngas ethnic nationality.
The Story
Long time ago, when the missionaries came to the land of Tuwan-Kabwir for the purpose of establishing the Christian faith in the area, something fundamental occurred.
The community, led by the elders of the land, had filled out to hear the message of the then visiting white missionaries. After listening to the white missionaries, what may be refered to as a declaration of intention to establish a mission in the area sort of, the elders made a request, which was obliged by the visitors.
The Tuwan-Kabwir community led by the elders, requested the white missionaries to grant them a period of time, to enable them to arrive at a decision.
That decision eventually turned out to be a defining moment in the life of the people of the community and the Christian faith in Tuwan-Kabwir.
The period of time that the Tuwan-Kabwir community requested, essentially, was for them to observe the tree in the attached picture, in relation with the movement of a particular bird.
The idea, according to the story, was for the community to observe closely what happens between the tree and the particular bird: to as a matter of fact, look out for the return or otherwise of the particular bird to the tree, interestingly within a specific period of time.
Will it be a sign of good or bad omen if the bird returns to perch on the tree after the waiting period?
If it turned out to be a sign of bad omen, the implication is, the mission of the white men to the community will not be accepted by the community.
If it turned out to be a sign of good omen, the implication is, the mission of the white men to the community will be accepted by the community.
On the contrary, if after the stipulated period the particular bird did not return to perch on the tree, what does it signify? good or bad omen?
Anyway, the Community met, agreed and the stipulated date was fixed, and the watching and waiting spree for the community began.
How long will the community wait?
The story is continuing in the next publication...
Nnabugwu Chizoba
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