Posted by Jane Okinedo on September 11, 2009 at 2:04am
t is not news that Taraba State, located in the North-eastern part of the country, is not connected to the national grid. Neither is it news that power supply in the isolated state, particularly in the capital Jalingo, is nothing to write home about, due largely to the absence of a Transmission Station.The fact, however, remains that Taraba state which is sandwiched between Adamawa to the north and Benue state to the south, derives its power supply from Yola [Adamawa] and Yandev [Benue ].While Jalingo, the state capital, and other parts of the northern zone of the state are fed from the electric feeder in Yola, the Southern part derives power supply from Yandev in Gboko local government area of Benue state.Consequently residents of the state, particularly those in Jalingo, are consigned to darkness occasioned by epileptic power supply, for both domestic and commercial purposes.The Business Manager of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria [PHCN] in Taraba, Amadi Uche, attests to the poor power supply in the north-east state. “Power supply in Taraba state is not good”, Uche said, attributing the situation to the absence of a Transmission Station in the state.Now the cheering news. The ongoing Transmission Station located at Mile Six in Jalingo, would be commissioned before the end of December this year. This assurance was given by the Minister of State for Power, who inspected the project during a recent visit to Taraba.Ironically, not many residents of Taraba state consider this as cheering news. Of course the poor power supply situation in Taraba State has never been without its beneficiaries. Like its twin problem of perennial water scarcity which has given a boost to water vendors, the scarcity of electricity in Taraba has equally served as veritable source of income to Generator sellers.To this category of businessmen the commissioning of the ongoing Transmission Station in Jalingo before the end of December, as promised by the Honourable Minister would be counter productive, as it would certainly throw them out of business.There is no household in Jalingo or small scale business outfit, that does not have a standby generator, due to the poor power supply from PHCN, an acronym which now translates into the wisecrack: Problem Has Changed Name.Little wonder that apart from assuming a pride of place among residents of the state, generators have become one of the most sought after commodities in Taraba, especially in Jalingo. This explains why every household or business premises in the state capital, has created a space at a corner where standby generators, otherwise known as I pass my neighbour’, are kept.Emmanuel Mbakwe of Emmabec Electronics located along Palace way, Jalingo, is one of those who sell generators in Jalingo. For over ten years Mbakwe has been in the business, and he is not in a hurry to quit. “I have recorded high sales and profit margins from generators, for the past ten years of my being into the business in Jalingo”, he said.This, Mbakwe attributes to the abysmally low level of electricity supply to the state. “Even with the current economic meltdown, the sale of generators in Taraba has not dropped significantly”, says Mbakwe who also deals in electronics.Like Mbakwe not a few other generator sellers in Jalingo who spoke with this reporter, expressed their readiness to remain in the business due to its high patronage in the state. To them therefore the proposed commissioning of the Transmission Station in Jalingo before the end of the year, as promised by the Minister of State for Power, is bad news for their business.Interestingly, a new dimension has been introduced into marriage by the locals in Taraba state to the advantage of generator sellers. Standby generators are now included in local marriages as part of the dowry. What this means is that every family which can afford to buy a set of generator includes it among the items the bride takes to her husbands house.Why is it so? Mallam Gidado Abubakar, a resident of Jalingo, explained that it was one of the changes that traditional marriages have undergone in the state over the years. “It is a common practice in traditional marriages in this part of the country, that when one is giving out his daughter in marriage certain items are required as dowry. These include beddings, furniture, cupboard and electronics such as Television and Video sets.Abubakar, who recently gave out his daughter in marriage with a standby generator in conformity with this new custom, said the inclusion of a generator on the dowry list of local marriages in Taraba State was a consequence of the poor power situation in the state.He said: “I gave out my daughter with a standby generator in order for her to be comfortable in her husband’s house. As you are aware the power supply in the state is pathetic. Out of the 24 hours in a day, people hardly enjoy power supply from PHCN for two hours.”Alhaji Saidu Ajiya Karim, a senior civil servant in Jalingo, also gave out his daughter in marriage recently, with a standby generator as part of the dowry. According to Ajiya who is the permanent secretary in the ministry of Agriculture, generators have become an essential part of dowry in Taraba state.“In Nigeria, and Taraba state in particular, we have the enduring problem of power supply, hence the need for this new practice in Taraba State . For this reason as well as the sake of keeping abreast with the new world information order, the inclusion of generators as part of dowry, has become essential for local marriages in Taraba state”, he explained.The size of the generator presented as part of dowry and its capacity ,depends on the financial status of the family giving out their daughter in marriage. This ranges from the smallest size of Tiger-950 which goes for N12, 000 to the Sumec fireman brand which costs between N90, 000 to N95, 000.The new practice of presenting generators as part of dowry has also encouraged marriages among the youths of Taraba, especially those in Jalingo. Although not every family can afford to buy one for their daughter ,many youths are taking advantage of this practice to own a free standby generator from their prospective in-laws.Tukur Ado [not real names], a Jalingo based applicant who spoke with this reporter said: “I am planning to get married to a lady from a well to do family, so that my wife can bring such items as electronics, furniture, as well as a big standby generator.”But there is a caveat for those who are already beneficiaries of this free standby generator in Taraba: if the marriage hits the rocks, all the items provided are forfeited by the husband, including the standby generator.
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