What started, sounding like a distant drone of traffic that was never imagined to be close by, buzzed itself loudly with an uncontrollable sounds that fills the ear drums recently.
When the idea came knocking, the usual questions ‘how’ kept struggling for answers. Some thought it was going to be just a buy and sell market where people come in to display their modern innovations and could hold grounds.
Barely six weeks ago, these doubting ‘Thomases’ began to see how it transforms with people kept trooping weekly to witness what this market has to offers. The truth is, if it were just for the fun of it, most of these people would have been at super markets or clubs, but the uniqueness of this market was what attracted them most.
The fact of it being strictly cultural is the driving force. So many of the Ngas sons and daughters especially the elderly, cannot remember when last they have tasted Mun-shwe, Mun-Kas, Puk Lingyit, Mos-Benaa and stuffs like that.
Today, what most young Ngas sons and daughters only heard about, if possible, are now available and can be seen and tasted. This, of course, has attracted influx of interests and the market now struggles with the problem of space that can accommodate the crowd.
There is no denying the fact that, when the National Museum and Monuments in 2018 allocated this space to the Ngas Nation, it was a celebration galore because the long awaited dream has come.
Under the leadership of Nde Gonen Gofwen, the then National President of the Ngas Development Association (NDA), the Ngas ethnic nationality immediately swamped into action and designed Programmes to be taken off at the allocated Ngas Village.
Several other tribes on the Plateau were allocated similar spaces by the National Museum and Monuments, but unfortunately along the line, something happened with the Ngas Village allocated space.
After completing the design where Village market site, Events Centre site, Monuments and Antiquities sites and the traditional Ngas architecturally designed structures to portray the rich cultural heritage of the Ngas people, the unfortunate happened.
The larger part of it was ironically cut off and fenced by only God knows who, and it has been a thing of great worry to the Ngas people. In as much as the Ngas Nation continue to appreciate the magnynamity of the National Museum, it is worrisome to note that, there is considerable need for an additional space since they now struggle for a space.
With the kickoff of the Ngas village market, the gradual show of love, unity and oneness among the diverse tribes on the Plateau now is a pointer to the fact that, the Plateau missing rib has been found.
People who trooped in to witness this market, careless to know whether you are Ngas, Mwagavul, Tarok, Berom, Afizere, Gomai, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa etc. but citizens of Plateau State. It will be of great negative effect on the peace and unity of this administration if this afford is truncated.
It is therefore, imperative for the government specifically, the National Museum or Museum and Traditional Nigerian Architecture (MOTNA), to reconsider their decision to support the peace process of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State.
You need to see the line up of people who want to acquire space to display their traditional items. This, has placed much pressure on the committee running the market lately.
The surprising part of it all is, even in the rains, people still keep trooping in. One begins to wonder what would happen when the rains are over? It is our prayers that, this, which started like a mustard seed would someday grow to create a big shed where Plateau people and Nigerians would cherish.
Streetbell Online 