Bauchi State: the home of peace and progress; Our special correspondent, Ben Asante, on a tour of northern Nigeria writes about the historic state of Bauchi, the home of tradition still making strides.

Bauchi State is the strategic gateway to five other states in northeast Nigeria. The state itself is a leading breadbasket, and also endowed with natural beauty. It abounds in rare species of birds and animals which remain at the centre of the state government's determination to create a tourist paradise as part of its economic development plans.

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In pursuit of these plans, the state government is forging links with Kenya, South Africa and Namibia which have all already sent experts to Bauchi to examine the potentials for joint partnership. The climax of these efforts was the recent visit by the Namibian president, Sam Nujoma, who was hosted by the state governor, Ahmadu Adamu Mu'azu.

Bauchi may have been de-linked administratively from its neighbour Plateau State, but not from the natural beauty of this area of Nigeria that abounds in highlands, hills and rock formations. Here you come across some of the most stunning countryside scenery.

You drive in from the highlands of Plateau, leaving the city of Jos behind and immediately cross the state border, and then you start on the gradual descent that takes you into Bauchi. All along the one-and-half-hour inter-state country road are miles and miles of hills and rock formations interspersed with plush green and farming communities.

Among the various people you meet on the journey are Fulanis in colourful wear. Even along the way, you are struck with evidence of new developments undertaken by the current state governor, Ahmadu Mu'azu, in the number of newly built schools and the noise of lively school children within the school walls.

Bauchi is not only endowed with tourism potential, but has historically contributed to national political and intellectual leadership. Nigeria's first premier, Tafawa Balewa, came from Bauchi. In the decades past, before independence, Bauchi was the home of the "Discussion Circle", whose members, mainly teachers and journalists, came from other parts of the north. The group provided a counterpart to the southern leaders of thought and political agitation.

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It was also from Bauchi that new ideas about political awareness and education filtered to other parts of the north. Little wonder, therefore, that the state has enjoyed relative development since its creation.

Today, the Governor, Ahmadu Mu'azu, under Nigeria's democratic dispensation, remains an activist true to Bauchi's tradition of putting people first.

In one dramatic gesture after a recent radio phone-in programme, the governor hurriedly travelled unannounced to a remote village in the middle of the night to investigate a problem that someone had complained about on the radio programme. The villagers, young and old, literarily mobbed him for showing concern for them.

The state's motto declares that it is "the home of peace". It is also sometimes described as the pearl of Nigerian tourism, because it is the site of the famous Yankari National Park, possibly the leading natural reserve in West Africa.

This vast and under-utilised reservation area is a haven for several endangered species of wildlife as well as the site of a complex of warm mineral springs that are reputed to have wonderful medicinal properties. One of the warm springs so far developed is the Yankari Spring which has already attracted many visitors, including presidents, kings and locals.

Governor Mu'azu has vowed to seek National Assembly backing to recover ownership of the park from the Federal Government in Abuja, and to create a world-class tourism industry around it.

Already South African, Kenyan and Namibian experts and Bauchi state officials have been involved in studies and exchange visits aimed at further developing the Yankari National Park.

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Governor Mu'azi's performance during his first term is highly visible, especially in rural development. As soon as he came into office, he established a Rural Development Agency as one of the most important institutions of his government.

The state's electrification of rural communities is now being regarded as a model for other states to emulate. So far, 113 villages and towns have been supplied with electricity, and several others are in the process of being connected as well.

The state government is very proud of its pioneering status in the area of poverty alleviation as it created an agency for poverty alleviation even before the Federal Government. The agency has only recently been upgraded into a full scale ministry.

Some of the agency's achievements include the provision of opportunities for self-employment and the acquisition of marketable skills by thousands of rural and urban dwellers. The state invested more than N200m in this programme and gave micro loans to small businessmen and women to enhance their earning capacity.

Education has also been one of the top priority areas. As a result, the number of primary school students in the state has increased from 438,250 in 1999-2000, to 1,119,747 by 2002. Secondary school enrolment has also increased from 26,112 in 1999 to 32,234 in 2002.

The state has recorded similar achievements in health care delivery. Over N400m has been spent on the renovation and reequipping of several hospitals, and some health centres have also been upgraded to full-fledged general hospitals. Nearly 100 new doctors have been recruited in the last three years, and specialist doctors from Egypt have been invited to help treat some serious ailments that are common in the state.

The state government has also upgraded the transmission capacity of the state radio station which is now among the leading stations in northern Nigeria with a new transmitter disseminating AM/FM broadcasts. The state's TV station has also been upgraded to help publicise government policies effectively.

The governor's performance has turned out to be one of the great assets of President Olusegun Obasanjo's ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The party was, thus, able to depend on Bauchi State when its search for a mandate in northern Nigeria seemed to be seriously challenged by opposition forces.

At the moment, the state is seen as a provider of the right atmosphere for growth, and an enlightened and dedicated work force. Essentially, the state has been the home of one of West Africa's first automotive factories--the Steyr Automotive Works--which assembles trucks, tractors and military utility vehicles.

The state government is also in the process of reviving the Bauchi Meat Company and Bauchi PVC Flexible Pipe Manufacturing, by providing incentives to partners with the requisite skills and resources.

A survey of the state's natural and mineral resources has also been done, with a view to identifying their full potential for development. Bauchi is arguably one of the most agriculturally viable states in the north, with at least 65% of its arable land regarded as being extremely fertile and productive.

The state produces a variety of agricultural products such as millet, maize, rice, sorghum and wheat. The growth of these food products has been greatly assisted by the introduction of modern farming methods under the auspices of a World Bank-assisted agricultural development programme.

Last August when the governor inaugurated the state's new executive council, he pledged to make Bauchi second to none as Nigeria's breadbasket supporting both commercial and subsistence farming.

The state government is also encouraging increased fish production, and has made great strides in sustaining the traditional animal husbandry that has been the mainstay of the state economy for years. The state-owned tannery processes hides of cattle and goats.

The minerals sector is another area of immediate investment potential. Governor Mu'azu himself is a chartered quantity surveyor by profession. His government has studied all previous surveys of the state's mineral resources, and has embarked upon its own surveys as well and from these, it has been discovered that a major deposit of uranium exists in the state. In addition, there are deposits of clay, kaolin, silica sand, semi-precious stones, barytes, salt, tin, copper, iron ore, zinc, lead, granite, gypsum and tungsten. These are minerals with enormous industrial potential and it has been determined that many of them exist in sufficient quantities to be commercially viable.

The state government is, thus, seeking the cooperation of private partners and the Federal Government to develop the key infrastructure facilities needed to exploit these minerals, as well as to develop a state-wide integrated industrial programme.

To this end, sites for industrial estates have been earmarked in all the urban and semi-urban communities of the state and a comprehensive road network leading to the mineral sites has been planned and is already being developed.

The state government is building on the foundation that it inherited, but is also introducing new parameters for development and seeking to create new criteria for investment confidence.

The fact that Bauchi has not been associated with the negative aspects of inter-ethnic violence and religious crises that have bedevilled other parts of Nigeria, has enhanced the state's appeal to investors.

It has already received many expressions of interest and the development of its policies is influenced as much by circumstances on the ground as by the nature of the interest shown. Areas of potential investment have already been identified and listed according to standard economic priorities and the availability of raw materials.

In the agro-allied sector, the state government recommends investment in livestock development, processing of grains, roots and other products, animal feed mill development, and textile (cotton) manufacture.

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For industrial production, glass, ceramic tiles, pottery and porcelain, paints, Plaster-of-Paris (POP), pharmaceuticals and cosmetics are the recommended areas.

One of the most interesting developments in Bauchi has been the ongoing petroleum exploration activity in the state.

Two of the world's top oil companies--Shell and Chevron--have been undertaking assessments of the already discovered oil deposits in the state to determine their commercial viability. The state government believes that the oil sector will eventually be developed as an integral part of the state's economic profile.

The government's awareness of, and concern for, the needs of investors is a very visible element in its policy formulation. Investors have been given an open invitation to take advantage of the special attributes and incentives that are available in the state.

The pride of the people and indeed the state government, of course, is the state capital, Bauchi, which bears the same name as the state. Bauchi's residents literally live within the protective walls of the hills and the mounts that surround the sprawling city.

It is a clean modernised capital in a countryside setting where the governor clearly takes pride in the road network and the marvellous landscaping works accomplished under his administration.

Bauchi (city) stands tall among Nigeria's other state capitals.

Governor Mu'azu has shown, both in pronouncements and actions that he is determined to build a progressive state through partnership with investors from anywhere. He remains very much a businessman in cutting through cumbersome situations. He is quick at making decisions. His largely informal style--driving himself to and from work--portrays him as a man leading from the front, unhindered by protocol. He is easily approachable, and willing to dirty his hands doing the work he has been elected to do.

The challenge now is for those with the necessary investments to move into the state and exploit the numerous opportunities that abound. Visitors of any persuasion as well as business people and nature's lovers would find Bauchi State very rewarding.

RELATED ARTICLE: Bauchi-facts

* 3.2 million population

* Landmass: 549, 260sq km

* Government headed by Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmadu Adamu Ma'uzu

* Main Stay: Agriculture

* 5 Dams: Waya, Gubi, Kafun Zaki, Maora, Hadejia, Juma'are

* Tertiary institutions: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Federal Polytechnic, Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic, College of Education Azare, School of Nursing, School of Health Technology

* People: Hausa, Fulani, Jarawa, Sayawa, Nirgawa Beriberi 

* Religion: Islam, Christianity and Traditionalists

* Hotels: Zaranda Hotels & Towers, Awalah Hotel, Obuna Royal Hotel, Staye Hotel, Polycorn Guest Inn, CFA Hotel

* National Park: Yankari

* Game: Buira Games Reserve