Yes.... I'm in Jos....
I came to Jos after the curfew for the elections had been lifted at 4pm. I hadn't been planning to come but it was Thanksgiving, and I started feeling guilty about not going home for it, since my parents are in the country. So, I arrived in Jos around 6pm. The next morning at 6:30am, my dad told me to come to the window. "Do you hear the gunfire? This thing has started up again." I took this photo around 9am. The compound was surrounded by smoke on all sides--black smoke, tires, white smoke, churches and houses and at least one mosque.
We have ended up having a refugee camp at our house, many of the same people who were here in September 2001. We fed close to 200 last night and have had over 60 people sleeping in the house each night. Fortunately, my mother had bought a lot of food to give away for Christmas, so we had enough rice for a few days and the DVC brought a bag of garri. There are some people staying with us who have lost everything they own. It is a little bit too much to think about.
Things seem to have calmed down now. I am at an internet cafe, but will post more thoughts and pictures when I have a chance, probably once I'm back in Kano.
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17 comments:
so did the president even issue a statement condemning the attacks?
so glad to hear you're well.
Glad things are stabilizing for you and your family. This is a horrible situation.
Dear Taluta Carmen,
I'm a journalist at France 24's Observers website (http://observers@france24.com). I'm writing about the riots in Jos at the moment and would love to be able to publish your comments/ pictures as past of the piece. Would you be interested? Let me know when you're going to upload them.
Best,
Sophie
spilgrim@france24.com
This is really sad....
Going to Kano? Talatu, aren't you worried about the crisis spreading there - and you being caught up in it again like in Jos? Just take it easy and be careful!
Stay safe.
I would love to hear about what set off this round of violence. I know the election was the straw that broke the camal's back, but why? What was going on that made this election so important.
Thanks to every one for your well wishes. Things are slowly going back to "normal" to Jos--or as "normal" as they can be with soldiers (strangely comforting) everywhere.
I came to Lagos for a film festival this weekend, but will hopefully be going back to Kano next week. To anonymous who is worried about me. Thanks. I have heard from friends who have said there has been som tension in Kano but it sounds like it is under control. And we can't live our lives in fear. At some point we just have to do what we have to do, and deal with the problems as they come...
Thank God ur family is safe'
take care'
it is well'
Allah ya kiyaye ki.
well, thanx to all whom care so much about Jos, the fact remains that its the home of peace but i believe many people don't wish it the same its so unfortunate. But i keep the faith that one day this will be over. We need your prayers pout there. thanx
I came across this blog while trying to dig up material to write on the Jos crisis that is on-going (again)...what is wrong with our world? how comes folks could live together with minimal conflicts elsewhere but not in my hometown Jos...
[Un]luckily, I am safe and far away..but I fear for my family, friends and all the people I know in Jos!
I have read all these comments and it seems to be all about us. "so glad to hear you're well", "Glad things are stabilizing for you and your family", "[Un]luckily, I am safe and far away..but I fear for my family, friends and all the people I know in Jos".
Can we begin to look at the bigger picture here? It is not just about us. What about families who've lost all their male relatives, dads, brothers, nephews, cousins and the list goes on. What have they got to be thankful about? All these losses and waste of future generations. Our nation is on the brink of being taken over by extremist who want to push their view on others without consideration for the rights of these people and the repercussion for such action. Yet all we think about is, us, our family, friends, neighbours and those we know?
Stop! Think about it. Actually, this is about the future of our nation, our children, grand children and great grand. We need to begin to mobilise our young ones to shun radicalism and we need to deal with the root cause of this issue and remove our heads from underneath the sand.
Thank you to the chap who posted this blog and all the actions you and your family took. We need to move a step further to becoming the voice of the voiceless.
@Ninawriter, Thanks. Great Comment, and you're right about everything but me being a "chap." I'm female.... Thanks.
@Ninawriter, Thanks. Great Comment, and you're right about everything but me being a "chap." I'm female.... Thanks.
my father mr Alake thomas Adanihomwan and my 7years old step brother was killed in the crisis and house was burnt to ashes and my shop was burnt down too...i dont know the sutuation right there in plateau state in Nigeria cos my father was being assasinated by opposition members in the name of religious crisis.i am here in italy.i lost my families and statue but i hope i will be able to come back home in many years to come.i love you people that cares about the refugees in Jos.may God bless you all.ADANIHOMWAN E.EMMANUEL
What can JOS offered than death,pains and sorry...my family souls still crying in the valle
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