By Daniel Dauda, Jos 


Culture is the total way of life, history, artefacts and intellectual belief system of a people. In other words, a people without culture is equivalent to a people without historical background.


In harnessing the potentials and dynamics of culture which serves as a means of social integration, the ethnic nationality on the Plateau under the aegis of the Pan Development Association (PDA) has observed its the maiden annual traditional cultural festival known as" Bit Kapang Matlang Jep Jan 2022."


The annual cultural event which was held in Namu district, Qua-anpan Local Government Area, Plateau State amidst pumps and pageantry saw Pan nation both sons and daughters, young and old who dressed in black attires came out en-masse to grace the occasion.


Our correspondent learned that the epoch-making event usually hold 1st of October, every year and always coincided with Nigeria's Independent anniversary.


Speaking on the significance of the festival, Engr. Naankang Garba, President Pan Development Association said Pan is the major tribe on the Plateau. And we can proudly say we are one of the largest. As you can see, as a people we are celebrating October first which coincides with Nigerian Independent.


He said, "But for us as a people, it is a period where we in memorial of a certain tradition of our founding fathers who settled in the hills and buried some of our beloved ones there. So every year we remember this process.


"It is also a year where we gathered and prayed concerning the coming year with regards to the increased of grains and foodstuff and productivity among the people and it is a good time where we remember our history as a people.


" We take the time to reunite with ourselves and interact to share our common goals and aspirations as a people because it is a culture that is built on the emblem of peace in its totality. Pan people are predominantly agrarian society and as you can see many of our able young men here from their built you know that these are hard-working people who mean the best for this country as a Nation and we are contributing our quota!

  Engr.Naankang Garba, President Pan Development Association

" You cannot talk about yam and root crops in the world without mentioning this particular land (Jep Jan) we are standing because this is the major hub for such agrarian foodstuff we are talking about. So it is a good time to meet as people to celebrate our culture and to reunite and remember history.

"The world as we know it, everybody was built on the cultural background and once you're not connected to it you lost your identity. So our local brew, artefacts in terms of our weapons, and the traditional dance are so amazing and hopefully the next year 2023 people would come and join us on this wonderful celebration.

President Pan Youth Association (PYA),  Comrade Yonmi Dama acknowledged that the festival, "it is an annual event that marks the beginning of the bumper harvest, marks the coming together of our people from all the best length and breadth of this country to celebrate this period in the history of this nation."

Our correspondent gathered that some Pan Youth were molested by the military in Kwande while on their to Namu to grace the occasion.

According to the youth President who witnessed the incident said, " yes I can categorically testify that I was an eye witness. And Plateau that has known as the home of peace and tourism is taking a different part. I don't know whether or on whose instruction the military carried out such a barbaric act.

"I was coming down to Jep Jan for this particular event in the evening, and I met the military checkpoint in Kwande which stop some of our people who are also coming for the same occasion. They search them and discovered they have some traditional attires. In fact, they were tortured and discriminated against, unfortunately by our security personnel who are supposed to be protecting and safeguarding us for the success of this event.

"I assured you when I met that I put a call to the Local Government chairman immediately and he assured me that he spoke with the commander who in turn tried to defend his boys that they are trying to control tension. As a matter of fact, I don't see a reason why the exhibition or practice of someone's culture causes tension in a normal environment and in a state like Plateau whose known for its rich culture.

"The display of our culture should not be a stretch event, and I think this is one of the events that should be supported by the Government.