Azaghvana E-Book 2003 - Flipbook - Page 115
Before we discuss how the 1950s resettlement scheme unfolded practically, we will quote
from a letter exchange known as 'The file Gwoza Terracing', showing how Stanhope White
turned out to be one of the main voices to raise concerns about the resettlement scheme.
The file 'Gwoza Terracing' - Stanhope White and the stone wall terraces of Ghwa'a
In 1941, Stanhope White published an article on 'The Agricultural Economy of the Hill
Pagans of Dikwa Emirate' (republished 1944 in Farm and Forest). In January 1951 he wrote a
letter to The Secretary, Northern Province, Kaduna (1951), in which he expressed concern
about the attempt of the 1950s resettlement scheme. The letter is entitled 'The Stone Wall
Terraces of the Gwoza Area'. Stanhope White was obviously concerned about the increasing
pressure to resettle the 'troublesome people' of the Gwoza hills, and explicitly warned about
the environmental implications of this. He pointed out that his interest went back to the 1930s,
and that he felt he wanted to start his letter, which is more like a report, with the conclusion of
his article from ten years earlier, and which we quote below:
These people [of the Gwoza hills] are troublesome administratively, and it is therefore desirable
[for reasons of administration] to persuade them to leave their rather inaccessible hills for the open
and readily accessible plains. From a scientific point of view it is surely more desirable to take the
long term point of view and to discourage the Pagan from leaving his terracing with its
concomitant preservation of water supplies - preservation which undoubtedly affects a large area
of the plains. Get these people on the plains and the terracing will go; bare hill sites will form;
erosion will be accentuated on the plains and probably the water table will drop...
His 1951 report refers to the 'stupendous work of the Azgavana [Azaghvana] clan area is [as]
probably unique'. He visited the area a second time in 1950/1951, by walking up from Vile
rather than from Guduf, shortly before he wrote his letter. He also describes how much easier
it was to access the hills in comparison to last time (in the late 1930s) and refers to rest houses
now being built at various points in the hills. He tries to explain that the people of the Gwoza
hills were very suspicious indeed and that it perhaps took a long time to engage them, but that
it might well be worthwhile doing so, not only because of the environmental importance but
also because of the national heritage the stone wall terraces represented. He points out that he
realised during his two recent visits, that in comparison with the Guduf saddle for example,
the terracing of the Ghwa'a (Johodo) massif was far more sophisticated, more so than the
terracing further south of Ghwa'a, and as such of international importance, and describes it as
follows from his second visit:
But, if the visitor will only climb the long and severe slope to the Asgavana [Azaghvana] clan area
through Vile or adjacent villages he will realise with each upward step, the magnitude of the work
which he begins to see behind him, and when he reaches Johode [Ghwa'a] the full magnitude of
the work in all its breath taking splendour breaks upon him... I do not wish to be accused of
exaggeration, but particularly in the Azgavana area, we have a work which may well fall into the
class of the wonders of the world... But as I have said, it is only from the hilltops that this
wonderful work can be appreciated and to reach there is a labour not lightly to be undertaken, by
any but a Pagan or a young Assistant District Officer. I have pleaded in the past on the grounds of
safeguarding water supplies and soil erosion that the terraces must be preserved, but I now
consider that we may have here an eighth wonder of the world which must be preserved, while
were it to be found in any easily accessible area, would be a show place.
Unfortunately, Stanhope White's appeal was unsuccessful, as the letter exchanges of what was
known as the 'Gwoza Terracing' file, covering the period from 1951-1952, prove, and later
letters in the same file continue until 1957, four years after the 'Gwoza Affair' of 1953. 8
That means that the resettlement scheme went on its course as we describe below, leading,
soon after Stanhope White's recommendation, to the killing of lawan Buba in the very place
Kaduna National Archives Nos: 131/2; P501/83; 463/8.6/21; 463/s.6/21; 2782/150; 2782/s.3/19;
G.83/801A (the last two letters are from 1956 and 1957).
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