By TPL Umar Shuaibu
The former Zazzau Abuja Emirate, now Suleja, is endowed with 3 remarkable waterfalls. These are the Mayanka, Tafa and Gurara waterfalls, which all noble visitors enjoy their tours in the olden days.
In April 2009, the Emir of Zazzau Suleja, Malam Muhammadu Awwal Ibrahim, gave us assignment to appraise some of the proposed and abandoned lands in the Emirate, earmarked for the resettlements of the FCT indigenes, in line with the original policy for the FCT development.
The Madakin Zazzau Suleja was the head of the team. At the proposed New Jiwa and New Pai sites, the highlight was our visit to Tafa Waterfall.Daily Trust published the picture of the waterfall we took, on page 37 of its 5th May 2009 edition. Many of those who knew Gurara Fall mistook the Tafa Fall for Gurara.
Because it is only the Gurara Fall that is now prominent. While the Tafa Fall is virtually unknown these days, due to its inaccessibility. However, geographically, Tafa Fall is closer from Suleja and Abuja the Federal Capital City than Gurara. Tafa Fall is only about 3km from Maje, a Suleja suburb, against more than 30km to the Gurara falls. From studies of the Oxford Atlas, Gurara and Tafa are names of the same river, but called differently at different locations. Thus, Gurara falls and Tafa falls are two different waterfalls belonging to the same river, but occur in different locations as the river flows downstream.
We are yet to study and determine the origin of the River. But, it is a common knowledge that it flows from Kaduna State and crosses the Lokoja-Kaduna Road at Tafa, a popular border town between Kaduna and Niger State. At that location it is referred to as River Tafa. It continues downstream and forms a waterfall, known as Gurara Fall at an area close to Bonu in Niger State. Subsequently, it forms another glamorous waterfall, at a village called Kurushe, near Maje. But, this time around, it is referred to as Tafa Falls. The River finally emptied to River Niger at Gerinya village near Koton Karfe in Kogi State.
As a tourist delight, why the Tafa Fall remained hidden is unimaginable. Surely, with tourism as a major revenue generator worldwide, if there were information about Tafa similar to the Gurara Fall all these while, previous Governments would have capitalized on the opportunity it provides and develop it, to the admiration of the Tourists and recreation seekers mainly from the neighbouring Federal Capital City and beyond.
In order to have easier access a road of only 1km approximately, can be established from Malam-Karo along Suleja-Minna Road, which could directly burst at the Tafa Fall. With the elaborate infrastructural developments going on presently in all the major urban centers in Niger State, providing this access from Malam Karo will not be any big deal for Governor Umar Muhammad Bago.
During the tenure of Former Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, his interest in tourism made him the first person to make it possible for the first human exploration to land on top of the famous Zuma Rock. He made a declaration for a comprehensive plan to transform the Zuma Rock area into a tourist haven. He also proposed to build a three star hotel at the Gurara Fall. Unfortunately, the proposal was not actualized. The direct geographical distance between the Tafa and Gurara Falls, using satellite imagery would not be much. Perhaps their integration shall provide the opportunity of the development of a wild life park or even a comprehensive game reserve in between, with the introduction of the ‘Big Five,’ depending on the outcome of a ecological survey to determine the flora and fauna potentials in the locality.
The closest wild life park from the Abuja regional area is in Jos almost 300km away, and the closest game reserves are the Yankari and Borgu which are poles apart. This was what informed the proposal for the development of a national park in the Bobo plains in the Abuja master plan. But, the proposal for the tourism development in the FCT seems to be jettisoned, due to the desecration of the land for other uses by the subsequent FCT Administration.
The Niger State Government can use the opportunity to provide this service. Because the distance between the Capital City and the proposed Bobo plains is approximately the same as to Tafa Fall.
The National Tourism Development Master Plan has fashioned a Conference Capital Cluster in the Abuja region it combines the outstanding conference facilities in Abuja along with the recreational, natural, cultural and man-made tourist attraction from FCT and the states of Niger, Nasarawa, Kogi and Kaduna. It mentioned so many of these tourist attraction sites within this region, the Tafa waterfalls is conspicuously absent not because it does not qualify, but because information about it was not provided.
