BRICC's first birthday

A year ago today BRICC (Building Relationships in City Centre) began.  Yesterday the co-ordinators all met for a celebratory lunch and get together to celebrate the occasion.  Muslims and Christians came together at the Niger Creek Centre in Jos to share food, fellowship and the love that is such an integral and obvious part of BRICC.

Physiotherapist Fiona & Baba

In true Nigerian fashion the Baturis (foreigners) arrived at the appointed time of 1pm.  Most of the Nigerians didn't turn up before 2.  We ate, laughed at BRICC family jokes and appreciated everyone who in their very different ways has made an impact.  I found it very helpful when we went round the room introducing ourselves at the start, then Joseph mentioned everyone individually in his speech and finally Toby named people again as he gave out the keepsake plaques.  Now I can put a few more names and roles and faces together; not all by any means, but a lot more than before.

Joseph, one of the founders & driving forces of BRICC

Thompson & Eugie

Fraser and I sat with two young men, Thompson and Eugie (not sure about the spelling), who are filled with the desire to change the situation and attitudes in Jos and Nigeria as a whole.  It's encouraging to hear people who haven't lost hope, despite everything that's happened.  They told me how so many people have been so traumatised by the violence that they have lost all hope that anything will change and no longer want even to try to rebuild relationships with members of the other community.  Before there can be lasting change there must be healing.  Eugie mentioned one Christian who refused to have anything to do with Muslims after the Crisis.  He attended a BRICC trauma-healing session for both communities and his attitude completely changed.  Now he is encouraging others to go and talk out the hurts that destroy from the inside.  The lack of hope has to be addressed.  One of the things that unite people in BRICC is that they have not lost the hope that Jos can be restored to peace and they're willing to reach out to others in whatever ways they can.  As Toby said of the film-making department, there's no shortage of ideas in BRICC, in fact there are too many ideas, enough to keep us occupied for years.

Bearing in mind the problem of corruption at all levels in Nigeria, I asked Thompson what he thought could be done.  His answer was simple.  People are hungry.  If money that could be used to improve agriculture and education stopped finding its way into the bank accounts of the "bigmen," if there was more of a concept of leaders serving the people, not exploiting them, if the government paid more attention to making the electricity reliable so people could make a living and feed their families then they would no longer be as vulnerable to those wanting to take advantage of them for political or religious reasons.  There's also the age old problem of older men being unwilling to make way for the younger generation with all their ideas and enthusiasms.  The generation gap, despite (or because of) the traditional Nigerian respect for elders and tradition, is very apparent.  The young are tired of being told they are the leaders of tomorrow when tomorrow never comes (especially when former leaders in their old age are still attempting to get involved in running the show).  I would not be surprised to see Thompson running for political office one day: may his enthusiasm never be eroded.

On a completely different subject.  Problem: what do you do when you need oranges for a recipe but have none in the house?  Answer: go out and pick them from the tree in your garden.  I do enjoy living in Nigeria!