The Safari That Never Was

By Pita Okute This, let us admit, is how we may describe Sambisa Forest; evil jungle of Northeast Nigeria that has crept into world history as an infernal den of iniquity and mayhem. Yes, there was a time when that huge expanse of wooded territory, big as Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi States combined, sources say, evoked a bright dream of economic progress: When the authors of the Third National Development Plan, to date Nigeria’s most ambitious investment outlay, mapped out the area for its rich treasury of flora and fauna. Following on the success of Yankari, celebrated game reserve in Bauchi that was birthed by the First Republic, the Gowon administration wanted a louder repeat in Sambisa to equal the famed safari spots of East and Southern Africa. Long live the Safari. This exotic overland adventure is the enduring magic of the African continent, with package tours and private trips spanning the East Coast, from Kenya through Uganda and Tanzania to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia and South Africa. From patches of sprawling savannah to thick rain forests, the modern safari is a fun filled encounter with the African wilds. The vast array of animals- buffalo, elephants, antelopes, giraffes, crocodiles, and the big cats-lions, leopards, cheetahs, not forgetting the wild boar, hippos, rhinos, foxes and game birds of every kind- provide visual evidence of a multi splendored world and the great diversity of nature. Sambisa was billed to top the Nigerian safari trail from Calabar through Ikom, the Mambilla and Jebba to Bauchi and other less popular game reserves. Your guess is as good as mine what became of the wild life in Sambisa, after successive governments abandoned the project and Boko Haram found it a suitable launch pad for its dream of an Islamic republic. The African Safari used to be synonymous with big game hunting. Rich tourists from around the world converged in their hundreds to track and kill the animals merely for sport. Arguably, the world is wiser now about the harmful effects of this unconscionable pastime. Unregulated hunting of wild life turned the unfortunate animals to endangered species. The modern safari- the word comes from the Arab/Kiswahili word for journey- is a leisurely encounter with the animal kingdom. In place of hunting rifles, tourists are now armed with cameras for the harmless, more exciting shots of wild animals feasting, mating or simply being themselves as they deem fit. This ennobling aspect of the safari has spun a fashion kit in its wake- safari jackets; belted shirts with four large pockets- which become suits when worn with matching pants, shorts and skirts. No wonder then that even the Vatican thought it quite cool to label the 1980s African tour of the late Pope John Paul II as a “spiritual safari”. A book, Safari Style, by Natasha Burns and Tim Beddows, explores the decorative art of safari lodges around Africa. Taken all together, these developments have given to our world that freshening perspective on eco tourism, in which man and animals are co-heirs of a shared commonwealth. The African Safari comes in various packages to suit individual pockets and preferences. Package tours are affordable and convenient. One enjoys the company of a multicast of people from different parts of the world, a kind of “safari” within a safari. Yet, it’s more fun to go independently, but always in the safe company of tour guides and game wardens whose knowledge of the reserves and the peculiar habits of their wild life can be most invaluable. Dollar for dollar, therefore, the safari is that incomparably exciting and enlightening parley with the wilds for which there is yet no substitute. That might have provided the creative sparks for Apple Inc. to name its 2003 web browser, Safari. It was reputed to be the fastest browser at the time, and its net share of the market swung up then; in imitation it would seem, of the alluring drama of the African Safari. Clearly, Nigeria has missed out on the eco tourist potentials of Sambisa. When eventually, the place is reclaimed from Boko Haram and decontaminated of their landmines, Sambisa may host another kind of tour packaging similar to what obtains at the War Museum in Umahia. Even so, the development of the other games reserves to their full potential has been rather slow, what with our great addiction to oil as a major cash cow. Who can blame Lai Muhammad, Minister of Information and Culture, for seeking to improve on this situation with a progressive shot at cultural tourism? Pity, that in trying to achieve this, he fell for the heady obsession of Nigerian public officials-to wit, their craze for international events or summit/conference tourism and safaris. Now, will his controversial China trip hold, or will it be another safari that was not?