The Mambilla Plateau, in the southeast corner of Taraba State in Nigeria shares a border with Cameroon. A high grassland plateau averaging about 1800 meters, it is scenic, cool and a pleasant change from the heat and humidity of Lagos.
Mambilla people of Nigeria and Cameroon live on the Mambila Plateau (in Taraba State in Nigeria) and on the Tikar Plain in Cameroon as well as in several small villages further north towards the town of Banyo. These people regard themselves as a group with a common identity. At an altitude of some 700 m these villages live in a different ecological zone where oil palms grow and gallery forest is found. The Mambila language is a congeries of dialects and related languages.
The Mambila plateau Features unique physical and climatic conditions for human settlement as for cattle breeding: it is within such an environment that the Mambila farmers have settled and developed as a dense population. During the 19th century the highlands became the main sources of slaves for the Muslim Fulani kingdoms of Banyo and Gashaka. Although resisting strongly, the Mambila villages fell one after the other.
The Plateau which developed on basement complex rocks, measures about 96km along its curved length and 40km wide, and bounded by an escarpment which is about 900m high in some places.
The Mambilla Plateau forms the watershed from which the major drainage systems in Taraba State take their source. Rivers Benue, Donga and Taraba (from which the state derives its name) are the dominant drainage systems which flow across the Muri plains to drain the entire state
The bas ketofegg like surface of the plateau with its blend of evergreen low growing grass vegetation, neatly demarcated into some kind of ranches/grazing reserves, and the sharply meandering road with hairpin corners across hill slopes, ravines and deep gorges, make driving to and from the plateau most astounding and interesting to a visitor.
The Park provides an attractive setting, well worth a visit. Mambilla has cattle ranches, tea plantations and rolling, grassy hills. It is different from the rest of Nigeria with regard to flora and fauna and is home to some rare species of birds and animals, especially at the Gashaka-Gumti National Park.
Climate: Like most parts of northern Nigeria, Taraba State has a wet and dry climate. On the Mambila Plateau the altitude is sufficient for evenings to be cool while daytime temperatures can reach 40C. The driest months are December and January with relative humidity dropping to about 15 percent while wet season are August and September. Mean annual rainfall varies between 1058mm in the north around Jalingo and Zing, to over 1300mm in the South around Serti and Takum.
Because the roads are still under construction, a sport utility vehicle or jeep is recommended and visitors should pack essentials, camping equipment and food. As an option, there are a few hotels on the plateau.
Route: There is a major road to Mambilla from Lagos, Benin City, Onitsha, Enugu, Otukpo, Yandev, Katsina Ala, Wukari, Mutum Biyu, Bali, Serti and Gembu. You can also fly into Yola Airport, then drive a few miles south to Mambilla.
By: Yetunde Farinloye
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