The mention of travel to any part of Northern Nigeria gives a lot of people the jitters. Many things come to their minds — terror. But there are great secure destinations there. Gombe is a good example. Gombe whose capital city is also named Gombe is bordered by Borno, Yobe, Taraba, Adamawa and Bauchi. The state was created out of Bauchi State on 1st October 1996 by the late General Sanni Abacha’s Administration. Nicknamed Jewel of the Savannah, the state is home to the headquarters of many international intervention organisations catering to the needs of Internally displaced people who are victims of the Boko Haram crisis.
Travel
For lovers of road trips, there are many ways to go about the trip. The first way (if you are coming from Lagos) is to get a straight bus from Jibowu, Yaba or Ijora all in Lagos. The trip takes 18 to 20 hours by road, not adding the toilet and food stops along the road and the bus fare ranges from N6,000 to N13,000. The second is to break the trip into two. Take a bus to Abuja, from Iwo road (Ibadan), Kuto (Abeokuta) or Yaba (Lagos). From Abuja, take another bus to Gombe from Nyanya or Jabi Park, it takes only six hours to Gombe from Abuja. The cost is roughly the same, but the sites to see are so much more.
By air, it can get cumbersome a bit. There are only two airlines flying that route regularly – Arik Air and Azman. Arik Airline travels to Gombe via Abuja on Mondays, Wednesdays and Friday. Sometimes the layover can be up to eight hours. Azman airline travels to Gombe via Abuja only on Mondays and it is not regular.
Dressing
Gombe has two distinct climates, the dry season between November and March; and the rainy season between April and October with an average rainfall of 850mm. The heat can be very much during the dry season so make sure to consult your weatherman before you take the trip.
Accommodation
There are many hotels in Gombe, but many international visitors to the state lodge at 1. The Custodian Hotel and 2. The Gombe International Hotel.
The Custodian Hotel is a four-star hotel with a cozy appeal. It is located in the heart of the town, in an easily accessible and serene neighbourhood. It is only about 20 minutes drive from Gombe Airport. The hotel has a small restaurant that serves both local and continental dishes that are not bad at all. It also has a 100-seater conference hall that is almost always booked. The hotel offers laundry, car hire and shuttle service to the airport. The rooms prices range from N70,000 to N16, 000 per night. The service is not bad and the staff are very polite and helpful. The only downside is its terribly unreliable free wifi service.
Gombe International Hotel has a vast collection of sports facilities, including a swimming pool tennis court and a well-equipped gym. It is about 15 minutes from the airport. The hotel has nice lounges and the rooms are well furnished. The large conference halls in the hotels make it a destination for many events so for someone looking for a serene environment to meditate or write, it may not be the best. Apart from its being prone to rowdiness, the service many times can get very poor. Price per night ranges from N120,000 to N20,000.
Other hotels are Flourish, Bulma, Dan Arewa, Zuma Royal among others, rooms can cost as low as N3000 in these hotels.
What to do
For lovers of nature, this is indeed the jewel of the savannah, co-housing the popular Yankari Game Reserve with Bauchi State. It is not to be confused with the Gombe Stream National Park in, Tanzania. The popular Yankari Game reserve. Places to visit in Gombe include the Emir’s Palace, Bima Hills, Gombe State University, the Federal University Kashere, State Polytechnique Bajoga, College of Education Billiri and the Ashaka Cement Company, Ashaka, Funakaye Local Government. You can also visit the Tangale Hill, the Kilang Hill, Popandi Village, Kaltungo Deba Local Government.
There is also the historical Tula Battlefield, where the British first attacked and fought the Tula people. You should also visit the Tomb of Bubayero Gombe Abba. Bubayero is the patriarch of the Sukku emirate and his tomb is registered as a national monument.
Food
Gombe like every other state in the north all have foods like miyan kuka, and the several tuwo varieties in common. There is also fura de nono and kunun tsamia. The state also has a fine collection of kilishi and dambu nama maker. So, do well to have a taste of the skillfully prepared meat delicacies when you go to Gombe.