Solar Jooce: Report on Solar System Installation @ the Lutheran Bible

School compound (Gulmin Boka, Niger State)

By David Osokolo (Volunteer Solar Engineer)

Journey
I travelled by “The Young Shall Grow” bus service headed for Sokoto state en route Kontagora, Niger State. The
journey was speculated to last 15 hours from take off at 6pm but ended up 18 hours later (2pm) the following
day. I would blame waybill loading issues and bad roads in Niger state for the extra delay. Alighting at
Mararaba junction and getting in touch with my contact in Niger (Reverend Japhet Lawrence), we travelled by
cab a further 50 minutes and we both safely arrived Gulmin-Boka. In all, the journey consumed 1 day.
First Impressions

Disappointment. And loads of it too! I heard so much about Kontagora as a child that I thought it would have a
modern outlook at least of the cadre of bauchi town. The roads in and out were really bad. In fact, I noticed
while travelling that the roads become extremely bumpy when you’re in Niger State and the bumping stops
when you are out. And to think that two ex-presidents and a military general are from the state... speechless!

Landscape, Vegetation, People

Gulmin-Boka has beautiful rock scenery with lush green vegetation scattered around. It is a peaceful town and
boasts a river (Gulbine-oboka river) coursing under the bridge leading to Rijau village. From my estimates,
human population may not exceed 20,000. As is common in other areas of the north, scattered mud house
settlements exist along the way from Kontagora. The people in Niger, as I learned, are of varying tribe but
speak Hausa as a general language. Gulmin Boka has a village setting with its people relying heavily on
agriculture for survival. The people are multi-religious, peace loving and hardworking.

Development
I could not help but notice the disappearance and subsequent absence of electricity transmission poles as we
left Kontagora on our way to Gulbine. All the settlements after Kontagora town up to at least Gulmin-Boka
definitely were off the grid!

So many dead industries littered the area, showing a stark reality of the danger our nation’s economy is in.
Gulmin-Boka has a primary school and a secondary school. They also have a health care centre but the general
complaint is that ‘staff in every one of these institutions are not serious’.

Gulmin-Boka: a town in darkness

Had I not been on the SolarJooce team to Imokpe village, Ikorodu, I may not have believed that dark towns still
exist. Gulmin-Boka has no connection to the nation’s electricity grid and are essentially primitive in that wise.
This was evident when the solar installations were made and every light point became a mini tourist
attraction. Scores of people would gather around the light chatting till close to 2am before retiring to bed.
One or two smart people had the popular ‘Tiger generator’ and seemed to be making quite a fortune from the
mobile handset charging business.

My hosts
On arrival at Gulmin-Boka, we were greeted by a waiting Reverend Nelson Yakubu, a dark, plump, man of
average height by the road side. Reverend Yakubu is the principal of the Lutheran Bible School, a bible school
dedicated to training evangelists from settlements across the region. We exchanged pleasantries, took a few
photo snaps and then proceeded to his home. At home, i was introduced to his wife, children, staff, some
villagers and bible students. We discussed the scope of the job and specific needs of the Bible school
community for warranting the installation. On the whole, they were very accommodating. I must commend
the courteous manner in which the people related with me. This is in contrast to human relations in Lagos.
Installation

Day 1: Since i arrived in broad daylight, I immediately began mapping out solar panel positions for optimum
energy collection and discussed where he wanted other equipment placed indoors. The panel frames were
mounted in place same day, ready for the solar panels by the next morning. All solar panels were prepared in
advance for the next day’s activities. I also took time to show them all equipment I brought with me for the
installation. I then made a connection so they could have their first experience of electricity in the house that
evening, including the charging of their mobile phones. Dinner was served. and I almost forgot why I was in
Gulmin-Boka. Had I been a glutton, maybe I would have made home there! Laughs.

I was shown my room and I rested to begin work the next day.

Day 2: Work began with mounting the solar panels and extending sufficient wiring to the storage point for all
other equipment. The mounting was constructed and wired up with the Solar Jooce system inverter. All 6
buildings to be “Jooced” up had been built without ac wiring so the scope extended to wiring them up. This
meant climbing into ceilings. The walls were made from mud blocks and easily crumbled under pressure. This
meant I had to be extra careful so as not to damage anything. At the end of the day, after much coughing and
sneezing from the dusty ceiling spaces, we had jooced up 3 buildings including the residence of the principal.
The jooced up sites became instant tourist attractions that night and i was a hero by the next morning. Some
people saw electric lighting for the first time in their entire lives. So touching!

Shengere, the Principal’s son was so interested in my work that i invited him to come to Lagos whenever he
was done with studies there. 3 buildings to go.

Day 3: Activities were much slower. A slight shower delayed start up but we hurried to finish the job in the
church, classrooms and principal’s office, running short of ac wire along the way. At the end, all sites were
wired up and tested. The project had been rewarding and inspiring at the same time. The people were so
happy and kept thanking Solar Jooce.

A smiling Rev. Yakubu profusely thanked me and Solar Jooce and asked that if there be more, they would
really appreciate an expansion of the system’s capacity.

It was now time for lunch and departure. My first taste of Tuwo‘n Dawa (Guinea Corn meal) and Mia’n Kuka
(Buba/Beans soup). Mia’n kuka tasted like Owerri’s Oha Soup. The food was so good, I should have stayed an
extra day! Oh, well.

Departure
I departed at about 5pm that evening, boarding a cab going back to Kontagora with the hope of finding a
luxury bus park with vehicles bound for Lagos. Shockingly, there was none and the only available Lagos bound
vehicles were small commuter types. The only other options were to fly back to Lagos or travel on to Sokoto to
get a luxury bus ride back. It made sense to just brave the journey and so I paid the commuter bus fare.
Having worked all day, I was tired and expected to catch sleep while travelling in the bus. Bump, bump, bash,
bump. The roads were tormenting. I kept awake all night in the crowded bus until we left Niger state. As we
left the state, the roads became smooth again comparatively. Thank God! I could at least get some kind of rest
prior to my arriving Lagos.

We hit Lagos at 9am and I was home at about 10am. The journey was a success. Solar Jooce has done it again!

Trust Solar Jooce to do the job...