Before its demolition in 2009 during urban redevelopment plans under Governor Jonah Jang’s administration, the statue of “Mama Tapgun,” which stood elegantly at the center of Terminus at the Jos Main Market roundabout, was not just an ordinary effigy but a symbol of the resilience and endurance of Plateau women.
It was an enduring cultural landmark and a symbol of pride in the memory of the residents of Jos, making it a prominent navigation and cultural landmark.
The statue was erected and commissioned in 1992 during the administration of Governor Fidelis Tapgun and was affectionately nicknamed “Mama Tapgun” and “Mama Fidelis” after the then-governor. Others fondly called the statue “Mama Terminus” or “Mama Oyoyo”.
The connection the statue had with traders and customers at the Jos Main Market was telepathic and resonated with all and sundry.
The iconic “Mama Tapgun” statue depicted a resilient market woman with a child strapped to her back and a basin of groceries on her head, honoring the hardworking spirit of the Plateau woman.
“Mama Tapgun” was not just a statue but was a historical, cultural, and tourist edifice venerating womanhood, motherhood, hard work, resilience, love, and was also a tourist attraction.
Indeed, “Mama Tapgun” was a product of creatively artistic, historical imagination and insight that also depicted the culture of the state.
The statue was a landmark and symbolic in several ways as it stood as a strong reminder of the resilient Plateau spirit and tribute to local market women, specifically those from the Miango and Kwall districts of the Irigwe Chiefdom who daily, defy economic hardships to support their families.
It depicted perseverance and steadfastness in doing something despite delays or difficulty, tenacity, grit, doggedness, courage, focus, resolve, and mental toughness.
But sadly, “Mama Tapgun” was demolished along with the surrounding market to make way for a new international shopping complex following a bomb blast at the Jos Main Market. Interestingly, “Mama Tapgun” was neither affected by the blast nor did it collapse due to the devastating effect of the bomb. It stood still and resolute.
Its removal has remained a significant topic of historical nostalgia among Jos residents, who have frequently campaigned for its restoration.
The aesthetics in the carcass and relics of what is left of “Mama Tapgun ” are still lying down in the Terminus Roundabout, and readily evoke memories about the brutalized pride of the people, though with more ‘resilience’ able to face and absorb challenges and still moving on, after the calamity.