There’s something about Jos that doesn’t hit you all at once. It’s not loud, it’s not chaotic, and it certainly doesn’t try to prove anything. Instead, it works on you slowly, quietly, until one day, you realize your habits have changed.
It’s not a magic trick, but a simple change in some actions and gestures that you make, how your interaction with others and even nature has taken a sway, the way you think and make decisions is no longer the same and it’s so obvious that ‘Plateau state’ is happening to you.
So, here’s a fun test: how many of these things already feel normal to you? If you read through this list and catch yourself thinking, “Wait, isn’t that just how life is?”… then welcome to the club! You might already be getting initiated.
ALSO READ: What Visitors Notice About Jos That Plateau Residents Don’t
1. The Landscape No Longer Feels Unreal
Your first time in Plateau State, you noticed everything. Do you remember? You admired the rock formations, were mesmerized by the road slicing between massive stones, stood awestruck at the strange calm that felt almost too heavy to be ordinary.
Then, when you saw rocks balanced in ways that didn’t make sense, you hesitated, and kept your distance. But now? Now, you walk past, through, and even under them with steeze. You barely even look. On any good day, you would even lean on them, hike on them and it’s just another beautiful day in Plateau State. What once felt impossible now just feels like the road home.
2. You Greet People You’ve Never Met
At first, it confused you. A stranger greeted you warmly, like you shared history. You paused, trying to place their face, but there was nothing to place. That’s just how it is here.
Here, sharing pleasantries aren’t about familiarity but about connecting; like a quiet exchange of goodwill.
So now, you enter a keke and you greet. You walk into a public space and you greet the whole congregation or the people closest to you. And sometimes, you don’t even realize that you started doing it first.
3. Moving Around Feels Effortless
Unintentionally, you realize that you don’t overthink movement anymore. When it’s time to go out, even if you had never explored that terrain before, you don’t panic about transport or calculate worst-case scenarios before stepping out anymore. Because somehow, it always works out.
Somehow, you just know that there’s always a vehicle that can get you there. Either a bike, a tricycle, a bus… Sometimes, you just step out without direction because you know that there’ll always be a helpful stranger out there to point you in the right direction. And because of that, life doesn’t feel rushed; it just flows.
ALSO READ: The Return Question: Are People Moving Back to Jos?
4. You’ve Slowed Down… But You’re Still Getting Things Done
Jos has a rhythm. It’s not slow out of laziness, but calm out of certainty. More often than not, you don’t feel that constant pressure to rush, and so you don’t carry unnecessary tension just to stay productive.
With a calm, patient mind, you just know you’ll get there; you know things will work out. So, you move with ease. And somehow, that ease doesn’t reduce your productivity; it just makes it feel lighter.
5. Electricity Feels Like a Basic Right
You sleep with power, you wake up with power, days pass, and you don’t even think about it. And if for any reason the power goes off, you just move on with your day like it’s a problem fated to resolve itself without stress.
Light or no light you don’t need any mental calculations or constant checking to feel fine. It is only when you leave Jos that you realize that this wasn’t normal everywhere else.
6. You Don’t Leave the House Without a Jacket
Not because it’s cold, nor because it’s hot. But because it’s Jos. Here, the weather changes like it has a mind of its own. And your body has learned not to argue. So now, you just carry a jacket whatever the forecast, no questions asked.
7. Tea Is No Longer Just a Morning Thing
Morning? Tea. Afternoon? Tea. Cold evening? Definitely tea. It stopped being a routine a long time ago and became a lifestyle. At this point, it would feel strange not to have it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and every other meal in-between.
8. Fresh Food Doesn’t Excite You Anymore
When was the last time you had fruits, vegetables, Plateau potatoes, or even strawberries? I bet you’ve grown so used to them that they barely excite you anymore.
They’re everywhere—easy to get, and affordable—so you stopped hyping it; because in your mind, it’s always there. It is probably only when you go somewhere else that you remember that this isn’t normal everywhere.
9. Sports Feel Like Everyday Life
In Jos, sports are not a side activity, but a crucial part of the culture. Here, football is serious as people show up, and people care. But beyond that, things that feel “exclusive” elsewhere feel ordinary here; like horse riding, cricket, and golf. You’ll see people casually involved in them, and it doesn’t surprise you anymore. To you, it just feels like something people do.
10. Music and Creativity Are Everywhere
Someone you know is a rapper, someone else produces beats or owns a studio. Your relative is a videographer, another is a content creator or is actively MCing at events… And nobody finds it strange.
Because places that raised artists like M.I Abaga, Jesse Jagz, and Ice Prince don’t treat creativity like a rare thing. Unbeknownst to us, it has become a norm.
ALSO READ: Where Does the Money Go in Jos? A Look at Everyday Spending Habits
How Many Felt Normal?
Be honest. How many of these made you think, “Wait, isn’t this just how things are?”
0–3? You’re still visiting.
4–7? Jos is getting comfortable with you.
8–10? You are already one of us.
At this point, it’s no longer just where you are, but how you live. And maybe it’s high time you leaned into it. Take the walks, greet the strangers, drink the tea, and watch the sunsets you no longer pause for. And most importantly, notice the things that have quietly become part of you.
Now, Your Turn. What’s something that felt strange when you first came to Jos but now feels completely normal? Drop it in the comment section; perhaps someone else is just noticing it for the first time.