UNMASKING THE UNFOLDING FULANI STRATEGY AGAINST THE COUNTRY
By Dr. Anhyula- Tswar Uke
According to the Minister of Agriculture, the Federal Government has started working out modalities for establishing grazing reserves across the country. This is the government's answer to the Fulani wars across the country. One can recall that it was after the bill to establish grazing reserves across the country for the benefit of Fulani pastoralists stalled that, the Fulani started to escalate instrumental violence across the country.They have waged a relentless war on parts of the country against farmers as a way of underscoring their demands for grazing reserves.
Their strategy was to instigate and escalate full scale violence on farmers across the country especially in Central Nigeria. They have cleverly spiced this strategy with violence in the core North in states like Katsina and Zamfara.With the escalation of violence, Fulani leaders including traditional rulers, politicians and even serving law enforcement officers of Fulani extraction are voicing the incredible conclusion that grazing reserves are the only answer to this challenge. The Sultan and other ranking emirs in the North as well as Chairman of the Northern Governors Forum and the IG of Police have all claimed recently that the grazing reserves will solve this problem. Now that the Federal government has given in to their wishes, they are probably waiting to start shouting down any one who opposes this solution. Their argument and shouting when it starts will brand their opponents as unreasonable.
That the Fulani have gone to the criminal extent to force this idea on the front burner of national discourse is an understatement. They have actually gone to treasonable extents. They have recruited a standing militia of foreigners to wage war on Nigerian citizens, uprooting whole communities and now a Local Government Head Quarters in Benue State. They must answer to this treason if we are looking for useful answers instead of simple ones.If Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria(MACBAN) have stepped out to sign a peace agreement with the Tiv side as reported in the papers recently, the organization must be made to face treasonable charges involving the recruitment of a standing international militia to wage war on parts of the country. If we want this matter to be resolved, MACBAN must be called account and not allowed to escape with their level of lawlessness.
Let it be known that Nigeria is currently defined by the interests of an unholy trinity of the Hausa Fulani, Ibo and Yoruba. In the north, where we live with the Hausa Fulani, they have continued to extract undue concessions from government at the expense of other people. They have forced government to commit billions of Naira to the hopeless idea of nomadic education. As if this is not enough, they have also forced government to sink billions again to the useless idea of Almajeri schools. Now they are forcing us to give them a third concession. Grazing reserves. As a matter of fact, grazing reserves may be an answer but it's merely a simple answer not a useful one. Let us appreciate the fact that every Nigeria has a state of origin. While it is unreasonable to stop the Fulani from living the obsolete life of nomads if that is what they choose to do in this century, it is most reasonable to insist they live that life in their states instead of insisting to live it across the country. Insisting to go out of their states will lead to bloodshed and deprivation for farmers in such states.Core Northern states must therefore be told to provide grazing reserves for their Fulani indigenes if that is what they desire. Forcing other states who have no excess lands [ outside their own states ] into being part of this solution will not work. Core Northern states must be reminded that when they embarked on political Islam and wanted Sharia, they argued that, their citizens wanted Sharia and that they did not have any intention of forcing Sharia on other states and non Muslims.Grazing reserves should go the way sharia went and the Chairman of the Northern Governor's forum must go back to his colleagues and ask those whose citizens are clamoring for grazing reserves to establish same for such citizens.
Every state must do the correct thing for its citizens.Other states cannot be forced to create reserves for the 'Fulani of the whole world'. In the near future, when these same people grow in population and begin staking claims across the country, they will put the country on fire and ALL will be consumed. Yes, the Nigerian constitution guarantees freedom of movement but this is freedom to citizens and not to livestock. No state has land to appropriate and give the Fulani as grazing reserves. Even if they had, it will be foolish to do this.Such appropriation, would be short sighted. When land becomes a challenge with population increase in such states, farmers whose land might have been appropriated will have nowhere to turn to.The idea of nomadic pastoralism and grazing reserves is outdated. The Federal Government must face up to the reality and tell those who have cattle to put them on ranches.
There are no two ways about this.
Dr. Anhyula- Tswar Uke
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