By Aliyu Tanko Makera
The issue of Fulani Herdsmen and Famers conflict has been a crucial issue that is worrying and disturbing the peace, security and hospitality of Nigeria as a country.
According to BUZZ NIGERIA, the history of Fulani Herdmen in Nigeria dated back to the 13th and 14th centuries when they started migrating into northern Nigeria from the senegambia region
After the Uthman Dan Fodio jihad, the fulanis integrated into Hausa ethnic group of northern Nigeria. During the dry season when Tsetse fly population was reduced, fulani Herdmen began to drive their cattle to the middle belt zone dominated by non-Hausa groups, returning to the north at the onset of the rainy season.
But while managing the herd and driving cattle, cattle grazing on farmlands some times leads to the destruction of crops, becoming a source of conflict between the Herdmen and farmers.
To tackle this, in 1978, Nigeria implemented the land use act which gave state or federal government the right to assign land and also gave indigenes to apply and be given a certificate of occupancy to claim ownership of their ancestral lands.
This placed the Fulanis in a difficult position because most of them did not apply for lands of occupancy of their grazing routes and recurring transhumance movement will lead to encroachment of the properties of others. This also led the federal government to carve out some areas as grazing routes but this has not reduced clashes as there have been reports of clashes between the Herdmen and farmers.
Considering the above little history background on Fulani Herdsmen and what brought about their clashes with farmers, I wished to review and write this article to share my perception or idea on the speech made by the Bauchi State governor Senator. Bala Abdulkadir Muhammad while addressing the media people on (The use of media to Foster national unity) which base on the topic, he focused on Fulani Herdsmen and farmers clashes who in particular, said the Fulanis are being maltreated and escalated for wrongly accusing them and relating them with all sorts of criminalities by the governors of South West and the south east who also in particular blamed his friend and colleague governor Samuel Otom of Benue state.
Indeed, the governor’s speech on the matter, have become the matter of discussion which received different perception of positivity and negativity from the public. The governor talked alot on why the Fulani Herdmen should not be maltreated or carried away from the south and stopped being called with names of criminality.
While saying that, the governor cites different references with the provision of the Constitution as they have the freedom to live at any where in the country without any hindrance from any body. The governor also perceived the sacking away of the Fulani Herdmen from the south as a sectionalism or ethnictism which is totally out of the law of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.
“He has no option but carry AK47.” This is a statement curted out from the governor’s speech which has received different understanding from the public with negatively 90% perception.
This statement as wrongly perceived by the governor of Benue state Samuel Otom that makes him come out through the media to react and charged Bala Abdulkadir for permitting herders to carry weapons for self protection; Atom’s interpretation become quite similar with many people’s interpretation about the statement.
Governor Otom said no any provision of the Constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria allows a man or woman who is not licensed by security agents to carry a gun.
After reaction and comments from Otom and many people from different angle, it become necessary for the Bauchi State governor to come out and make a clarification on his disturbed statement.
The governor has tried to address and clarify his statement in a Channels’ TV programme (sunrise) on a topic ‘ addressing national security challenge’. In his comment, the governor said what he meant by ‘AK 47’ was a figure of speech which means self protection or self help.
Let me emphasize that governor Bala Abdulkadir is on the right path as he has the right to enjoy his freedom of opinion and expression, and if the governor will be sensitively understood, he is not protecting only the Fulani Herdsmen but the country at large.
Nigeria is a country that deals with heterogeneous ethnic groups from different angles. Therefore, each ethnic group must allow to enjoy it’s right of movement and expression without any hindrance or harassment from any body as provided by the Constitution. Many Nigerian leaders either political leaders, traditional leaders or religious leaders are those people who always bring the ethnicity conflict or religious conflict that began since before Nigeria has experienced or adopted the Democratic system of government.
Lets take for example about the Biafara conflict during Gowon administration with Ojukwu leading the southern region who insisted that Nigeria must be divided and that resulted into too much of blood shade, lost and damages of government and private properties.
What is happening to Fulani Herdsmen in the south east and the south west, I can say is primarily because they are related to the Northeastern part of Nigeria which makes indegens from that region and their leaders continue chasing them out and calling them with the names of all criminalities which is frankly and sincerely not happening to them in the north; there are many people of different ethnic groups from the south living in the north for over hundred years and some of them are now great business tycoons, political leaders, traditional leaders, state government directors as well as state permanent secretaries.
If Nigerians will embrace each other and throw away the issue of ethnicity and whatever conflicting matters, we would had have a better, developed and peaceful country. In enjoying and exercising our freedom of expression and freedom of movement, we should restrict our selves from hamful and hate speeches which can unknowingly defame the character of somebody as in every law there must be an exception and we should be abide by the laws governing each community.
Our political leaders, traditional leaders and religious leaders, should always mind their tongues while addressing their community on ethnic and religious matters as they are always opinion leaders.
Government at all levels, should not relate any criminal offense directly to a particular ethnic group or called them with criminal names because in every society, there is good the bad and the ugly. Therefore, if government or any ethnic group will attach or call any other ethnic group with criminal name, that particular group will feel frustrated, insulted and downgraded which at last a revenge will be their stand.
In a nutshell, to provide solution on this Fulani Herdsmen and Famers crises particularly in the southern part of Nigeria, every citizen must enjoy equal rights that is to live, move and own private properties.
Farmers and herders must be oriented by government from all levels, community or traditional leaders and religious leaders on the importance of peace and development. Government should also make sure that it enhanced the education system in the villages and enforce them to enroll their children into schools because almost all of these herders and farmers are illiterates.
Makera writes from Mass Communication Department of Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic Bauchi.
