Below is part of a write-up Prof Iyorwuese Hagher on the Fulani/Tiv crises. Although he concerned himself with his Tiv kinsmen who have, no doubt, borne the brunt of fulani expansionist escapades more than any other group in central Nigeria, ongoing attacks on sedentary farmers by fulani militia/mercenaries in the whole of Middle Belt extend the scope of the write-up beyond the concerns of Tivs alone. Read: Recent events in Nigeria have made the Tiv lose confidence in the Jonathan administration’s ability to protect them from the Fulani attacks. The Sultan of Sokoto, His Majesty, Alh. Saad Abubakar, one of Jonathan’s closest confidants sees only one viable solution to the Fulani -Tiv war. He advocates that part of Tivland in Nassarawa and Benue states, be parceled out to create cattle routes and grazing areas as precondition for peace. Various Fulani leaders have echoed the Sultan. The Militant and political wing of Fulani herdsmen Miyetti Allah have expanded the demand for grazing reserves and cattle routes to all the 36 states of Nigeria. Alhaji Ahmed Joda a wealthy Fulani business man has earmarked 5billion naira to actualize these reserves in most of the states in the middle belt of Nigeria, including Benue, Nassarawa, Kogi,Taraba and Niger states. Nobody is talking about the victims whose farmlands are to be seized to provide for the Fulani to engage in their own lucrative farming that leaves the land poorer due to overgrazing. The Tiv who have seen discrimination in job placements of their children during Jonathan’s administration are worried, that perhaps their President, desperate to negotiate for peace at all costs with his traducers, may be negotiating at their expense. This they believe is the reason why they have been relegated in the margins as cameo actors in the Jonathan administration. Now that they are forced to flee their lands and being hunted and killed, the President is looking on unconcerned and seems helpless. Could this be a clandestine approval to Islamize Benue state in return for a truce with the Boko Haram? Solution to the Fulani-Tiv Conflict: 1. National Grazing Reserves. There is no spare land anywhere, outside their countries and states of origins, in the Nigerian federation to give to the cross-border, Fulani cattle herders as grazing reserves. Even if such were possible it will compound Fulani aggression for more lands. It is reactionary and retrogressive to redraw the maps of states to pre -colonial days when Nigeria had less than 60 million people. Today with three times the population, those lands are people’s farms. Any idea of granting the Fulani grazing reserves outside their domiciled states of origin should be considered as not well thought of. At best it is reactionary and at worst, it could be interpreted as a deceptive ploy to enhance Fulani imperialism, to now conquer in war and other means, areas that had not been conquered by the Fulani jihads of early 19th century. The Senate President, Senator David Mark, said on 4th oct.2012, that “the cattle rearers should be restricted to their states of origin to limit the incessant bloody clashes between herders and farmers.” Those clamoring for cattle routes and grazing reserves should answer a Nigerian journalist Mr. Vincent Obia who asked “ who would give up his own land for someone else to ply his private business?’’ Animal husbandry is big business but we cannot advance the fortunes of such businesses at the expense of human lives, food security and livelihood of others. 2. Since animal husbandry is big business, and the Fulani old system seems not to be working. There is need to re-think new solutions. The Fulani states in Nigeria should follow the example of their Fulani kinsmen in Niger republic, which is further north than all the Fulani states in Nigeria. Niger is one of the poorest countries in the world, in spite of their current 15% growth rate. The Fulani there have reversed desertification in many of their communities. The Nigerien Fulani farmers have instead of herding cattle, settled the herds, and use termites to fertilize the soil, which is caused by over grazing cattle. This must be the new way to go, if we must integrate the over twelve million cattle herdsmen in Nigeria. They need good water, health and above all a good western education. This is what the Late Audu Bako attempted to do in Kano when he reversed desertification with massive irrigation projects, and a modern education infrastructure. Let Ahmed Joda with his Pastoral Resolve, network with other Fulani of conscience, to tackle the pitiful situation of the cattle Fulani, within their states. 3. President Jonathan should exercise good transformative leadership and avail himself the God given opportunity to think outside the box to build the nation. This is a task he must do or he will leave no legacy except ignominy and odium at the end of his tenure. Democracy should imply more than a dress code. He needs to use the ECOWAS protocols and convene a special conference on the ways to help settle the Fulani in their states in West Africa. He should simply avoid playing divide and ruling politics with Nigeria’s ethnic diversity. The Federal Government must immediately help the Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers de-rooted and deprived of livelihood to reassemble their lives and restore dignity. These poor and vulnerable people need food, clean water, housing, health and a good modern education. To be a refugee in ones country is anathema and a reproach on the Leadership of such a country...
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 11:08:06 +0000
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