In the course of discussions on how a lasting solution could be found to the menace of the rampaging Fulani herdmen, the idea has been repeatedly mooted that grazing reserves be established for them across the country. The latest development is that the Federal Government has approved a panel to work out the modalities for the establishment of such reserves in different parts of the country. Agriculture Minister, Akinwumi Adesina, was reported as saying that the creation of grazing reserves would help to reduce the smuggling of arms and ammunition across Nigerian borders by foreigners “who come into the country disguised as graziers.” He, however, did not establish any correlation between the creation of grazing reserves and movement across borders. He also did not explain how grazing reserves will be made to perform immigration and customs duties by controlling the movement of people and goods across frontiers. As we have had cause to argue in the past, the establishment of grazing reserves at specific locations across the country or the creation of grazing routes from the North to the South will be unworkable. Cattle rearing, farming, fishing, hunting among others, are traditional occupations of members of the different ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria. We remain steadfast in our conviction that one occupation should not be practised at the expense of the other. How rational and justifiable will it be for the government to convert the farmlands of citizens in certain parts of the country to grazing lands for the cattle belonging to citizens in other parts of the country? Will the government, by the same token, allocate the bodies of water in different parts of the country to the Ijaw, Urhobo or the Itshekiri fishermen? Or will some of the forests in various parts of the country be carved out exclusively for hunters to practice their vocation? The Fulani herdsmen constitute a menace to communities along their routes, even when they do not have any legal authority over any land area. What will happen when they are backed by law to graze their animals in any part of the country? It is high time the government came to terms with the patent fact that the practice of driving cattle over hundreds of kilometres in search of pasture is outdated. Animal husbandry is being practised in other arid and semi-arid zones where deserts have been turned into pasturage and fertile lands and where animals are being bred and reared in securely-enclosed ranches. The government should embark on the modernisation of agriculture instead of contemplating a policy that will breed crisis. The farmlands are the sources of livelihood of the farmers just as the cattle are the sources of livelihood of their owners. The government can render financial assistance to those involved in animal husbandry to establish ranches. It will be rank injustice to seize some citizens’ farmlands and convert them to grazing reserves for some other citizens’ animals. Any law enacted to such an end will be highly obnoxious, because it will be tantamount to robbing Peter to pay Paul. The government should not encourage one occupation to the detriment of another. The powers that be should keep the rampaging Fulani herdsmen in check instead of seeking to pamper them at the expense of other occupational groups. -Nigerian Tribune Editorial 12 April, 2014
Posted on: Sat, 19 Apr 2014 16:38:43 +0000
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