Stakeholders in Kogi are not amused by Governor Yahaya Bello’s seeming puerile approach to governance especially issues of importance as the Fulani herders/farmers clash.
In the wake of the renewed killings and attacks by the Fulani herdsmen in neighbouring Benue State that had left scores of innocent citizens dead, the people of the State have been apprehensive going by their bitter experiences in the recent past in the hands of the herdsmen.
At the first instance, the Governor had threatened to dethrone any traditional ruler in whose domain any crisis of the Fulani herders/farmers occurs as well as local government chiefs, whether elected or appointed.
The Governor rejected calls for enactment of anti-open grazing law by stakeholders, which was adopted by neighbouring Benue and some other States, insisting that Fulani herdsmen, being Nigerians, were welcome into the State to do their business without any let or hindrance.
At what was supposed to be a stakeholders meeting in Government House, Lokoja where the farmers were scarcely represented, the Governor dominated discussion almost imposing his decisions on the people.
Bello went ahead to also order that the representatives of the leaders of the Miyetti Allah cattle breeders Association be incorporated in the State council, local government and traditional councils.
This has not gone down well with many stakeholders who believe things should have been done otherwise, especially the need to look in the direction of the anti-open grazing law.
Traditional Ruler of Ellete Community, Chief Aminu Ahmed Aku, at the gathering recalled how he was kidnapped, adding that his captors were Fulani herdsmen.
He went ahead to open up on how his release was secured by the State Government through the Ajaokuta local council with N2million ransom.
Aku also canvassed for the anti-open grazing law.
The Ejeh of Dekina, Alhaji Usman Obaje, calling for the State to enact the law, recalled how his own cousin was a victim as she was raped by the herdsmen at the river alongside other maidens who came to draw water, adding that the herdsmen took turns in the act at gunpoint.
Many of the sons and daughters of the State, both within and outside, have been watching with keen interest how the politics of Fulani/farmers in the State is being played out.
As a result, many of he stakeholders believe that Bello was playing the good boy to the powers-that-be, he went almost with the speed of lightning to Abuja to subscribe to the proposed cattle colony option.
They were at a loss as to how the cattle colony policy of the Federal Government, which is yet to be understood and accepted by Nigerians, was already being subscribed to by the Governor without any consultation or deliberation by the House of Assembly.
Bello while declaring interest to implement the Cattle Colony policy when he visited Audu Ogbe the Agriculture minister in Abuja, noted that Kogi State is basically agrarian.
“Of recent, we had a peace and security meeting with some Fulani herdsmen in Kogi state. Our communities, our traditional rulers, our youths, our farmers and the herdsmen that live amongst us: we have agreed to live in peace. And to be able to permanently live in peace, we must look for a permanent solution, which is ranching.
“While we are on that, we are aware that the Federal Government, especially the Ministry of Agriculture is coming up with what we call Cattle Colonies Programme and we want Kogi State to pilot this particular programme and we are very confident that, with the peaceful co-existence in Kogi state, it would be a success.
He said they were going to drive it and make it a model that other states and even other countries will come and copy from the State.
Bello indicated that his Government will make it another form of agricultural activity for the teeming youths that are already engaged, adding that he would engage them even more in the production of livestock dairy and the rest.
“Kogi state is thickly and densely populated with shrubs, heavy stone, and what have you. We require the Ministry to assist us in land clearing because it is one very key factor of production in farming.”
However, the running mate to the late candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the November 21 and December 5, 2015 governorship polls in Kogi State, James Faleke, berated Governor Bello for buying into the proposed cattle colony policy of the Federal Government without allegedly consulting widely.
A constitutional lawyer in the state and a social critic, Joel Usman, said the decision to invite the rejected herdsmen from other States is not in the overall interest of the State.
He observed that in a situation where the traditional rulers have been mandated to involve the Fulani in the traditional council and in the local council even when there is no legitimate council in place, and even for them to be represented at the state level, is not in the interest of Kogites.
The former deputy governor, Yomi Awoniyi, said having considered some of the steps the state is trying to take to assimilate the herdsmen within various communities in Kogi State, it is very necessary that politics is not played with the issue.
“There should be a wide consultation because what is being suggested will impact directly on some communities, therefore, it behoves on the Government to ensure that it consults extensively and most importantly this matter should be discussed exhaustively in the House of Assembly.
Executive Director, Center for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution, Miliki Abdul, said there was need to caution the governor over the issue.
“For a policy that has just been pronounced and he is saying they should come and implement it in Kogi State, does it have a legal backing? He should know we are operating federalism and in a federal system there is some level of autonomy the states exercise vis a vis the federal Government.
Immediate past governor of the state, Capt. Idris Wada, on his part proffered a solution to the Fulani herders/farmers’ clashes saying his government did an experiment in the State which worked, where some missionaries in Ajaokuta Council established a school and the government provided electricity and borehole and a plot of land that was divided into five segments.
“That large plot was a grazing area, the cows were in one section while they are grazing on one section we would be wetting the other section for the grass to grow and after a month or two we move them to the next section and start wetting the portion they have just grazed and left.’
Credits: John Akubo | Guardian
