Fellow compatriots, I welcome everyone of us to the best year ever. It is a year of achievement and harvest for those of us who will work assiduously, and envelope our hope in the Almighty God. It is a year of dream come true and by the grace of the Almighty God we shall win big.
Great people of our land, a replicate of what befell us between year 1897 and 1906 is right away at our door steps. If we fold our hands the end of it would be disastrous than the Nupe invasion of our Land, that took everything away from us leaving us with nothing. What is this problem that must be quickly curtailed? It is nothing else than the cold war declared on our people by the herdsmen otherwise known as BORORO.
In year 2016, there was hunger everywhere in Yagba land, food became Gold, just because Bororos had taken over our land and farm. Go to the “Aredu” – Ilafin, Odogbe, Ido-ojesa, Idofin, and Irunda. Farmers are at the mercy of the herdsmen. It is worst in Isanlu-Esa, Okoloke and Ogbe in Yagba West. Farm products are literally for the herdsmen and their cattle. In Mopa- Amunro, it is a photocopy of how Amunro was squeezed out of their land, by Etsuship who carried out organised exploitation in Okun land using various means including wars, intimidation, coercion to revamp the economy of Bida Empire. Notably, our forefathers were defeated because of their uncoordinated efforts, owned to the segmentary nature of our settlements, every villages and town were independent of one another. For this reason, an attack on one community was not seen as an attack on others.
Today, we are no more segmented by landmarks and intonations. That reminds me of my journey from Ilafin, I saw a hard of cattle in one of the farmlands by the road side, I stopped to chase them out of the farm. We are all one irrespective of size, colour and level of education, we are all brothers and sisters, therefore, an injury to a man in Igbo-Ero is an injury to all of us living in Isanlu. Everyone in Isalu-Esa, Okoloke, Koro, and Ogbe is the same with our people in Itakete-Ide and the entire people in Mopa-Amuro LGA.
From left, right, back and front, Bororos are trooping into Yagba land every second. The herdsmen and their cattle have turned our farm lands to playing field. Many occasions, the herdsmen would remove Yam-sets, already planted and destroy them, after they have packed the farmer’s food.
My people, upon all these untoward hardship, destruction and killing carried out by the herdsmen on our people no one is talking.
Where are our representatives currently serving or former?
Where are our leaders, political, opinion, religion and community leaders?
The time is now to cry out for God and government to protect and save us from the guns and the two edged swords of these herdsmen.
You must speak out in defense of our people and our land before we become slaves in our own land. God bless Yagba land.
– Barrister Adegboyega Kolade
