Tag: herdsmen

The ongoing carnage and destruction of valuable properties in various parts of Nigeria occasioned by unending attacks unleashed by suspected herdsmen on innocent citizens calls for a more robust approach to governance in the country. Although the conflict between crop farmers and herdsmen in Nigeria which started largely due to dwindling natural resources is not new, it was however allowed to persist and fester by the indolence, indifference, and negligence on the part of successive governments, and made even worse by the present administration. It was reported that between 2013 and the end of January, about 2000 lives were lost in farmers/herdsmen clashes in Benue State alone. According to reports by Amnesty International, 549 people were killed across 14 states of Nigeria in 2017, while in the month of January alone, about 168 were killed. In all these, thousands sustained various degrees of injury, some have been maimed for life, tens of thousands have been displaced, properties worth billions of naira have been lost, and livelihoods and economies disrupted. The enormity of these losses can better be imagined than quantified or described. Even more worrisome is the fact that not only have the killings continued unabated, but we now have a largely polarised citizenry and a full blown security problem of crises proportions in our hands which is capable of threatening our very existence as a nation.

At the heart of the matter is a combination of mediocre management of governance issues on one hand, and the unwillingness on the part of a group in the society to embrace progressive and innovative change on the other. Statements credited to officials of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, (whose membership is predominantly Fulani) following the new year killings in Benue State clearly betrayed the driving force behind the genocidal aggression of the herders in various parts of the country as business and cultural interest. The national president of the group, Alhaji Bello Abdulahi Badejo, was reported in several leading national dailies to have blamed the killings in Benue State on the state’s anti-open grazing law which, according to him “…is clearly against the cultural interest and business nature of a Fulani man…who is more concerned about the survival of his cattle.” He was further quoted to have said that: “A Fulani man will always want to be on the move, to look for greener pastures and water for his animals anywhere and everywhere, as guaranteed by the constitution. But when you look at the law in Benue, it is clearly dissonant to our interest and survival as Fulani people…”

No doubt, this is the crux of the matter; a feeling of insecurity.

Much as I sympathise with the group on their fears of threat to the survival of their people, it may be useful to caution here that resorting to killing, maiming, and destruction of farms and properties belonging to others and expecting them to be cowed to submission is hardly a reasonable and acceptable way to survive in the 21st century. People ought not to allow their insecurities to get the better of them. More worrisome is the fact that in the face of the continued killings, officials of Miyetti Allah have neither shown sympathy for the dead and their families, nor remorse for the heinous crimes committed by people who are obviously pursuing the interests of their organisation. Rather, they are reported to be dishing out threats and conditions and insisting that those conditions must be met if peace is to return to the land. These include the repeal of the Benue anti-open grazing law, and the provision of or restoration of grazing routes. The threat was extended to neighbouring Taraba State where similar legislation was passed.

Given the challenges thrown up by population growth, ever increasing demand for land for various developmental purposes, environmental and land degradation, as well as climate change, nomadic method of livestock farming is neither sustainable nor practicable in present day Nigeria. It is therefore time for our Fulani brothers to be persuaded to embrace change and adopt new and modern methods of livestock farming. Culture is not static but rather dynamic, and evolves as changing times and civilisations demand.

Understandably, change can be quite challenging for most human beings, but we must note that it is inevitable. Writers have identified two types of change. The first is the expected change which is usually the type we planned for and have had time to think about and prepare for. And the second is the unexpected change which is the type usually forced upon us by events, circumstances or natural phenomena. The unexpected natural change is a part of life because no condition is permanent and nothing in this material world lasts forever.

In its handling of the current herdsmen imbroglio, the present administration at the centre has often been contradictory, wobbling and muddling, and has failed to demonstrate creativity, resourcefulness, and leadership in its approach. In early 2016, Audu Ogbeh, the Minister of Agriculture announced the intention of the federal government to import grass from Brazil as part of its efforts to improve the business of cattle production in the country, even while there was still a raging controversy over the “grazing reserve” bill at the National Assembly.  While that episode lasted, the minister flirted with the idea of keeping animals in paddocks and feedlots. His objective was to replace nomadic cattle rearing with modern intensive system of keeping livestock, having acknowledged the fact that cattle bred by nomadic method do not grow and perform optimally. In this respect, Ogbeh was spot on (though not with grass importation). With appropriate legislations and policy actions, this would have kept herdsmen and their cattle away from other people’s crop farms and private properties, which is the major trigger in the violent conflicts.

In my opinion the challenge before us may appear daunting but it is not all gloom. Rather, it presents us a window of enormous opportunities to launch into greater heights in an agricultural subsector that has been largely ignored for too long. There are huge business opportunities inherent in the grazing livestock value chain which we have so far failed to tap into because we have not been able to embrace modernisation in cattle rearing. These range from commercial growing of pastures, production of various feeds (fodder), to numerous other opportunities that exist not only in the production, processing and marketing of beef and beef products, but also in the larger, more viable and lucrative area of dairy products such as milk, yoghurt, butter, cheese, etc. We can only optimally avail ourselves of the opportunities if we outlaw roaming of grazing animals and breed them in confined environments.

Against this background, what is required is an entrepreneurial model which encourages crop farmers to go into the commercial cultivation of forage crops which are known to be highly nutritious and adapted to different climatic conditions, including hot and arid conditions. In other words, growing grass and legumes for sale to livestock farmers can be made to become a profitable business. This strategy will not only provide high quality food for our grazing animals, but also help to beat back the advancing desert as well as rebuild and restore waste lands, thus making them fruitful fields again. Several varieties of nutritious grasses and legumes which are tolerant to drought are now being successfully grown in parts of Africa and have gained popularity in recent times. They include alfalfa, brachiaria, foxtail, and several others. Alfalfa for example, often referred to as “the queen of forage” is a perennial legume that is high in minerals, vitamins, and protein, and can be harvested every 35 days. It is one of the most nutritious crops that can be utilized in any forage.

Going forward, government and security agencies must first demonstrate willingness and capacity to arrest the gradual drift into anarchy, apprehend the rampaging killers and bring them to justice. At the same time, deliberate and concerted efforts should be made to calm frayed nerves and allay the fears of all concerned parties especially crop farming communities and cattle farmers. Government policies and actions must be seen to be just and fair to all, and must be of the greatest benefit to the greatest number of citizens, so as to build friendship and goodwill amongst groups.

Then the federal government must synergise with various state governments to formulate and implement relevant legislations and policies that will effectively insulate crop farms from grazing animals by confining the latter in suitable locations where they can be properly fed and receive adequate care and veterinary services. Also, the governments should deploy livestock extension services to the cattle farmers and train herders on modern livestock farming methods. Furthermore government must be prepared to invest massively in irrigation projects or alternatively, create the enabling environment for the private sector to do so profitably, particularly in the northern parts of the country. Lastly it may be pertinent here to emphasise the need for the federal and state governments to collaboratively fashion out a more robust approach to land use management in the country.

• Igunbor, writes from Watford, United Kingdom.