When one had thought that the public condemnation of the wanton destruction of lives and properties in different parts of the country by suspected herdsmen would make the rampaging herders to tread with caution, DAMISI OJO reports that the recent destruction of five hectare farmland in Ondo community, shortly after Chief Olu Falae’s farms were burnt, raises fears that the herdsmen, if unrestrained, would overrun the entire country.
Mr and Mrs Igbekele Olukolade were members of staff of Ondo State Civil Service. Mr Igbekele worked for the Ondo State Ministry of Commerce and Industry from where he retired in1993.
His wife, Taiwo worked for the Ondo State Ministry of Health as a Nursing Officer. She also retired after serving for 35 years.
Interestingly, the couple travelled abroad after retirement; Igbeleke to the United Kingdom (UK) and Taiwo to the United States of America (USA).
On returning to Nigeria in 2014, they pooled their resources and thought of what to do with the money they had, which included their retirement benefits.
Several opportunities they could invest their money flashed through their minds. They were not in a hurry to venture into any business without thorough consultation. So, they consulted each other. This done, they wanted God to direct them on the kind of business that will be beneficial to them. They committed everything to Him in prayers and waited for His direction.
At last, they decided to invest their money in agriculture because of three reasons. First, it was a divine direction (they thought), second, it was a time the Federal Government urged all to embrace agriculture as a way of diversifying the economy, and third, they wanted to emulate their mentor, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).
To begin, they acquired five hectares of farmland at Ilado-Aladiye in Akure North Local Government Area of the state and committed not less than N10 million in the farm which they divided into different farmsteads on which the couple planted palm trees, cassava, coco yams, maize and other crops.
Mr and Mrs Olukolade were happy as they noticed that the crops in their farms were lush. But they never had an inkling that misfortune was lurking around. So, as confusion did its masterpiece in Shakespeare’s Macbeth when it was discovered that King Duncan has been murdered in Macbeth’s home, so was the Olukolades confused when one of the workers at the farm came to tell them that suspected herdsmen and their cows have invaded their farms unleashing destruction. Crops worth N15 million were ruined.
The story of Mr and Mrs Olukolade is a pathetic one.
According to him, over N15 million worth of cash crops were destroyed by the herders.
Located near Chief Olu Falae’s farm which was said to have been razed penultimate Sunday by suspected herdsmen, the farm was divided into several portions or farmsteads on which the couple planted palm trees, cassava, coco yams, maize and other crops separately.
The crop plantations were reportedly devastated by cows allegedly brought into them by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The cattle dungs littered the whole portions of the farm.
Downcast, Olukolade narrated his ordeal to Southwest Report.
He said: “The shocking incident happened penultimate Sunday around the same time Chief Falae’s farm was set ablaze in the same vicinity.
“Because of the Federal Government’s clamour for economic diversification, my wife and I pooled our meagre resources and ventured into farming, to emulate my mentor, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).
“We employed five labourers and a driver to work on the farm, thereby reducing the rate of unemployment. We suddenly got a message from one of our labourers that herdsmen and their cows were having a field day in our farms.
“On getting there, I discovered that the cattle uprooted cocoa yams, cassava tubers and entered the maize plantation the same way and ravaged everything on sight. We are now counting our losses.”
Olukolade wondered why herdsmen should be allowed to operate on another man’s land with impunity and without any restraint by the Federal Government.
He said: “We didn’t expect this sudden damage. We are all farmers in the vicinity, nobody rears animals around the area, but the herdsmen just came with their cows because they believed they have the right to enter into any portion of land anywhere in the country.
“In developed countries, even putting cow dungs on another person’s land is an offence, let alone graze on another’s land. The herdsmen are fond of destroying farm proceeds and none of them has been prosecuted by the government.
The senior citizen said the Yoruba nation should, this day and age, fight for its rights as it concerns the encroachment of lands in any of the Southwest states by Fulani herdsmen, stressing that true federalism would settle many problems in the country.
He also suggested that Sambisa Forest which, according to him, has large expanse of land could be developed to serve as cattle colony, rather than wanton destruction of valuable farm lands and crops.
Olukolade lamented that up till now the police have not been able to arrest anybody in connection with the burning of Falae’s farm and destruction of crops in the area.
He said the Minister of Agriculture; Chief Audu Ogbeh should send delegation to the farm and compensate victims of Fulani herdsmen’s wilful destruction of farmlands.
Also speaking, Mrs Olukolade, a retired nursing officer urged President Muhammadu Buhari to find solution to the menace of herdsmen, especially in Yoruba land.
She noted that in the United States, ‘farmers are kings’, with enough encouragement from the government, even as she lamented the huge resources they lost through cattle grazing on their farms which, she said amounts to several millions of Naira.
Mrs Olukolade said: “If we had known, we would have diverted our resources to other ventures that would have paid off by now. The loss is colossal and very painful. Government should proffer immediate solution to this avoidable problem.
