Certain happenings in our nation's body polity, as it relates to the menace that this formerly gentle cattle rearers, aka "Bororo or Fulani' have began to pose to the safety, tranquility and security of people, all over the country; I think is a subject matter worth deliberating on. Anyone, who has been to Kogi West of recent, and cared to listen, must have been inundated at one point or the other with the complains of our people who are not impervious to the blandishments of violence by this previously gentle and servile people who genuflect by the road side to exchange pleasantries. The sing song of my people now in our local dialect is "Bororo atu Joni yun oko" meaning "Bororo do not allow one to go to the farm again" resulting in hunger and starvation.
I grew up seeing and looking forward to the seasonal migration of the Fulani's. They were a gentle and friendly people. My initial interaction with them was as an interpreter, being the only one within miles that could string together a passable Hausa having been born in Kaduna and later relocated home by my parent. We knew them as avid eaters of bread with whom late Madam Olojo Ibinuyi, who resides adjacent our house, did brisk business selling things to them with yours truly as the go between. Their yearly courtship dance, which took place with so much theatrics at the market square, was also something of a spectacle behold. We used to watch with awe and trepidation, especially when they start the mock rod fights and the ritual of beating each other with those big rods in a display of bravado to woo onlooking maidens.
However, this same group of people are now known to attack their host communities, rape the women and destroy their crops . What went wrong? Something is definitely amidst here.
Although, truth be told, their sojourn those days, I could remember, were not without skirmishes once in a while. These were mainly attributable to the encroachment of their cattle on farmers crops. But it rarely degenerates to the extent of fighting, not to mention killing. They always had a leader to whom you report any misdemeanor, and he would promptly call erring member to order. He would tender an apology on their behalf and sometimes even force the culprit to pay compensation.
However, this new breed Fulani are a strange lot to me. They now have the temerity to Kidnap people for ransom, and pillage whole communities for daring to challenge the spoiling of their farm lands. A careful study has however shown that some of this new breed Fulani, are actually not Nigerians. They are said to be from war torn and drought afflicted neighboring countries such as Chad and Niger hence the aggressive behavior.
During dry season, they cross through our porous borders in search of pasture for their cattle. The Middle belt or Southern Nigeria are veritable places to find good grazing land. On my way to work on a certain day in Abuja, I was fortunate to listen in on a popular Radio program being aired on one of radio stations. The program was called "Embelembe". A Fulani man traveled all the way from Ekiti state to take advantage of the platform the radio program provides, intent on bring to the awareness of Nigerians and the law enforcement agencies the injustices being meted out to him in the hands of a Chadian Fulani with the active connivance of officers of the Nigerian police.
He alleged that while he was away from home, his neighbor, a Chadian Fulani, visited his ranch, rustled his cattle, raped and killed his wife and kids and fled the vicinity. He claimed that he reported to the police but the Chadian Fulani bribed the divisional police officer (DPO). The DPO being urged on by the bribe, turned himself to judge and jury. He asked the Chadian Fulani to pay his Nigerian counterpart, a paltry sum of N 100,000.00 while threatening the Nigerian Fulani to keep mum about the whole saga, else he would deal with him.This Nigerian Fulani had to flee to Abuja and got wind of this popular radio program to which he resorted for intervention.
Afenifere, the PAN Yoruba organization, and the umbrella body of Okun branch, recently gave a two weeks ultimatum to all Fulani's to depart Yoruba land. This was at a meeting it held after the unfortunate incident of the Kidnap of the Elder state man Pa. Olufalae. ( I doubt if any Okun person was present). The Mother body also threatened secession if the persistent killing and maiming of the Yoruba in their Mother land does not seize. MY PEOPLE WHERE DO WE STAND? I have heard it said that "BORORO KONI OKO" meaning "Bororo's are the owner's of the farm" This I think are issues we must take a position on even if we do not desire the breakup of the country. We must wake up and not remain pawns in the political chess game of Nigeria. We are at the gate way to the North and the West, if war breaks out today, our land would definitely be one of the main theater of conflict and we must choose side. What side do you think we would or should choose?
Time to think my people. Its high time we deploy eyesalve that we may see clearly to chart a lucid cause for our people. Afenifere, I think is the way to go. Shalom!
I grew up seeing and looking forward to the seasonal migration of the Fulani's. They were a gentle and friendly people. My initial interaction with them was as an interpreter, being the only one within miles that could string together a passable Hausa having been born in Kaduna and later relocated home by my parent. We knew them as avid eaters of bread with whom late Madam Olojo Ibinuyi, who resides adjacent our house, did brisk business selling things to them with yours truly as the go between. Their yearly courtship dance, which took place with so much theatrics at the market square, was also something of a spectacle behold. We used to watch with awe and trepidation, especially when they start the mock rod fights and the ritual of beating each other with those big rods in a display of bravado to woo onlooking maidens.
However, this same group of people are now known to attack their host communities, rape the women and destroy their crops . What went wrong? Something is definitely amidst here.
Although, truth be told, their sojourn those days, I could remember, were not without skirmishes once in a while. These were mainly attributable to the encroachment of their cattle on farmers crops. But it rarely degenerates to the extent of fighting, not to mention killing. They always had a leader to whom you report any misdemeanor, and he would promptly call erring member to order. He would tender an apology on their behalf and sometimes even force the culprit to pay compensation.
However, this new breed Fulani are a strange lot to me. They now have the temerity to Kidnap people for ransom, and pillage whole communities for daring to challenge the spoiling of their farm lands. A careful study has however shown that some of this new breed Fulani, are actually not Nigerians. They are said to be from war torn and drought afflicted neighboring countries such as Chad and Niger hence the aggressive behavior.
During dry season, they cross through our porous borders in search of pasture for their cattle. The Middle belt or Southern Nigeria are veritable places to find good grazing land. On my way to work on a certain day in Abuja, I was fortunate to listen in on a popular Radio program being aired on one of radio stations. The program was called "Embelembe". A Fulani man traveled all the way from Ekiti state to take advantage of the platform the radio program provides, intent on bring to the awareness of Nigerians and the law enforcement agencies the injustices being meted out to him in the hands of a Chadian Fulani with the active connivance of officers of the Nigerian police.
He alleged that while he was away from home, his neighbor, a Chadian Fulani, visited his ranch, rustled his cattle, raped and killed his wife and kids and fled the vicinity. He claimed that he reported to the police but the Chadian Fulani bribed the divisional police officer (DPO). The DPO being urged on by the bribe, turned himself to judge and jury. He asked the Chadian Fulani to pay his Nigerian counterpart, a paltry sum of N 100,000.00 while threatening the Nigerian Fulani to keep mum about the whole saga, else he would deal with him.This Nigerian Fulani had to flee to Abuja and got wind of this popular radio program to which he resorted for intervention.
Afenifere, the PAN Yoruba organization, and the umbrella body of Okun branch, recently gave a two weeks ultimatum to all Fulani's to depart Yoruba land. This was at a meeting it held after the unfortunate incident of the Kidnap of the Elder state man Pa. Olufalae. ( I doubt if any Okun person was present). The Mother body also threatened secession if the persistent killing and maiming of the Yoruba in their Mother land does not seize. MY PEOPLE WHERE DO WE STAND? I have heard it said that "BORORO KONI OKO" meaning "Bororo's are the owner's of the farm" This I think are issues we must take a position on even if we do not desire the breakup of the country. We must wake up and not remain pawns in the political chess game of Nigeria. We are at the gate way to the North and the West, if war breaks out today, our land would definitely be one of the main theater of conflict and we must choose side. What side do you think we would or should choose?
Time to think my people. Its high time we deploy eyesalve that we may see clearly to chart a lucid cause for our people. Afenifere, I think is the way to go. Shalom!
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