Victor Adaha|7 May 2016|5:42am
The attack by purported Fulani herdsmen is no longer a secret, but it is now glaring and obvious. It has become an issue in recent time how the herdsmen and their host communities’ relationship have gone sour. Our dear beloved state for now has not been a victim yet, and it is our prayer that such deadly occurrence should not happen on our land.
But for how long must we seat helplessly in wait for such? For just how long are we going to watch and live our lives to fate?
I think rational and proactive measures should be ensured at this juncture to avert any such occurrence, as we are known to be a peaceful state without any form of major social unrest.This is why I have taken painstaking time to research on this issue to bring a lasting rational and “constitutional” solution.
Firstly, we must understand that Nigeria is a federal state, and as such we are under agreement to tolerate, accommodate and live peacefully with other fellow citizens.
Secondly, especially since the federal government through some of its ministries have proposed what they feel is a lasting solution to the Fulani herdsmen saga with host communities, to me it is a good start in the right direction, even though I don’t support it in its totality. My proposal to the house which I believe would address the problem and also portray us as a state that sees into the future, and to be truly a peaceful state not under estimating the fact that it would also serve as a means of income generation for the state, diversification of our economy you can call it.
The house should pass into law, a bill that orders the relevant ministries, commissions or agencies to set up state grazing fields, around the state which would be built and managed by the state. And also ensure that all herdsmen are by law required to be registered with any of the different grazing fields distributed around the state, or face the law.
The merits of this bill when passed are as follows:
1. It would help us key into the federal government anticipated plan of creating grazing fields in different states of the country for the herdsmen, but not literally with them setting the rules of engagement.
2. It would make us proactive and show our fore sight, as we would be seen to be accommodating our northern brothers and also show our peaceful co-existence.
3. It would help us regulate the kind of meat, and other products gotten from the cattles, by this we would have curbed some illness which could be transmitted by cattles.
4. Would create job for the teeming youth of the state.
5. It would also be a way of launching the state into agriculture, which has been agreed to be the most effective way of empowering the youth and alleviating poverty.
5. It would also generate income for the state, as registration and data collection would be paid for. And also since provision of grasses and water all year round would be vested on the state, the herdsmen either pay to the government rent or face stiff government price regulations.
6. Perhaps also there could be subsidy and support funds coming from the federal government since it is a federal government initiative.
7. It would also mean securing the state from attack from “external factors”.
8. This bill would also help us from further losing our land to the federal government, at a meagre or no compensation rate at all.
My submission, this bill when passed would be a master piece and a pro- active measure of ensuring peace, would portray the statesmanship in us and fore sightedness of our state.
Comrade Victor Adaha
Is an apolitical Socio-economic Analyst & Columnist
