By Deborah Hassan
365Daily – The loss of lives and property across Nigeria due to the activities of herdsmen would have been avoided if the Federal Government and other leaders had adhered to the advice of the Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, who called for restricted grazing of cattle 5 years ago.
This is according to a Professor of Strategy and Development at the Centre for International Advanced and Professional Studies (CIAPS), Anthony Kila.
He made the statement during a zoom conference on Monday, May 17, 2021.
The conference was hosted by the Cambridge African Roundtable.
Kila added that the Nigerian elites and government would rather pander towards decisions that will suit partisan and sectional interests, rather than those that are logical.
He buttressed his point by adding that had the Government acted on Tambuwal’s proposal on restrictions to grazing in Nigeria, the current crisis would have been avoided, thereby averting the needless loss of lives and properties.
Explaining further, he noted that Nigeria is today plagued by security crisis that have gone from bad to worse but could have been averted if the Federal Government of Nigeria had listened to Tambuwal in 2016 when he called for establishment of grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen only in the North.
Calling on Nigerian and African leaders, elites and citizens to desist from “a dangerous and destructive slumber and stand up to identify good ideas when proposed, Prof Kila said: “A major problem with African political leaders and elites is their disregard for commonsensical and logical ideas. There seems to be a tendency, even among the seemingly enlightened personalities to align with partisan and sectional positions rather than look at merit and depth.”
“Aminu Tambuwal, who is a northerner from Sokoto, had the courage and clarity of mind to propose that herdsmen from Sokoto should rear their cattle in Sokoto and that by having a grazing reserve in Sokoto State, for instance, all herdsmen and herds farmers in Sokoto can graze within Sokoto State environment without moving their herds out.”
The consequence of that, he continued, is that in 2021, the option is now being considered after much has been lost.
On June 10, 2016, Governor Tambuwal, while on a one-day working visit to Abia State, advised the Federal Government to establish grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen only in the North.
He was addressing a statement made by Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, that the state does not have land for the establishment of grazing reserves for Fulani herdsmen due to a shortage in the South-East.
The Governor said: “I am a Fulani man from Sokoto, and I have cattle. I know that it is better for me to rear and keep my herds in one place and provide good grass for them.
“Talking about South-East and northern Nigeria relationship, this issue of herdsmen that has been coming up recently, I believe Federal Government is coming up with a measured response of ensuring that we have grazing reserves, particularly with emphasis in northern Nigeria.
“In states where they originate from, so that they can remain within their neighbourhood, within their families and cater for their cattle in a much more better way, much more organised way and much more economically viable system.
“By having a grazing reserve in Sokoto State, for instance, all herdsmen and herds farmers in Sokoto can graze within Sokoto State environment without moving their herds out. We in the northern states in particularly have embraced this very proactive measure of establishing grazing reserves in the north so that the herdsmen and their herds can remain at home in their environment.’
“That will give us better meat, better milk and for the people of Sokoto and Aba leather for making shoes and other leather works”, he stated.