Column No.6: How to solve a problem like Igboho

Sunday ‘Igboho’ Adeyemi is currently a media darling, or villain du jour, depending on which newspapers or websites you’re reading. All kinds of labeling have followed him: Ethnic agitator, political thug, and even the incredibly ill-fitting ‘activist’. Labels, as usual, are problematic, so maybe the best way to go about it in this case is […]

Sunday ‘Igboho’ Adeyemi is currently a media darling, or villain du jour, depending on which newspapers or websites you’re reading. All kinds of labeling have followed him: Ethnic agitator, political thug, and even the incredibly ill-fitting ‘activist’. Labels, as usual, are problematic, so maybe the best way to go about it in this case is to list out what he’s credited for: Arson, assault, and bodily harm have been widely reported, including illegal expulsion of fellow Nigerians from their homes. Yet, he’s seen as a hero.

How did Igboho become a ‘hero’ anyway? For starters, a general failure of leadership in has seen security issues spiral downwards nationwide, seeing all kinds of measures cooked up by all kinds of people, with all kinds of intentions. In Oyo State, his main turf, bandits and kidnappers have been the main scourge. Survivors of encounters with them have confirmed that they are of Fulani stock, perhaps even from other African countries. So Igboho began his campaign, as reported, to rid the South-West of Fulani people.

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There’s no doubt that political undertones power the Igboho machine, as many see an attack on the Fulani as an attack on President Muhammadu Buhari. You see the fault lines there? Unfortunately, that’s not where it ends. With a modern twist, Igboho’s campaign has gone global on the internet, particularly on crowd-funding website GoFundMe, where a drive to purchase buses for the regional agitator has so far racked up £24,986 (roughly 13 million naira) of a £100,000 target. The comments by donors only underscore the ethnic slant to it all.

The problem with campaigns of zealotry is that generalizations and oversimplifications are made, usually worsening the situation. I mean, common sense would tell anyone that not all Fulani people are bandits, kidnappers or farm-destroyers. A majority of them are decent, hard-working Nigerians going about their daily lives. But the Fulani have been profiled in the media for years as ‘killer herdsmen’, ignoring the fact that because some people of any ethnicity embark on deadly criminal activities, does not automatically mean they are all the same.

But try telling that to the average Joe in Oyo or elsewhere, where anti-Fulani sentiments are currently being whipped up frenetically. Take all that, then add politics, and it’s a different ballgame altogether. Which brings me to a poser for Igboho himself: Why not go after the bandits specifically? Why not go toe-to-toe with ‘killer herdsmen’, instead of coming after innocent, decent people? The reason is most likely still one I have mentioned earlier: Politics

I would say it’s too late to do anything concrete to reduce the damage and stem the tide, if not that I’m holding up hope that reason will prevail, and the leaders involved will step up to their responsibilities. Speaking of which, even though the governor has made supportive statements to Fulani citizens resident in his state, the fact that Igboho continues to have free rein is making it look like he has powerful support. Just look at how rudely he spoke about the Ooni of Ife, one of the most revered traditional rulers of the Yoruba, during a virtual meeting.

Now, as is characteristic of Nigerian politicians, governors of Northern states via the Northern Governors Forum (NGF), have called for cessation of attacks on innocent Fulani herders in South-East, South-West and South-South states, adding that innocent herders should not be vilified, while those found wanting should be handed over to law enforcement agencies. Then governors in the South West, in response said there was the need for authorities in Northern Nigeria to call “killer herdsmen” to order. You see the pattern, once again? A very important issue, reduced to a game of tennis, with unproductive back-and-forth.

The elephant in the room is that we need to sort this out, and we need to do it right. The Federal Government needs to wade in in a major way, to bring the criminals from both sides to book. There needs to be justice for those whose farms have been destroyed, and those who have been killed, raped, and kidnapped. There also needs to be justice for those whose homes, properties, and businesses have been torched by a group much like an ethnic militia. After justice, healing will certainly begin.

There’s no doubt that there’s blame to be shared at every corner of this fine mess we have found ourselves in. We have far too many things dividing us as it is, and we certainly don’t need more. The sooner we stop the blame-game, and commence real work, the better. Because as it is now, Igboho is currently snowballing really fast, growing bigger. He needs to be stopped, and he needs to be stopped now.