Da Allah, cows are not Nigerian citizens

I think its very important to bring this home, because shockingly, the refrain we are getting from cow breeders, is that fellow Nigerians are discriminating against them. I have read several statements where (in Agatu and Enugu), the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and the Ardo Fulanis (the Chiefs of Fulanis), complained bitterly of discrimination […]

I think its very important to bring this home, because shockingly, the refrain we are getting from cow breeders, is that fellow Nigerians are discriminating against them. I have read several statements where (in Agatu and Enugu), the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association and the Ardo Fulanis (the Chiefs of Fulanis), complained bitterly of discrimination and cited the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This cow herding matter is a simple misunderstanding that should not generate blood and tears. See what I read in Daily Trust of Sunday 8/5/2016:
‘Boderi who until the crisis was the Ardo Fulani in Agatu, said in such situations herders were left with no choice but to enforce their rights to move freely as guaranteed by the Nigerian constitution.“They killed six of our children and so many cows. Government has been trying to settle us, but they refused. The Nigerian constitution provides free movement for all citizens and so they cannot continue to stop us from finding pastures for our cows,” Boderi, who is also the deputy chairman of Benue Agatu/Fulani Reconciliation and Peace committee, said.’
On another occasion, the Ardo complained bitterly that Agatu youth mounted a vigilante group to ensure that cows do not get onto their lands.  It can never be a right for cows to enter someone’s farmland, anywhere in the world.  Relationships seem to have broken down and that is tragic.  Tolerance and mutual understanding has hit an all-time-low.
This is purely a sociological issue – clash of cultures and interests. Nigerian population has increased greatly from what it was. People – and now cows – will bump into each other and crisis will happen. To mitigate this, we need to show mutual understanding, and know when we are overreaching ourselves. It cannot be overemphasized that though the constitution grants free movement to all its citizens, it does not grant free movement to hordes of animals with those citizens. It also certainly does not grant free movement to the extent that some citizens will annex the lands of other citizens. People have never joked with land anywhere in the world. Almost all the wars in history were fought over land.
So on this matter, one can say the cattle rearers have got their idea of equity and constitutionality twisted. I know loads of Fulanis in the corporate world who are high flyers and no one disturbs their movements. People will disturb one’s movement around the country, if one goes about with heavy baggage – like hundreds of cows.  Otherwise, no problem. If someone likes pigs, can he take them everywhere in Nigeria – especially the north? Are pigs not Haram? Haba people! Is a snake charmer allowed to have a snake farm in his backyard in any urban city in Nigeria in the name of free movement? With the kind of statements one has heard – as their own defense -from the Ardos and cattle breeders’ union, there is a clear misunderstanding and perhaps a sense of entitlement to the lands of other people, just for grazing purposes. It is that entitlement that people sense that puts them up in arms against the idea of a grazing reserve. I beg us all in this country, in the name of God the merciful and gracious, let us try and be considerate towards one another. Most of the problems over which thousands are killed, need not have escalated to the state where they are.
Meanwhile, I am developing this theory of mine that this is also an economic problem. Cows are too expensive in Nigeria – in a country where many are undernourished. People should eat more meat, but not at N150,000 – N200,000 per cow. So the cows are not being bought as rapidly as they should. Therefore their population is multiplying. In Uganda and the whole of East Africa, meat is extremely cheap compared with what happens in Nigeria. The same Fulanis are the ones there more or less.  In Nigeria, the big men who own these cows don’t mind the high price, because they often have other things that bring them money. No one is planning to say this and this is what we can do with these cows. Now, the cows are everywhere, disturbing the peace in every village from Sokoto to Bayelsa, and struggling with cars on Lagos BRTs, and Abuja’s Ahmadu Bello Way and even in front of the CBN Headquarters (just Google it). I went online just now and saw an image of cows grazing within UNTH Enugu and even in front of the Governor’s office in Enugu State.  How are non-cattle owners supposed to feel about these things?
I recall the video online about cows in Agatu, when reporters visited. In one instance, there were more than 1,000 cows trampling through the thicket as the reporters passed in their cars. The herders ran into the bush, in the fear that they will be arrested. There is no way 1,000, or even 100 cows will march through any vegetation without destroying things. We are not even considering the effect of herding on environmental balance.  Even if it was an unfarmed forest, should so many cows be marching through them?
Then I learnt that there were grazing zones all over the north, which have been annexed by the big men up north who now own large farms. If this is the case, those are the people causing problems for everybody and the lands should be seized back and reallocated. Cows cannot overrun a whole country. It is unacceptable. We don’t need more trouble in this country. This is not even a tribal issue. Not all Fulanis own cows. And I understand that the first casualty of nomadic grazing are farmers in the far north whose farms are often eaten up before the cows head south. There is also a theory that many of these cow herders are not from Nigeria. Like Boko Haram, we may end up sleepwalking into another takeover of Nigerian landspace by foreigners from hell. Why are we doing this to ourselves?  I understand many northerners are again embarrassed by what is going on. Meanwhile some people make it look like we must never speak about this new conflict in the land.  Are we to ignore foreigners too where they exist?  This whole cow herding business is simply a clash of civilisations. Things have moved on and there are better ways of doing almost everything. We cannot be hostage to our past.
However it is viewed, this is an unnecessary problem; an unproductive situation wasting all of our times. It is unfortunate that all our cries that MASS MOBILISATION AND REORIENTATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN FIGHTING CORRUPTION went unheeded. Yes fighting corruption is great and we like the results. But we need to weld this country together first. There is no country. Just a bunch of people growing apart and having bloody clashes while at it.  Sadly, Nigerians have grown angrier and less tolerant of criticisms than a year ago. We hope the Buhari government moves quickly to douse the tension, beyond signing the budget. It’s not everything that is about money.  Let us all open our minds to criticisms and some self-introspection. It does a lot of good. If it is Yorubas, or Igbos, Efik, Kanuri or Igalas that are wrong, let us tell them, so that Nigeria may progress.
If there is any message we should listen to for now, it is LET US BE CONSIDERATE TO ONE ANOTHER.