‘We Fulani are nomadic by nature, will remain so’

As the federal government makes plans to halt the movement of cattle through villages and cities and provide grazing reserves, herders go about their business, some perhaps unaware of the agenda. Across the country, located in remote areas, they live in a collective of temporary structures known as Ruga. Sometimes children, more than adults, drive […]

As the federal government makes plans to halt the movement of cattle through villages and cities and provide grazing reserves, herders go about their business, some perhaps unaware of the agenda. Across the country, located in remote areas, they live in a collective of temporary structures known as Ruga. Sometimes children, more than adults, drive the cattle.
On Airport Road in the Federal Capital Territory, two groups of cows were herded by children of not more than 13 years, while two adults, Muhammadu Tukur and Mohammed Jamilu followed.
Tukur is not aware of government’s plan to put a stop to nomadic life and quickly discards it. “It will not work out because we always relocate to where pasture can be found,” he said. But Jamilu, 22,who has reared cattle for over 14 years, was visibly excited by the prospect of not having to move from one place to the other and informs that he wants to remain in a particular place.“It would be good. But some of us will disagree with the idea,” he pointed out, adding that unlike other herders,  he has lived all his life in their present location and he does not take cattle to different parts of the country.
However, the Sarkin Fulani at Paikon-Kore community in Gwagwalada Area Council, Abuja, Alhaji Ibrahim Hussaini, has advised the federal government to create a grazing reserve in order to address the incessant clashes between farmers and herders in some parts of the country.
Unhappy nomads
Hussaini observed that the non-provision of grazing routes for cows was responsible for clashes between the farmers and herders, and recalled how the problem of lack of grazing reserves resulted to an altercation between herders and farmers at the village two years ago. He pointed out that they have worked at ensuring peace between the two groups, and hold a peace meeting every month at the palace of Agora of Zuba to address any misunderstanding between them.
Despite these efforts, however, the two groups still have problems and the only way out is to create grazing reserves. “But not outright stopping of nomadic activities in the country,” Hussaini stressed.
Another Fulani leader at Yangoji community in Kwali Area Council, Abuja, Alhaji Aliyu Abubakar, suggested the need for nomadic education across the country so that their kinsmen can have access to education and also said the only way there can be peace between farmers and herders is for the government to create a grazing reserve and settlement for the Fulani, which he believes will address the clashes between farmers and herders in some parts of the country.
Abubakar observed that putting an end to nomadic activities across the country would only compromise its security and have an adverse effect on socio-economic activities. “Cattle-rearers may no longer carry their cows to sell at the market,” he said.
In Jigawa State, Abdulsalam Suleiman, a nomad, who like many of them, is unaware of government’s plan for them condemned the idea, saying the cattle are their lives and that any policy that does not favour their cattle will not be welcome.
Suleiman said neither government nor their association, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, has furnished them with information on the decision to settle them in grazing reserves. He argued that they too are Nigerians and wondered why government was at all times trying to restrict their movement, adding that no ethnic group has suffered as a result of government policies like the Fulani in Nigeria.
Possibilities
But Suleiman added that once government provides them with well-equipped grazing reserves, they will settle down in one place, after all they only move around for the purpose of grazing.
However, Iliyasu Atawabe, who expressed surprise that a policy that will affect them is being formulated and yet they do not know about it, said he does not see any reason why they will be kept in one place while other Nigerians are moving freely without restriction. But, like Suleiman, he welcomed the idea of a grazing reserve, which he pointed out will reduce risks they face daily and save them from the 40-day trek from the northern to the southern part of the country.
Secretary of the state chapter of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Adamu Birniwa, said the association is aware of the proposed plan to settle herders in one place and that an awareness campaign is on-going with a view to educating the nomads on the benefits of the new policy. He informed that as an association they view the policy as a good development for herders in the country as long as government is willing to provide the basic requirements for them in the area of their proposed settlement.
The secretary also appealed to government to give priority in the provision of watering and pasturing points as they are the two most fundamental needs for a herder.
Maid in Nigeria
While the herdsmen weigh the influence of government’s decision on their cattle, milkmaids worry about its effect on their side of the business. Hadiza Umar, who thrives in selling Fura Da Nono at Angwan Andi in Nasarawa Eggon Local Government Area of Nasarawa State is also not aware of the government policy to phase out traditional cattle-rearing in the country and described the move as impossible.
Hadiza asked a series of questions: “If you stop moving cattle how do you feed them? Do you think you will get grasses and water from a location to feed them? Where are we going to get the milk? If you don’t get the milk from the cattle rearers in the bush, where do we get it? They are planning to kill our business. They shouldn’t tamper with our means of livelihood and find an alternative means of resolving their problems, and not create another because this move is unacceptable.”
She added that Fulani are nomadic by nature and will remain so.
A herdsman, Halilu Alhaji Ya’u, called it a bad idea and pointed out that they are used to their traditional way of rearing cattle in the bush, from one location to another. “If what you are saying becomes reality, it will inconvenience us,” he said. He raised the concern that only three to five cows can be kept and fed in one place, but hundreds or thousands would pose a challenge because of their demand for water.
“You have to move them to a dam, river or stream to drink water,” Ya’u said, adding that they are not happy with the clashes with farmers because they (herders) are at the receiving end because they lost people, herds and almost every aspect of their lives is affected by the conflict. He further opined that although the herders are also interested in a lasting solution, the agitators are looking at only an angle and not the wider picture. However, he stressed that efficient ways of maintaining the grazing reserves should be put in place. 
Nasarawa State Chairman, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Nigeria (MACBAN) Alhaji Muhammad Hussaini, said that he is aware of the move but does not believe it will work in Nigeria due to the large population of herders. “We have over 35 million Fulani herdsmen in the country and stopping their movement with cattle might not be possible,” he pointed out, adding that it would be difficult because most Fulani herders are illiterate and will not agree with the idea, which may create another problem. “If you force a Fulani man not to move with his cattle, you are inviting trouble,” Hussaini said.
Hussaini, who is a veterinary scientist, said that for long they have observed that there was a grand plan to cripple the economic activities of Fulani herdsmen in Nigeria. A good example, he said, is the stoppage of production of vaccines at the National Veterinary Research Institute in Vom, near Jos in Plateau State. Currently the production of vaccine is at less than five per cent. He asked that if they are not receiving budget from the government they should come out and tell the public why they are not producing the vaccines, adding that herdsmen go all the way to neighbouring countries like Cameroun, Chad and Niger to buy vaccines.
The MACBAN chairman advised the federal government to create a ministry for animal husbandry, separate from Ministry of Agriculture, because they only concentrate on the agricultural sector that has to do with crops and vegetables. He also suggested that government should revisit the gazetted grazing reserve because farmers have encroached on many and today claim ownership. “The National Assembly should amend and pass the National Grazing Reserve Law and government should commence massive awareness for the benefit of locals,” he revealed.
Hussaini intimated that the activities of Boko Haram have pushed out millions of herders from their comfort zones to the South and Middle Belt, and this is aside cattle rustling which has become rampant, forcing them to look for pasture elsewhere.
In order to make effective government’s policy on rearing cattle, Hussaini said there is need to import high-value cattle breeds to Nigeria as a step towards introducing modernized way of cattle rearing.“Hybrids produce 30 litres a day, while the local breed produces one litre. The idea is for government to import them in small scale and sensitize some herders. Gradually there would be change in the system,” he said.
Recently, at the 19th Regional Implementation Forum for International Fund for Agricultural Development-supported projects in West and Central Africa in Abuja, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, said the federal government is conducting plans to halt the ‘roaming’ of cattle across the country, within the next 18 to 24 months and assured herders that the government will allocate grazing fields where cattle would be restricted to.
Ogbeh also revealed that the government has decided to grass-up 50,000 hectares of land in the next six months across the northern belt. This is coming after renewed clash between Fulani herders and Idoma-speaking Agatu natives of Benue State which left many people dead.
Hussaini denied allegations that the herders crossed to Agatu villages to attack them, alleging instead that it was the other way round.