Features
Ojukwu: In The Eyes Of The People
The first week of February 2012 in Nigeria will witness, amongst many other significant events, the burial of late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (1933-2011), the Biafran Warlord.
Ojukwu undisputed occupies a central position in the history of Nigeria throughout the period of the four exact years from 15 January 1966 when Nigeria’s first coup d’etat occurred to 15 January, 1970 when Nigerians unfortaunate Civil War ended. It is estimated that over two million Nigerians lost their lives in the 30 month brutal war that broke out on July 6, 1967.
Although, there was no Nuremberg Trials in Nigeria at the end of the war, Ojukwu has been on trial since the end of the war, mainly on the pages of newspapers, news magazines and books. The trial is likely to continue for another century.
Ojukwu means different things to different persons till he breathed the last on November 26, 2011.
Amanyanabo Opubo Daminabo dug into his archive to extract some of the opinions expressed about late Chief Ojukwu between 1970 when the Biafrans surrendered to the Federal Government under “No victor, no vanguished” arrangement and 1983 when Nigeria experienced a civil rule.
Compiled in 1983, these divergent views extracted from the Appendix of Daminabo’s book entitled IBOS Are Not Biafrans (Port Harcourt Hanging Publishers) border on Ojukwu’s personality, his pardon by the Federal Government and his intention to contest the 1983 presidential election.
‘Nigeria never was and can never be a united country’.
General Emeka Ojukwu, Opening sentence of Biafra: Selected Speeches of C. Odumegwu Ojukwu New York, 1969, p.1
‘He was no devil. Everybody admired his personal courage, his ability for hard work. But he had one weakness – he did not know when to apply the brakes. But it’s purely because he was ambitious. He was a very capable chap.’
Major General Philip Effiong Chief of Staff, Biafran Army, ‘Drum’, April, 1970.
‘A natural actor, Colonel Ojukwu had the enviable quality of controlling and concealing unpleasant emotions, a quality which he exploited to the full in inspiring false confidence even in the bleakest hours of the civil war’.
Chief N. U. Akpan Biafra’s Chief Scribe, London, 1972, The Struggle for Secession, p.175.
‘We were both agreed on this one point, that for all we cared this particular civil war could be fought with bows and arrows. I phoned up some friends at the United Nations Organization and they joined in the discussion’.
Professor Wole Soyinka London, 1972, The Man Died, p. 52.
‘Suddenly, here were black men, intelligent, well-educated, charming black men, standing virtually alone and successfully defying an enemy four times their size backed by the world’s super powers … The Biafrans were everywhere, it seemed, eloquently putting their case in excellent English, quoting neat European or American parallels, pointing out, with obvious truth and conviction that they were the most “westernized” of all Africans, indeed, perhaps, of all Third World peoples’.
John de St. Jorre London, 1972, The Nigerian Civil War, pp. 359-360 .
‘This strange, complex, fascinating man is now sharing the lonely fate of Nkrumah and Obote, Africa’s other fallen giants. A statesman without a state, a leader without a people, an orator without a platform, an actor without a stage; for a man such as Ojukwu, exile must be a living death.
John de St. Jorre London, 1972, The Nigerian Civil War, p.413.
‘Ojukwu’s resistance was really an experiment in human misery’.
Captain Elechi Amadi London, 1973, Sunset in Blofra, p.48
‘In Nigeria, theft by rulers and officials is regrettably frequent. Some end up stealing money, others minor items; Ojukwu is the only one who tried to steal a country!’
Ken Saro-Wiwa Lagos, Sunday Times 27/6/82
‘He was perhaps the only man who ever held power in West Africa who came out without a private nest-egg of money embezzled from public funds.
Not only had he not milked the till, he had spent every penny of his private fortune on his people. He was penniless … He was and is a remarkable man.
He could have had everything, if he had bowed the knee to Gowon. Instead he lost many things: his fortune, his homeland, his passport. But he never lost the loyalty of his people; and he never lost any man’s respect. Even his worst enemies respect him. Knowing him, he would say that he had still had the best of the bargain.
Frederick Forsyth, Dublin, 1976, The Making of An African Legend: The Bia/ra Story, pp. 285 – 286.
‘The desperate nature of this operation and the fact that it simply had to succeed earned for it the name “Operation Do or Die” …. Viewed from any angle, that operation was indeed an “Operation Do or Die”, for many did and many died’.
Major General Alexander A. Madiebo, Commander of Biafran Army, Enugu, 1980, The Nigerian Revolution and TheBiafran War, pp. 343 & 348.
‘…Biafra was the first ship of state to sail the sea of nationhood on a completely indigenous motor. Biafra was run from top to bottom by blacks … the first black nation to be taken seriously in a world dominated by white people … ‘
Arthur Nwankwo, Enugu, 1980, Nigerian: The Challenge of Biafra, pp. 81-82
‘What follows in this book is … the story of how the arrogant and conceited Ojukwu, who wanted to rule an independent nation at all costs, deceived the people he claimed to love and left them in the lurch at their desperate hour of need, and fled “Biafra” under the guise of seeking peace’.
General Olusegun Obasanjo, GOC, 3MCDO, Nigerian Army, London, 1980, My Command, p. xiii.
‘Later on, after I had been released to join in the struggle, I realized that Ojukwu knew what he was talking about whenever he assured Biafrans that they would fight to the last man. He knew that he was ill-prepared for the fight and that if it came, he had nothing to send against the enemy except the bodies of his own citizens – no guns, no armour, no planes, no ships – only flesh and flesh and flesh – what a suicide plot, or was it a reverse pogrom? … Surely, history will not forgive him’.
Major Adewale Ademoyega, Ibadan, 1981, Why We Struck, pp. 141 and 174.
‘In fact, if anything, the counter-coup was a complete flot. Significantly, it was the failure of the Northern dissidents to topple Lieutenant Colonel Ojukwu’s Enugu-based Government – and not the shortcomings of the January coup – that eventually paved the way for secession, and in time, the barbaric civil war’.
Captain Ben Gbulie Onitsha, 1981, Nigeria’s Five Majors, p. 154.
‘History will say of Victor Banjo, Emmanuel lfeajuna, Philip Alale and Samuel Agbam just as history had said of Hitler’s enemies that they brilliantly anticipated the end of the road along which Ojukwu, with fourteen million highly intelligent people on the tow, was walking, but that when it came to the crunch, they clumsily and pathetically bungled their chance to stop him from traversing the road to its bloody end’ .
Nelson Ottah, London, 1981, Rebels Against Rebels, p.l0.
‘On the 5th of January, 1967, the historic Aburi meeting of the military leaders was called to resolve accumulating differences, but Ojukwu went there to manufacture a confederal constitution. Later, Decree No. 8 was passed to satisfy his ends, yet he would not let the Ibos alone. All he wanted was secession’ .
Major Isaac Boro, Benin-City, 1982, The Twelve – Day Revolution, p. 157.
‘When the war Ojukwu and his group said was to defend their homeland came, they made it a war of conquest. Whose “homeland” is the Midwest? When did Ibadan and Lagos become part of the East?’
Major General Joe Garba London, 1982, Revolution in Nigeria: Another View, p. 115.
‘What most people are saying is lithe Ibo leader is back” and I share that view. What political party Ojukwu will join is immaterial. If he stands on a tree, we will all stand on the tree with him’.
Cyprian Ekwensi, Lagos 1982, ‘Sunday Times’ (27/6/82).
‘Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the former leader of Biafra, is a man of history in the most serious sense of the term, not because he is a graduate of history, but for the reasons that he probably decided to study history.
Singled minded, deliberate and totally shorn of any emotional inclinations, Odumegwu Ojukwu is a man who doesn’t believe in the force of destiny, but a man who believes that strong men can shape the destiny of weaker men and cause a part for nations’.
Dele Giwa Lagos, 1982, ‘Sunday Concord’ (27/6/82).
‘Has anyone cared to ask why this son of a millionaire and History graduate, this material and intellectual aristocrat branched off into the Army at a time that many people thought the Army wa a dumping ground for street brawlers and the like? I suggest that he knew that power resides in the barrel of a gun… Calcualting, rational, never known to shed tears, Ojukwu, according to those who claim to know him well, has a rugged disposition that borders on demonism, and is inclined to have things his own way or not at lall… I cannot say whether Ojukwu does have the Ibo tribe in his pocket, but it seems to me that the Ibo tribe would not mind having Ojukwu in its pocket.’
Ray Ekpu, Lagos 1982, ‘Sunday Times’ (1/8/82)
‘As far as the Ibos are concerned, the name Biafra is a stolen property. How the Ibo nation stole the name is fully explained in this book. The eealier Ibos stop the use of the name, Biafra, as a symbol of Iboland, Ibo nation and Ibo culture, the better for all Nigerians. There are several Igbo names of Igbo-related names for major physical features and other man-made features (especially rivers, towns and cities and even caves) in Iboland that can serve as an appropriate substitute for the stolen Biafra name. A few examples of such Ibo names or Igbo-related names include Nri (the cradle, now a town, of Ibos), Anambra and Imo (major rivers in Iboland), Abia, Enugu, Onitsha, Owerri and Umuahia (major cities in Iboland) and Ogbunike (an important town with a famous cave). Any of these names is an appropriate substitute for the Ibo nation to bear or use as her symbol than the stolen Biafra name.’
Opubo Daminabo, Port Harcourt, Ibos Are Not Biafrans 1983, p 1.
‘Until today Ojukwu has not explained why he was a counter-revolutionary in January 1966, whether it was because he would not yield to junior officers or because he did not agree that change was desirable at the time. What we do know, however, from what the little Forsyth has disclosed is that Ojukwu did not, because of rank-related concerns, want to serve under Yakubu Gowon following the counter-coup of July 1966. Ibo massacres and persecution were just incidental in Ojukwu’s posturing during the crisis of July 1966- May 1967. We do know also that the only reason Ojukwu was appointed military Governor of the Eastern Region in January 1966 was for being a conspirator against the patriotic majors.’
Fidel Odum Enugu, 1983, ‘Sunday Satellite’ (20/2/83).
His ambition was to achieve the Biafran victory and to go down in history as its first “Head of State.” His genius was instrumental, not creative; he excelled in manipulation, not in construction… Emeka’s return to Nigeria and his dramatic entry into partisan politics is a clear manifestation of his inordinate ambition to grab power that eluded him in Biafra… He confused popular acclaim for popular support.’
Obiora Egbunike, Ibandan, 1983, ‘Sunday Tribune’ (20/3/83).
Ojukwu’s pardon in conception and execution contradicts all the laws of the Medes and Persians. Nemesis will surely act… Ojukwu gsmbled with lives of millions of people without caring a hoot. Once a gambler, always a gambler. He is at it again and he is ready to spill blood without remorse.’
Professor Chike Obi, Enugu 1983, ‘Satellite’ (20/3/83 and 2/8/83).
‘What one finds so difficult to understand, however, is why all the top military officers of Biafra allowed Ojukwu so much dictatorship, especially since sociologically this is very much UN-IBO. Perhaps, this intriguing gap in the history of the secession would be filled one day, and to me, it is even far more crucial than the charge that Chief Awolowo goaded Ojukwu into secession and war.’
Sina Adedipe, Lagos 1983, ‘Sunday Concord’ (3/7/83).
Emeka Ojukwu has proved that he is one of those rare fingers in history that will continue to be an object of scholarly rendition. Psychologists, philosophers, historians and political scientists would have much to put down about the man who has held his destiny in his own hands and spuriously dares to pit battles even against malevolent and capricious gods.’
Anthony Ejiochi, Enugu, 1983, ‘Sunday Satellite’ (9/10/1983).
‘The man has enormous courage in him’ which sometimes impresses me; the trouble is, this posture is often turned into that of bravado, it is carried beyond logical limits, beyond the threshold of reason.’
Don Adinuba, Enugu, 1983, ‘Sunday Satellite’ (13/11/83).
Daminator wrote from Port Harcourt
Opubo Daminabo
From the fore going, the fight against drug trafficking should be treated as an international challenge with open collaboration, if the world leadership must win the fight!.
The circumstances or should I say the improvement on drug related activities are modifying and updating on daily basis. A close friend of mine in the United States of America who recently visited Jamaica, came with a lot of complicated information about drug trafficking and transaction. Being a qualified Nurse in US and on a visit to the Reggae Country (Jamaica), she said she was put aback when a man approached her and introduced himself as a Pharmacist. According to her, she immediately picked interest due to her professional background. To her, a business partner is birthed. But she was shocked to the narrows on learning that drug dealers or traffickers and subriquited Pharmacist in that Country. From her account, they ( The Jamaican Pharmacists), are the first set to people to meet and greet you at the Airport. No government or authority challenges them in the open due to the sophisticated nature of their transportation
Come to think of it, who would want to attack a Pharmacist on duty? Nigerians are not left out in the improvement on drug deal. A chat with a confident in the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA) Rivers State Command, so revealed. The Officer draw my attention to the movement of Dispatch Riders. He said part of the reasons they ride with almost speed equivalent of the thunder lightning, is to meet up with the appointment of delivering hard drug consignment to a client of theirs. According to him, those guys popularly referred to as Yahoo Boys are the ones who now payroll dispatch riders so that they can deliver their consignment ( hard drugs) on schedule no matter the sort of traffic or weather condition. The fear of loosing rich clients and that of the unknown treatment that may come of the Boys, as the officer puts it, drives the Riders crazy thus the reason to speed even at the expense of their lives.
The account of a prominent Party Promoter, Wayne Anthony, as obtained online recently, also pointed out that ‘No Legislation Will Stop Clubbers From Doing Drugs’ Party promoter, Wayne Anthony, arrived in Ibiza, a Spanish Island in 1988, at the same time as dance music and the party drug ecstasy. Despite hallucinating badly enough to make him give up the lifestyle forever, he says laws will never stop clubbers taking drugs. “I don’t think you can control these things,” said former party promoter Wayne Anthony. He arrived in Ibiza in 1988 and began setting up club nights and raves in some of the island’s most iconic venues. In the years that followed, the sleepy Spanish island turned into a raver’s haven of clubbing and hedonism, with party drugs like ecstasy commonly found. “What Ibiza represented was this beautiful, hot island which was visually stunning and we knew you could party there quite legally,” said Wayne. “You didn’t have to look over your shoulder. You could just be as free as you possibly could be.”
That freedom came with a price. Along with the lavish clubs, all-day-benders and hot Spanish sun came drug cartels and crime. The city transformed into one the world’s most vibrant party capitals, “fuelled by a dangerous and lucrative drugs trade which drew as many criminals to its shores as it did party animals”. Wayne, one of the contributors to the documentary, spoke to Sky News ahead of its release.”I’m not going to sit here and say the cartels aren’t there. They are all there and they’ve been there from the ’90s,” said Wayne. But he said most people tried to ignore the organised crime going on around them. According to Wayne, clubbers usually took the approach of: “‘Give me 10 E’s . Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Behind the scenes of the filming of Ibiza Narcos with Wayne Anthony. Hallucinating giant spiders Although he described the Balearic island as the “motherland”, it was eventually a bad experience with drugs that convinced Wayne it was time to leave Ibiza.
He’d been partying for days when he realised he’d taken too many drugs. A friend told him to drink cough medicine, dangerous advice that he now says could have killed him. “I saw the worst hallucination I’ve ever seen in all of my life. I ended up locking myself in the villa with all the shutters down. When he sobered up, he realised he had “come to the end” of his party life on the island. “I never looked back. I never took another drug. I got away from the club world.” ‘I don’t think you’re going to be able to stop it’ Despite his life-changing experience, he doesn’t think criminalising drugs is a good idea – or particularly effective. “If you’re old enough to vote for who’s going to be a world leader, if you’re old enough to put your name down on debt for 25 years, I feel like you should be old enough to govern what you put inside your own body, you know?” said Wayne.
Back to Nigeria, some illicit drugs worth over N30billion seized at Onne Port in Rivers State.
This blood chilling development forced the Federal Government to declare a state of emergency at the Onne Port, following what authorities described as repeated incidents of importation of dangerous cargo, including arms and ammunition through the said port. To this effect, the government said it was immediately implementing emergency protocols at Onne Port for the next three months by conducting thorough examinations of all suspected containers in the premises.
The Comptroller-General of Customs, Bashir Adeniyi, in charge of the port via a press conference, said it henceforth, unveiled the seizures of illicit goods by the Nigeria Customs Service, Area 2 Command, Onne in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers State. In defence for his action, Adeniyi said the recurring incidents posed a threat to national security, adding that the health of citizens at the Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo, describing it as a disturbing trend.
The customs boss stated, “Earlier today, I joined numerous stakeholders to take a significant step towards the cause of trade facilitation through the inauguration of upgraded facilities provided by the West Africa Container Terminal, Onne. “As I express delight that trade facilitation is getting traction in Onne Port, I cannot help but call your attention to a grave concern. This has to do with the repeated incidents of national security breaches unfolding in Onne Port. I appreciate your presence, as we all have a shared responsibility in safeguarding our national security. As we are all aware, the policy thrust of Mr President supports the re-energising of our business environment to drive faster import clearance and grow our capacity for exports, Our emphasis has been to promote initiatives that speak to Trade facilitation and economic development. “It is a matter of regret that criminal elements in the international supply chain are exploiting our pro-trade stance to commit atrocities bordering on national security breaches”.
“The attempts to test our will through the importation of dangerous cargo through this port has necessitated the declaration of a state of emergency in Onne Port, coming on the heels of a seizure of a huge cache of arms a couple of months ago. It is disheartening that perpetrators have not backed down on their illegal acts. Recent intelligence and seizures have revealed a disturbing trend; Onne Port is increasingly being used as a destination for dangerous and illicit cargo. The scale and nature of these illegal importations pose a significant threat to our national security and the health of our citizens. Today, we are here to showcase yet another series of significant seizures made by the diligent officers of the Area 2 Command. On display are twelve containers of illicit goods intercepted through a combination of intelligence gathering, inter-agency collaboration, and meticulous physical examination. Seizures on Display include: Three (3) x 40-feet containers: Containing 562,600 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine and 3,150 pieces of chilly cutters, with a Paid Duty Value (DPV) of N4,716,573,846.
“Others are, three x 40-feet containers containing 380,000 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 24,480,000 tablets of Royal Tramadol Hydrochloride, 5,350,000 tablets of Tapentadol and Carisoprodol, and other items, with a DPV of N17,432,506,000 were seized”.
According to the report, more seized items were, “Five (5) x 40-feet containers; Containing 892,400 bottles of 100ml cough syrup with codeine, 1,300,000 tablets of 50mg Really Extra Diclofenac, 7,250,000 tablets of 5mg Trodol Benzhexol, and other items, with a DPV of N8, 128,568,295,90. This very action of the Nigeria Customs Service, further complicated the hope of how soon the fight against drug trafficking could be brought to a halt owing to its high profile nature.
Another hair-raising report of the illicit drug deal has it that when NDLEA bursted a Snake-Guarded Shrine Used For Storing Illicit Drugs sometime ago in Edo State. This very news report was published in The Tide Newspaper on June 24, 2024. According to the report, NDLEA said its operatives uncovered a shrine, guarded by a snake, being used for storing illicit drugs, during an operation in Edo State. The Agency in a statement by its spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, added that its operatives discovered a specially constructed large hole in a wall, hidden behind wallpapers and fetish objects used for drug storage. It further noted that methamphetamine, Loud, Colorado and Arizona, all strong strains of cannabis with a total weight of 8.743kg among others, were recovered from the shrine.
To be cont’d
King Onunwor
The persistent clash between farmers and herders in Nigeria has been a longstanding issue. These conflicts, often, over resources like land and water, have led to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacement of large numbers of people, deep-seated mistrust between communities and insecurity. Herders, traditionally nomadic, move their livestock in search of grazing land and water. Farmers, on the other hand, require the same resources for their crops. This competition often leads to clashes, especially in areas where land is becoming increasingly scarce due to population growth, climate change, and environmental degradation. As these clashes intensify, there has been a growing call for sustainable solutions. Two weeks ago, President Bola Tinubu took a bold step towards tackling the issue by inaugurating the Presidential Committee on Implementation of Livestock Reforms and creating the Ministry of Livestock Development.
The committee which has the president as the chairman and the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega as the deputy chairman has the mandate to address obstacles to agricultural productivity and open up new opportunities which benefit farmers, herders, processors, and distributors in the livestock-farming value chain as well as propose recommendations aimed at fostering a peaceful co-existence between herders and farmers, ensuring the security and economic well-being of Nigerians.The establishment of the Ministry of Livestock Development was part of the recommendations of the National Livestock Reforms Committee. Part of the 21 recommendations submitted to the president include: “This agenda should include the establishment and resuscitation of grazing reserves as suggested by many experts and well-meaning Nigerians and other methods of land utilisation.
“Create the Ministry of Livestock Resources in line with practice in many other West African countries. In the alternative, Federal and State Governments should expand the scope of existing Departments of Livestock Production to address the broader needs of the industry,” among others. Experts in the agricultural sector have posited that the livestock industry can create millions of jobs directly in farming, processing, and distribution, and indirectly in related sectors like feed production, veterinary services, and marketing. It provides livelihoods for rural populations, helping to reduce poverty and improve the quality of life in rural areas. It also increases the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and foreign exchange earnings through the exports of livestock and livestock products such as meat, dairy, wool and leather.
According to them, a well-funded livestock industry supports the growth of agro-processing sectors, such as meat packing, dairy processing, and leather manufacturing, adds value to raw products and creates additional economic activity as well as stimulates the development of supply chains, including logistics, packaging, and retail, contributing to broader economic growth. It enhances economic resilience by diversifying the agricultural sector and providing a buffer against crop failures or other agricultural shocks and many more. Some other agriculturists have also opined that the livestock industry in Nigeria is currently underdeveloped and that by the creation of the ministry of livestock development will open up the industry which will be a huge money spinner for Nigeria.
Reports have shown that a Livestock Ministry can play a pivotal role in mitigating conflicts between farmers and herders by implementing policies and programmes aimed at fostering coexistence and sustainable resource management. The Ministry can work towards clearly demarcating grazing routes and farming areas. This would reduce instances of trespassing and accidental crop destruction, a common flashpoint for conflict. While introducing rotational grazing systems can ensure that land is used sustainably, preventing overgrazing and land degradation, establishing water points and boreholes specifically for livestock can reduce competition for water resources. Similarly, promoting the development of pasturelands through reseeding and controlled burns can improve grazing conditions.
According to a veterinary doctor, Dr Andrew Obadiah, by providing training for herders on sustainable livestock practices and for farmers on conflict resolution, both parties can understand the importance of coexistence. He said that extension services of the ministry can offer advice on improving livestock health and productivity, reducing the need for large herds and extensive grazing. “Setting up local committees involving both farmers and herders to mediate disputes can provide a platform for dialogue and peaceful resolution. Encouraging community-based conflict early warning systems can help prevent clashes before they escalate”, he emphasised.For Mrs. Stella Ugwu, a farmer, having a ministry dedicated to the development of the livestock industry can help in diversifying income sources for both farmers and herders and in turn reduce dependence on land.
”For instance, promoting agro-pastoralism can provide farmers with livestock and herders with agricultural produce”, she explained, adding that providing incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as subsidies for fodder production or crop insurance, can ease economic pressures. Ugwu was however of the opinion that the creation of a new ministry to handle livestock affairs was uncalled for, since the job can effectively be done by the Technical and Service Department of the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and food security and its equivalent on the states level.In some countries, the establishment of a Livestock Ministry or similar bodies has shown promising results. For example, Ethiopia’s Ministry of Agriculture includes a dedicated department for livestock which has successfully implemented programmes to improve pastoral livelihoods and reduce conflicts.
In Kenya, the establishment of the National Drought Management Authority has helped manage resources better, thus reducing clashes between herders and farmers during dry seasons.The president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Othman Ngelzarma, sees the Ministry of Livestock Development achieving the same feat for Nigeria in the near future. He told newsmen that, “MACBAN expresses its deepest appreciation to the Federal Government for creating a ministry of livestock to unlock the trillion-naira livestock economy and create qualitative and productive jobs across the value chain to improve the Nigerian economy. With this development, MACBAN believes the hope of the Nigerian pastoralists is now achieved under the Renewed Hope Agenda.
However, the Middle Belt Forum took a different view of the proposed Ministry of Livestock Development, saying it was not enough to sustainably resolve the decades-long farmers-herders crisis in the country. According to the National President of the association, Mr. Bitrus Pogu, what is needed to end the perennial farmers/herders clashes is a deliberate action by regulatory bodies and the government to stop criminal elements from carrying out deadly attacks on innocent Nigerians, mainly farmers. Hear him: “If the reason for creating the Ministry is to stop clashes, I think it is wrong because all of these attacks and killings that are happening have nothing to do with conflicts between farmers and herders. “Farmers have never connived at any given time to go and attack herders, but rather, criminals who happen to be Fulani gang up and attack farmers, kill, maim and chase them out of their ancestral homes.
“Then, the Fulani will come and occupy them. So, it is more about invasion, criminality, and terrorism. And the majority of those they hire to do these evils are not even those who have cattle. So, a deliberate action has to be taken by the government against the perpetrators, which will address the criminality.” Mr. Pogu suggested that the government should adopt ranching for productivity and enduring peace between the pastoralists and farmers in particular and the entire country in general.While the establishment of a Livestock Ministry presents a viable solution, it is not without challenges. Funding constraints, bureaucratic inefficiencies, and corruption can hamper its effectiveness. Additionally, deeply ingrained cultural practices and mistrust between farmers and herders can be difficult to overcome.
Critics argue that without a holistic approach that includes land reform, climate change adaptation, and broader economic development, a Livestock Ministry alone may not be sufficient. Therefore, it must work in tandem with other governmental and non-governmental bodies to ensure comprehensive solutions. “A dedicated Livestock Ministry, with its focus on sustainable resource management, conflict resolution, and economic incentives, offers a promising avenue to address the root causes of these clashes. However, its success depends on effective implementation, adequate funding, and the cooperation of all stakeholders involved. With the right strategies and commitment, devoid of any political or selfish interest, it can play a crucial role in fostering peace and prosperity in affected regions”, they advised.
Calista Ezeaku