By Kingsley Paul
We cannot continue like this. Some may argue that they are nomads in search of grazing routes. I believe anywhere can be made grazing routes. Can we continue to live in the past? There are things from the past we have found better or modern ways of doing now.
Take for instance the use of mobile phones and the Internet for speedy communication as against traditional style of posting a letter and waiting for it to arrive its destination in a month’s time.
You can’t move your cattle which is your means of livelihood to another the land of a person that lives on subsistence farming and have the cattle march down their crops or eat them up and expect them to clap for you.
I don’t think it’s in the interest of all allowing people move cattle in the streets of cities, defecating everywhere, causing confusing and obstructions. We should do away with some archaic and outdated lifestyles.
Societies are evolving and the Nigerian society is not an exception. Why can’t we emulate the good sides of the civilised world? There are more cattle in the US than in Nigeria, yet you don’t hear issues like herdsmen encroachment.
There should be law guiding such ventures like cattle rearing. Such big animals might be destructive if strict control is not applied. Systems have already been developed on better ways for animal husbandry. All you need is copy and replicate here.
I don’t know why we find this a herculean task. We need to prevent blood sheds from frequent clashes between Fulani herdsmen and their host communities.
Moreover, should the herdsmen be moving with arms?
We should have learned from our past mistakes when we could not take proactive measures to avert the security challenges.
It’s time for the government to wade in to make the herdsmen adopt a ranching system which will not only keep the environment sanitised, create more jobs, bring in desired results but will also lay to rest incessant killings witnessed in Benue and Plateau States, and now going on in Southern Kaduna, and some other parts of the federation.
A stitch in time they say saves nine!
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