 |
| Prof. Ijomah thinks herdsmen having their way means doom for Nigeria. |
To break or not to break has become the bone of contention in today's Nigeria. The issues are just weighty with no end in sight especially when it appears those saddled with the responsibility of guiding the nation to greatness are said to be confused and living in a world of their own.
In the year 2014, Nigeria celebrated its 100 years of nationhood since the 1914 amalgamation which brought about the controversial union between the North and Southern part of the country.
In the build up to the centinery celebration, there was this talk about Nigeria as a country officially expiring on December 31st, 2014, according to the document that amalgamated Nigeria into one country. Nigeria will then have an option to either renew or denounce the British colonial edict of the 1914. This means the Nigerian state could either stay united or split into several entities.
But it's been five years since the centinery celebration under former President Goodluck Jonathan, and the flip-flop continues on whether or not the union should be maintained.
As at the time of writing, Nigeria's unity is hanging in the balance due to government’s inability to bridge the gap between the North and South. The negative perception of government policies and claims of Islamization and Fulanization isn't helping the union one bit. But the Buhari government isn't doing enough to win over the trust and confidence of the Nigerian public.
Speaking on the threats of Fulani herdsmen across the country and the preferential treatment the group enjoys from the Buhari presidency, Prof. Emeritus, B. I.C. Ijomah on Friday warned that Nigeria may break up if Fulani herdsmen's are allowed to have their way in the country.
Ijomah, who spoke to journalists in Asaba while commending the Okowa administration, further warned that cattle rearing is an occupation of one ethnic group who are duty bound not to destroy crops on farmlands wherever their cattle graze.
He stressed that any attempt to legislate that the Fulani herdsmen be given legal authority to move into every town in Nigeria and acquire land against the will of the people will be resisted as it might spell doom for the nation.
“We used to teach the herdsmen, but unfortunately, the Fulanis do not want to settle down in one place so that they can go to school and be domesticated.”‘
He said that the attempt to have grazing fields in every part of Nigeria shows that the federal government is sponsoring one occupation when it should know that it is wrong to throw its weight behind any one profession to the detriment of others in the country.
“We have the migrant fishermen in the South and also in the North; the federal government has not considered it necessary to acquire strategic body of water in the country so that fishermen can carry on their fishing.
“I see it as another ploy by Fulanis to extend to other parts of Nigeria and I recall the struggle of the Fulanis with the Birom people in Plateau state. They struggled with the indigenous population in Nasarawa state and now, by their current record they have occupied Bukuru and driven the indigenous settlers away.
“What happened in Agatu was planned to drive away the indigenous settlers and take the whole place in the name of cattle rearing,” he added.
