Last week Wednesday, Barrister Abubakar Malami, the Minister of Justice and Attorney – General of the Federation came out to oppose the decision of the Governors of the 17 states in the South to ban open grazing. To him their action was unlawful because the country’s constitution guarantees the freedom of movement by a Nigerian in any part of the federation.
Yesterday, the presidency issued a statement in which President Muhammadu Buhari came out to back Malami and that he would soon take steps to solve the problem. It is unfortunate that President Buhari and his Minister of Justice and Attorney – General have decided to create an unnecessary controversy, and one that exposes them as acting in the parochial interest of the herdsmen most of who belong to their Fulani ethnic group.
Two months ago, in March, the Nigerian Governors Forum made up of the Governors of the 19 states in the North and their 17 colleagues in the South came out against open grazing. Why did Malami not react then? Was it because most of the northern governors are Fulani? Why did he, a northerner and Muslim, chose to kick against it when the announcement came from southern governors who are Yoruba, Igbo, Edo, Ijaw, Efik and Ibibio and 16 of whom are Christians?
As people pointed out last week it belittles Malami as a senior lawyer and the nation’s chief law officer and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) that he does not know that the country’s constitution guarantees free movement to citizens and not free movement of cows and other animals on the highway. And does the country’s constitution permit herdsmen to use their cattle to eat up crops and destroy farms?
Most of the herdsmen kidnapping people and demanding ransom are said to be foreign Fulani men from other West African countries. Does the Nigerian constitution allow herdsmen to kidnap and demand ransom from their victims?
That Malami came out to oppose the action of the southern governors for tribal reasons was apparent when he equated the banning of open grazing with northern governors doing same to those selling spare parts in their states. Of course, the overwhelming majority of these traders are Igbo with the others being Yoruba and people from other southern ethnic groups.
From what I heard on a television station last week the Government of the Western Region in the 1960s promulgated an anti – grazing law in unauthorized places and Justice Adewale Thompson ruled against open grazing. If that law has not been abrogated how can Malami say the Governors in the South – West cannot ban open grazing in unlawful places? What used to be the Western Region is now Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti and Ondo States and most parts of Lagos State, minus Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Badagry, Epe and Ikorodu.
The activities of Boko Haram insurgents in the North – East and of herdsmen in the North – Central, North – West, South – West, South – East and South – South have led to the destruction of farms and crops in these places. And these have caused food shortages all over the country. Given this, is it not a shame that President Buhari and Malami are opposing the efforts of southern governors to stop those responsible for food shortages in their states?
What the southern governors did two weeks ago was announcing their decision to ban open grazing. They have not started to arrest those engaged in the practice. But once the Houses of Assembly in the 17 southern states pass the law banning open grazing I believe that Malami as a lawyer knows it becomes a crime for anyone to violate the order.
Although he is not a lawyer, but as President and a former Military Head of State in 1984 and the first eight months in 1985 I believe Alhaji Buhari too knows this and I assume that he and Malami also know that land is owned by the state governments and not the Federal Government.
It is good that the Governors of the states in the South – West and South – East have established their own security outfits and don’t have to depend on federal police. I hope those in the states in the South – South would soon set up theirs.
Since the herdsmen carry AK – 47 rifles the governors should also arm their own men with the same weapon, not Dane guns. To do otherwise will be to place their security men at a disadvantage and make it easy for Fulani herdsmen and Fulani bandits to overrun and acquire the South – West, South – South and South – East.
But in giving the guns to the security men they should be made to sign for them, so as to make it easy to collect them back when the problem is solved even if it is a new government that would be in place at the time.
To be continued next Wednesday
Aboriginal & Non – Indigenous Lagosians (4)
Yes, Lagos is a cosmopolitan city and was once the country’s capital in which millions of people from different towns and villages in Yoruba land had settled as far back as 50 to 100 or more years ago. The same with thousands or millions of the people from Igbo land, the South – South and places in the three northern zones. Indeed, there are hundreds of Hausa – Fulani people living in the Isale – Eko area of Lagos Island near the king’s palace whose ancestors settles there more than 80 – 100 years ago.
As a result of its peculiar status in Nigeria, Lagos State is one in which people from other towns and villages in the country, especially in the South – West and recently from the South – East cannot but hold political offices and work in the public service.
But fairness also demands that an appreciable percentage of the positions in political and public service appointments must be reserved for indigenous Lagosians. This is because given the situation in Nigeria I don’t think that a Lagosian whose family has been living in Oyo, Ogun, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States for 50 to 100 or more years will be made a Commissioner in the cabinet of any of them.
I also know that no one come from such states can be made a Permanent Secretary in their civil service if one of the parents do not come from their state or married to someone from there. It is also certain that no aboriginal Lagosian will be allowed to be a governorship candidate, not to talk of being a Governor in those states. But this is not the situation in Lagos where immigrants whose ancestors came about 50 – 100 years or more ago have been regarded as Lagosians and have been becoming Governors, Commissioners in the state’s cabinet.
None of those who have been elected Governors in Lagos State since 1979 have been aboriginal Lagosians. Their ancestors had come from other towns in Kwara, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun and Ondo States. The forebear of the first Governor, late Alhaji Lateef Kayode Jakande (1929 – 2021), who served from Monday, October 1, 1979 – Friday, December 30, 1983 were said to have come from Omu – Aran in Kwara State and on the mother – side from Aramoko in Ekiti State, though he was born and bred on Lagos Island and they have a family compound (Agbole Jakande) there.The father of the second Governor, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu (Saturday, May 29, 1999 – Monday, May 28, 2007) was said to have come from Iragbiji in Osun State, while his stepmother or foster – mother late Osogbo – born Alhaja (Mrs.) Abibatu Mogaji of Agarawu Street, Lagos Island was said to have been brought to Lagos as a child or in her teens. Some of my age – group friends who lived in her neighbourhood said they used to call her Mama Osogbo when they were young in the 1950s and 60s.
More to come next week