National President of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, Alhaji Abdullahi Bello Bodejo has said the incessant clashes and bloodletting between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the country is going to be a thing of the past soon.
In an interview with VINCENT KALU, the Lamido Fulbe said the Interactive Policy Dialogue, which the association is organizing, is aimed at addressing those challenges that have been a security concern to everybody.
Your association is organising stakeholders dialogue and cultural festival to develop a blueprint on the future of Fulani pastoralists in Nigeria. What is it all about?
Fulani are well endowed and blessed. We have professors in different fields; we have technocrats and people with different callings in every sphere of human endeavour. The manner and ways Fulani are being treated in this country is giving our association so much concern. It is against this background that we decided to come up with this dialogue to see how we can help the federal government, state governments, the security agencies lay to rest the incessant clashes between the herdsmen and the farmers. So many lives have been lost and property destroyed because of the clashes. We want to gather the Fulani to talk to them on how to cohabit with others. We want to develop a blueprint on how to stop these problems that our people are having with other people across the country.
Who are your resource persons?
Our resource persons are only Fulani because this is a Fulani matter. You see, Fulani people have been so much demonised in this country to the extent that if a husband and his wife are fighting, they would say it was the Fulani who instigated the fight; if a vehicle tyre bursts on the road while in motion, they would accuse Fulani of being responsible for it. If somebody is kidnapped even in places you don’t see or have a Fulani, we would be mentioned.
So, we want to gather and discuss why the situation is like this, especially in the area of kidnapping where our names are mentioned even if we were not there. If they say Fulani are into kidnapping, what brought about it? If Fulani are fighting, what was the cause. Maybe they are not the ones committing this kidnapping crime. If they are fighting, what brought about it; maybe they are not the aggressors. All these are what we intend to address during the dialogue. This is the first dialogue a Fulani association is organising to bring together the Fulani both educated and non-educated. After talking with the various Fulani organisations, we can move and then engage over 10,000 Fulani, comprising mostly the youths; assure them that we are together with then and also counsel them on how to respect other people. That they should know that the same way they value their cows is the same way the farmer values his crops.
Don’t you think that people will say this programme has political undertone coming at this time of serious politicking ahead of 2023 general elections?
No. It doesn’t have anything to do with politics. If I want to do something that has to do with politics, I will come openly; I don’t hide myself if I want to make a political statement or take a political stand. I can’t hide; I come openly to say my mind because there is nothing I should be afraid of in commenting on any political issue. But, this Dialogue with our festival doesn’t have any iota or element of politics in it.
What do you expect after the programme?
After this programme, all these clashes, fighting between the Fulani herdsmen and farmers in the country will be a thing of the past. The farmers and the herdsmen will begin to live in harmony and enjoy peace. We are engaging the Fulani from the grassroots. It is not only the Fulani in Nigeria; we are expecting Fulani from over 20 countries. Fulani are Fulani, whether they are in Nigeria or any other country we are together. They are already on their way.
How are you prepared to accommodate all of them as you said they are coming from over 20 countries? Are they coming in groups?
They are coming on delegates basis. Some countries are delegating five, while some are delegating six as the case may be. We Fulani don’t have problem concerning accommodation, especially when they come to the cultural area; they can sleep under the trees and do our cultural activities and discuss how we can end this age long crisis.
One would have expected that you get the farmers to be involved when talking about how to end the crisis?
This is just the starting point. After this, we can also invite the farmers’ leaders for another round of discussion on how to end the clashes. Some of the resource persons are lawyers, religious leaders, emirs, etc. From the papers delivered, we will be properly guided on the steps to follow.
Can you name one of the resource persons?
There are many; professionals in their various callings. So, I can’t just mention one person. If I have to mention, it would be all of them in order to be fair. The Interactive Dialogue Session holds on June 2 and 3, 2022 at Lagos Hall, Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, by 9.30am. Then on June 4 and 5, is the Cultural Festival at Miyetti Allah Headquarters, Maliya Cattle Market, Km 22 Abuja-Keffi Expressway, Abuja, by 9.30am.
What will one expect at the cultural festival?
It’s going to be exciting. Fulani have very rich cultural heritage and this festival provides one with a rare opportunity to see the display of various cultures and traditions. This is supposed to be a cultural tourism. Fulani have many groups. It is going to be a festival that in future can begin to attract foreign tourists. This year’s own, over 10, 000 Fulani are going to gather at that place, which is our headquarters. It would contain all of us. Like I said earlier, we live a simple life; the only thing we need is bush, water to do our activities. We don’t need hotels and expensive event centres to do our festival. The place has trees that we can sit down and enjoy ourselves seeing our brothers and sisters from different places. The place is vast; we don’t have problem of accommodation.
Is the government aware of this programme?
You can’t do a thing like this without the government being aware. The government is fully aware of it. What we are doing is something that will help the government to solve some of its security challenges. I don’t think that to gather and celebrate our culture is a problem.
Are you going to discuss RUGA, grazing reserves, having emphasised that its implementation will usher a lasting peace between farmers and herdsmen?
Sometimes when they are doing politics with Fulani name, especially during the time of former Minister of Agriculture, they started coming up with all these RUGA, Cattle Colony, etc. Yes, we can discuss different issues as a way of coming up with solutions to the clashes. However, it is premature to come and start commenting now, but I believe Fulani problems will be holistically discussed. We are not going to discuss anything that has to do with politics during this programme; all we are going to discuss is the Fulani problems; the herdsmen are not fairly treated in this country; we have been linked with all sorts of atrocities being committed even by other ethnic groups.
Are you inviting other groups like Afenifere, Ohanaeze, MBF, PANDEF?
We have invited some people who are not Fulani, but we didn’t invite these groups you have mentioned. Maybe, after this programme, we can think of how to discuss with them.