From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Fulani socio-cultural organization, Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, has engaged Queen Temitope Labinjo Ajayi, as its Ambassador with the main responsibility of image laundering, community engagement and promoting the interests of the Fulani herders.
The Fulani Association said its members have, undoubtedly, become endangered species among local communities and beyond due to bad perception owing to the bad media report it has received, hence the need for such action to correct the misconception.
President of the Association, Alhaji Bello Bodejo, who spoke at the investiture ceremony of the Miyetti Allah brand Ambassador in Abuja, said the choice of Queen Temitope Labinjo Ajayi, was a wise one, going by the reputation, integrity and loyalty she commands within and outside Nigeria.
Alhaji Bodejo was convinced that, with her new responsibility as brand Ambassador, the fate of Fulani pastoralists would change for good within and otherwise Nigeria.
He explained that the new Ambassador has lived abroad for over 30 years, thereby, putting her on a vantage position to champion the cause of image laundering
In her remarks, the Miyetti Allah brand Ambassador said that Nigerians at home and abroad, are deeply concerned and determined to find lasting solution to the farmers/herders crisis, and she was committed to any cause that would herald a peaceful end to the protracted crisis.
She said: “We must collectively agree to end the crisis that has turned brothers and sisters against each other. It’s because of my firm believe in the peace and unity of Nigeria that I decided to relocate to Nigeria, temporarily, to engage with the Miyetti Allah Association towards engendering peace, unity and development.
“In America, my house and office is located around the Silicon Valley in California where cattle ranches and other livestock farming is a major revenue earner. California, for instance, earns over $13 billion annually from cattle and dairy products, in addition to generating gainful employment for more than 38, 000 young adults.
“But the reverse is the case in Nigeria, where we spend the scarce foreign exchange on importation of over $1.5 billion worth of dairy products annually. It’s unacceptable!. My investiture as Miyetti Allah brand ambassador has therefore placed a heavy burden on my shoulder and my indefatigable team of supporters, and I can assure you that I will not betray the enormous confidence reposed in me.”
She disclosed that a blueprint for the total transformation of cattle rearing and farming business that will change the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has been developed by her team, and if implemented, at least half, the lingering clashes between farmers/herders would be a thing of the past.
She also hinted of a robust plan to establish a Miyetti Allah train the trainers cattle ranch academy attached to cattle farm settlements in various parts of Nigeria.
She explained: “The first of these trainers would travel to California early next year. However, there would soon be local training programmes where we would screen and recruit the first set of the trainers going to Silicon Valley, California.
“The primary objective is to expose these people to modernize techniques and technology in cattle husbandry, dairy abattoir and cattle field grazing.”
She also announced that a partnership has been secured with the Federal Mortgage Bank to build one million low cost houses for one million Fulani herdsmen attached to their farm settlements which will, expectedly, change the face of cattle breeding business in Nigeria and align it with the international best practices.