• How Buhari can fight herdsmen attacks –Ofeimun, Bolanle Awe
From Wole Balogun, Ado Ekiti
EkITI State Governor, Ayodele Fayose has banned grazing and rearing of cattle in the state.
The governor said those interested in cattle farming should get private cattle ranch. He said a bill to criminalise movement of cattle from one location to another would soon be sent to the House of Assembly.
Fayose, who made this known when he visited Oke-Ako in Ikole Local Government Area where two residents were killed and others injured by suspected Fulani herdsmen last Friday, warned that government will, henceforth, confiscate any cattle seen anywhere in the state apart from the ranch created for them by their owners.
He also donated N2.5 million to the families of the deceased and gave N2.5 million as well as a pick-up van fitted with security gadgets to local hunters so they could protect their people.
He described the herdsmen who attacked Oke-Ako and other communities in the country as agents of the devil that must be fished out and punished accordingly.
“I commiserate with the people of Oke-Ako over the murder of two of our people by these evil Fulani herdsmen.
“I am also here to assure that this will be the last time your community will be invaded by Fulani herdsmen under whatever guise.
“I have directed that cattle rearing and grazing should stop in Ekiti State and those interested in cattle farming should, henceforth, do so in their own cattle ranch. No more movement of cattle from one location to another in the state and any cattle seen anywhere in Ekiti State, apart from the ranch created for them by their owners, will be confiscated by the government and their own- ers will be prosecuted. A bill to this effect will be sent to House of Assembly for passage into law to criminalise cattle owners whose cattle are found moving from one location to the other in the state.
“It is our duty to protect our people and we are going to do that without fear or favour.”
The lawmaker representing Ikole Constituency 1 in the House, Titilayo Akerele, thanked the governor on behalf of the people of this constituency.
Meanwhile, bothered by a string of crises facing Nigeria, scholars and other eminent Nigerians gathered in Ibadan at the weekend and agreed that the only way out of economic, political and social problems was to get Nigerians to take the country seriously.
They came to this conclusion at a book reading held at the International Conference Centre of the University of Ibadan.
Author and poet, Mr. Odia Ofeimun, who kicked off the debate by reading from the nine-chapter book entitled:
Taking Nigeria Seriously, called for a holistic tackling of herdsmen attacks by President Muham- madu Buhari and added that ,if not well tackled; it is capable of destroying the country.
“If we don’t deal with the issue of herdsmen, there may be no Nigeria tomorrow…”Ofeimun said.
On her part, Prof. Bolanle Awe lauded what she called “extremely provocative” issues dealt with in the book, especially the issue of indigene/settlers, and education of children of tomorrow, concluding that the removal of history from the curriculum of schools was capable of making Nigerians not to take their country seriously.
“We should learn about our culture, tra- dition and be proud of them…
“If we do not know history, how can you get far in life? America won’t give you a degree unless you learn American history,” she said.