Pepper As Sturdy Weapon Against Rampaging Herdsmen

By PITA OKUTE Not so long ago, they were known as the Bororo or cattle Fulani, whose lifestyle and quaint world views were captured in the stories and novels of Cyprian Ekwensi. Burning Grass, the most famous of these, tells of their migrant behavior as nomadic herds’ people, on the move always in search of greener pastures for their cattle, goats and sheep. In this respect, society differentiates them from the town or sedentary Fulani, with whom they share the same ethnic, linguistic and cultural origins. It is no secret also that the huge herds of cattle are owned mostly by the richer, more educated, highly connected town Fulani.

Over the years, Nigerians have accommodated the peculiar ways of these herds’ people as yet another strand in the rich and colourful quilt of Project Nigeria. At one time, the government of the federation introduced a policy on Nomadic Education to help the herds people move away from a gypsy like existence and embrace modernity through education. Despite the huge sums of money expended on that project, it is arguable now whether that initiative was of any worthwhile effect. Still, the herds’ people have held their own as vibrant players in the economy through their great contribution to the meat and dairy products industry in Nigeria. Nonetheless, since the eighties, the increasing desertification of their traditional homelands in the Northwestern and Northeastern regions of the country has led to intense pressures on them to move downwards into the Lower Benue area for greener grazing lands. All over the world, disputes with farmers are a constant feature of the herdsman’s life. Cattle have little notion of the difference between grass and

farm produce. Indeed, they prefer the latter. But the tenor and frequency of these conflicts have increased over the years due to pressures on arable land for both the farmers and the pastoralists. The phenomenon rarely led to bloodshed until the late eighties. Significantly, at some point in the nineties, the herdsmen association in Nigeria, known variously as Myetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, found it rather wise to appoint President Muhammadu Buhari, then a retired general, and also a cattle farmer to become its Life patron. It is on record that on several occasions, the retired general put his diplomatic skills at work to mediate in herdsmen-farmers quarrels across the country. Nevertheless, the squabbles did not abate; rather they increased because of land pressure and the unconscionable reluctance of the herdsmen to adopt to the modern methods of ranch farming for their cattle. It must be observed that the herdsmen did not resort to violence without prodding. Losses in livestock, even herdsmen’s lives to aggrieved farmers have long been indented at police stations across Adamawa, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba State. Though the mayhem of the last six years plus in Plateau State, emanated from political (indigene-non indigene) causes, it was not long before the herdsmen became collateral victims due largely to religious factors. Revenge, being a Fulani code of honour, the fighting escalated all round as the herdsmen fought to avenge the loss of their cattle and kin in spectacular killing campaigns. It is no great secret that they were aided in this by rich town Fulani cattle owners who provided the arms and recruited what is today a Fulani mercenary army that is ever ready to swing to the defence and vengeance of Fulani losses in any conflicts with farmers. The majority of these hired killers come from the larger Fulani populations of Sahel West African, who have been exposed to military training in the guerrilla armies of Mali, Niger and Chad. Of a second variant are herdsman, recruited and armed by wealthy patrons, who use their arms for criminal adventures such as armed robbery, rape and kidnapping. Recently, the police was able to nab some Fulani robbery and kidnap gangs in Ondo and Delta States. Reprisal killings account for the mayhem in Agatu, Benue State and recently in Uzo-Uwani in Enugu. The real measure of the tragedy is that the government of Muhammdu Buhari has been to slow to respond to the challenge. The president’s statement saying that he has directed the security chiefs to arrest the situation speaks volumes of tacit lethargy in very high places. Why should security chiefs need a presidential order to do their jobs? Should he not have called them to order instead, for not acting soon enough? Besides, what is the rationale in telling the Catholic Bishops Conference that the spree of violence will end in 18 months? Why can’t the murderous gangs be stopped immediately? We are talking of murder, not fuel shortages, aren’t we? Having cobbled together these cogent viewpoints, I must share with readers a spectacular recipe to herdsmen gangsterism in these times. The formula comes from Nekede, Owerri where herdsmen laid siege on the people’s farms about five or six years ago. The women of Nekede screamed to high heavens, to no avail. President Buhari has a rather succinct explanation, as he told a television reporter recently. “When you are herding nearly 200 cattle or more, you can hardly control what they will do.” Well, these women took matters in their hands, by reasoning that the herdsman have no other interest in the land than to feed their livestock. Therefore, they will only go where the cattle go. So, the women garnished their farm lands with rich layers of ground black pepper. One sniff, as the cattle grazed and wham; ever seen a cow sneezing? Most disconcerting to cattle is the sniffing of pepper. And before you could say, Kai! The moos were galloping away in twenty different directions. Goodbye Agoi, sai anjima. Someone, please, tell the farmers of Nigeria to stop attacking the Bororo herdsmen. Their thirst for bloody revenge is creating the bad name of an ethnic champion for Mr. President. Tell them to protect their farms with black pepper.