The cattle grazing colonies as proposed by the President Muhammadu Buhari led federal government of Nigeria at every states of the Federation seems to be creating atmosphere for another civil war as the Oodua Nationalist Coalition (ONAC) has rejected in its totality that no part of the Yoruba land will be used either by state or federal government for the purpose of cattle colony.
Just as the Federal Government of Nigeria is concluding on steps to forcefully take over private people’s landed properties in every state, the Coalition which comprises of all states in the Southwestern Nigeria in a meeting held few days ago at Ibadan the Oyo state capital did not only reject the move but has also sent a warning to the Nigerian government that no portion of the Yoruba land would be ceded for any colony either by state nor federal government.
The Coalition who during the Ibadan meeting accused President Mohammadu Buhari of promoting ethnic supremacy through his indifference to Fulani genocide and savage manslaughter, said It is the first time in the Nigerian history that the Federal Government will boldly and without shame support armed insurgents and murderers. This is the worst scene in recent human history that no one can ever forget in a hurry.
Meanwhile the Ondo state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu had in his state bow to pressure when he said he would not ban grazing, the group berates the governor bringing him to the knowledge of various atrocities committed by the Fulani herdsmen in the guise grazing their cattles.
According to ONAC aside Kidnaping former presidential aspirant Chief Olu Falae on his farm in Ondo state the herdsmen are also in the habits of sexually molesting and kidnapping innocent Ondo people without end, despite over 200 Ondo farmers losing their jobs and even killed by the Fulani herdsmen.
ONAC in the statement released after the meeting said “It is clear from Akeredolu’s statement that after selling his own conscience, he does not care about selling the entire future of the people of Ondo state for a pittance. But this era will pass and treacherous leaders will soon account for their ignominy.”
The group in the statement said “any attempt to cede any Yoruba territory in the traditional Yoruba homes of Ogun, Lagos, Oyo, Osun, Ekiti, Akoko Edo, Itsekiri, Kwara and Kogi States is an invitation to anarchy. ONAC said any governor that harbours Cattle Colonies in Yoruba territory is inviting mayhem and bloodletting”
The statement signed ONAC’s Deputy Chairman, Mr Olalekan Akinduro read thus “We caution that land in Yorubaland is not a free enterprise. Land is owned by families and traditional communities. It is not conceivable that these lands will be hijacked by the Federal Government to benefit a few armed groups parading themselves as pastoral Fulani. The question we should ask is this: Can the Fulani land in Sokoto and Zamfara be taken over by the Federal Government and handed over to Yoruba cocoa farmers?”.
We warn South West States never to allow grazing routes or Cattle colonies in any Yoruba territory. This will amount to using the Nigerian state machinery to commit atrocious crime against the indigenous Yoruba people. It is a conscious attempt to impose Fulani tyranny and conquest by other means on the Yoruba people”,
