…Fulani sacrifice a lot to provide meats, others for Nigeria – UMTH CMD
The Fulbe Development and Cultural Organisation (FUDECO) has lamented being labeled as terrorists and kidnappers, noting that fulani ethnic being pastorialists community are employers of labour, taxpayers and contributors to the nation’s food value- chain across the west African.
The Fulani Group frowned at lingering stereotype that labels the Fulani ethnic group as ‘bandits ‘ or Kidnappers, regretting that ‘ criminals ‘ from other ethnic groups are described simply as criminals.
Speaking during the Fulbe National day and cultural festival held in Maiduguri, the Coordinator of FUDECO Borno State Chapter, Ayuba Usman Bawuro, who represented the National Chairman, Sarli Sardou Nana, noted that such selective labelling fuels prejudice, undermines social cohesion and hampers development.
He said Fulbe’s livestock and agricultural produce sustain families and markets across the country.
He however noted that the challenges facing the Fulbe pastorialists is insurgency, kidnappings, cattle rustling and hardship of transhumance migration.
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Of particular concern, he further noted, is the rising drug abuse among pastorialist youths, which had become an omen of violence and farm mischief, saying the Fulbe community must address this scourge through education, counselling and community- based rehabilitation, lest it further destabilise their fragile peace .
Bawuro extended gratitude to Borno State Governor, Babagana Zulum for establishing the RUGA programme , and for including Fulbe pastorialists as beneficiaries.
“We thank the Commissioner of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation for granting us approval to conduct research on pastorialists children’s education. The findings and policy recommendations have been made public, and we look forward to their implementation,” he said.
Ahmed Ahidjo, Professor and Chief Medical Director University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), who is also an award recipient at the cultural festival, urged the Fulbe community to enrol their children to school and encouraged pastorialists on building of ranches for their livestock to avert the persistent herders / farmers clashes.
“We have sacrificed a lot for meat production and other agricultural inputs to sustain families and the society. What do we get at the end? We are being tagged as terrorists, Kidnappers and bandits. This is misconceptions that must be addressed.” Ahidjo said.
