body-container-line-1
02.08.2014 Opinion

Fulani Cattle Grazers: Tinubu In “Secret Pact” With Northerners?

By Moribisasi Ojetunde
Fulani Cattle Grazers: Tinubu In Secret Pact With Northerners?
02.08.2014 LISTEN

There have been unconfirmed grapevine reports that Alhaji Bola Ahmed Tinubu has reached a secret pact with the Hausa/Fulani leaders to make the Southwest a 'free grazing zone' for the Fulani cattlemen if and when the All Progressive Congress wins power in 2015. According to the grapevine reports, this agreement was one of the major extractions that retired General Mohammadu Buhari got from Alhaji Tinubu to convince him (Buhari) to go into an alliance with the defunct ACN.

It was suggested that General Buhari considered this very important among other issues in their working relationship because of his having been initially betrayed in previous alliances by Alhaji Tinubu. It was believed that the strategists in Tinubu's camp were banking on the control of all the states in the Southwest in the days leading to the presidential election of 2015 to be able to have this alleged promise to the Fulani's fulfilled.


Those alleging this 'secret plan' point to the proofs as evident in what appeared to be deliberate attempts by the APC governors in the Southwest to sweep the pains and trauma of the Yoruba farmers under the carpet and refusing to do anything about it. It is being alleged that Alhaji Tinubu has given instructions to all the APC governors to 'turn a blind eye' to the travails of these Yoruba farmers with a view to convincing the Hausa/Fulani partners in the party that he really 'means business.' It has also been alleged that this pact was part of the discussions that Gen. Buhari had with the APC governor of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi at a closed door meeting in Ibadan on the increasing menace of the Fulani herdsmen.



Some of the sources have also pointed to the 'more than cordial' relationship between the Emir of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'adu Abubakar and Alhaji Tinubu who, according to them are constantly on the phone to 'review and decide on political matters'. It is being claimed that the influence of the Emir has everything to do with the increasing influence of Muslims in the APC and that the issue of Fulani cattlemen was a joint demand from General Buhari and the Emir who was also reported to be under pressure from other Emirs in the North.

The sources are pointing to repeated murders of Yoruba farmers by the Fulani herdsmen in Oyo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti States without the Governors of those states taking it seriously because of the fear of their 'godfather' who allegedly has given express orders on how to handle these murderous herdsmen. It was alleged that Alhaji Tinubu was prepared to do anything and everything to be on the 'good side' of his Northern mentors and that the 'death of a few Yoruba farmers' should not be allowed to derail the bigger plan of the expectations of 2015.


Specific examples were given in Ekiti state where millions of naira of farm products have been destroyed, several farmers including a pregnant woman murdered and hundreds wounded while the Kayode Fayemi administration did practically nothing about it. Giving examples of Ikere, Oke Ako, Gbonyin, Irele, Ipao, Ijan, Itafaji and several others, the sources alleged that the Fayemi government has been AWOL and all they do was occasional sympathies expressed to the families of the Fulani herdsmen victims. 'No compensation to us. No concrete steps to stop or check them (Fulani herdsmen). They are allowed to do what they want, destroy our farms and kill us in our land. Our government is more sympathetic to the Fulani men. The Ekiti government has demonstrated its unwillingness to protect us.'



Community leaders in Ekiti took issues with the response of Ekiti State Commissioner for Agriculture who was reported to be in the process of preparing several acres of land in Oke Ako for animal grazing. In a protest letter to the PUNCH newspaper, one J. O. Olukosi said: 'It means that these herdsmen would be armed with law to trespass into Oke Ako and other towns' farmlands with greater impunity. What remedies and protection has the government for Oke Ako and her neighbouring farmers?'

Traditional rulers in Ekiti have repeatedly sought the help of government on this issue to no avail. Even one of the traditional rulers has even had cause to accuse the police in Ekiti State of shielding the Fulani killers and protecting them. The state government never intervened or did anything to attend to the concerns of the people till now.


One of the sources also pointed to a PUNCH newspaper report by Femi Makinde on March 19, 2011 entitled 'Fayemi moves to avert herdsmen, farmers' clash' noting that it was a 'vacuous report'. He pointed out that the report never quoted any statement made by Governor Fayemi nor were the specific communities involved named or mentioned, but rather the report quoted the Police Commissioner applauding the governor. 'You can see that this is a gimmick and a propaganda to lure our people away from self defence. It was to create a façade and fool the public that 'something is being done' about this issue when nothing is on the ground to this effect.' The reported committee that was allegedly set up by Governor Fayemi never saw the light of the day and the name of the members were never made public.



In Ogun State, the failure of Governor Ibikunle Amosun is seen by the sources as part of the bigger plan that Alhaji Tinubu has put in place to protect the Fulani herdsmen as part of his alleged pact with the Northerners. The sources complained that the attempts to sweep under the carpet the damages being done by the Fulani herdsmen in Yewa parts of Ogun State has been a source of concern to the indigenes of the state who are victims. In Oyo state, over the years, the damages of the Fulani herdsmen have increased with impunity. From Saki to Iseyin, Oyo to Ogbomosho, there have been trails of blood, tears, deaths, maiming and gnashing of teeth. In April 2012 alone, about ten villages in Ogbomoso were destroyed by the Fulani herdsmen as they left unmitigated disasters in their wake.

The secret meeting between Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State with General Buhari was seen as part of the reasons why the horrors of the Fulani herdsmen have not been addressed. It did not matter that the Yoruba farmers were being murdered and their farms were being destroyed unabatedly. It was also pointed out that Governor Ajimobi was not willing to 'rock the boat' by taking any action as instructed by Alhaji Bola Tinubu in an attempt to safeguard 'the 2015 plan.'



In Osun State the menace of the Fulani herdsmen are being felt more in Oriade Local Government and the Northeastern part of Obokun Local Government areas than in any other. The Government of Rauf Aregbesola has ignored this completely. From the Southwestern part of Ila-Orangun to Imesi Ile - Esa Oke - Ijebujesa Axis, the Fulani herdsmen have become 'lords unto themselves', terrorizing the farmers, destroying farmlands and allegedly committing armed robberies.

The Ijebujesa - Iwaraja - Erinmo Ijesha - Efon Alaye Axis has become dangerous for people to travel even during the day. The government of Aregbesola has never commiserated with any farmer or even sympathized with them over their varied losses or taken any step to put the Fulani herdsmen in check. At a point the people of Oriade Local Government have to put together a vigilante group to defend themselves when the government would not come to their aid.


One of the community leaders was very upset about an alleged statement by Governor Rauf Aregbesola to some indigenes of Osun State at a closed-door meeting that the people should not worry themselves too much as he wondered how many Yoruba people could the Fulani cattlemen kill? It is being alleged that Aregbesola 'is the most committed' to 'the 2015 plan' because of his reported closeness to Alhaji Bola Tinubu. He was pinpointed by the protagonists of these allegations as being privy, like few others, to the 'secret pact' with the Northerners as his religious activities are being viewed as part of 'plan execution.'

They are insisting that the only reason the murders of Yoruba farmers and the destructions of their farms could go on without any serious action on the part of the governor is just part of the larger political plan of the APC which now comprises the ACN led by Alhaji Tinubu and the CPC led by General Buhari. 'It is amazing and weird that any leader would allow the killing and maiming of his people in order to attain a political goal. But that is what is happening to us in Yoruba land,' the community leader lamented.



All these events are being pointed to as proof of the alleged secret pact of Alhaji Tinubu with his Northern bosses. The sources pointed to active steps being taken by other governments in other parts of the country to combat the Fulani herdsmen menace and wondered why the Southwest governors are not doing anything. The grapevine sources insisted that the governments are in place to protect the people and their properties as well as their investments.

It further noted that the deliberate refusal of the APC governors to tackle this issue could not be unconnected with this alleged unholy alliance between Alhaji Tinubu and the North. 'How can you fold your arms and remained unconcerned when the people you claim to lead and govern are being killed, maimed, their properties being destroyed along with their investments?' one of the sources wondered.


The silence of all the APC governors in the Southwest on this all important issue, their deliberate inaction on the matter, their lack of concern for the continued murdering of Yoruba famers, the persistent pervasive destructions of farmlands in the Southwest, the lack of open, clear, concrete proactive plan to checkmate the Fulani herdsmen have become serious ammunitions in the armoury of those making these allegations against Alhaji Bola Tinubu and his 'boys' governing the Southwest.

body-container-line