If Persuasion Fails, Force Must Be Applied: A Case For The Outright Ejection Of Agogo Fulanis?

The town of Agogo in the Asante-Akim Municipality of the Ashanti Region of Ghana has been battling with Fulanis spanning over a decade. Confronting the notorious Fulani herdsmen in Agogo seems to be a Herculean task to these Ashantis in their own land. No wonder the residents of Agogo have glossed over the destructive lifestyles of the Fula people in recent years. And they have almost relinquished their peace and safety to these nomads.

However, Agogo; where farming is the main economic activity, contributing about 70% of the town's economic output - Wikipedia revealed; has now mustered up the courage to combat the criminal behaviour of the Fulanis. Amakye Dede, a rare illustrious son of Agogo, urged his people to fight their own battle in order to safeguard their security.

Unfortunately, he was invited by the National Security Council for inciting the people of Agogo to violence against the Fulanis, because he alluded to the old dictum "if persuasion fails, force must be applied." He said, "I was invited by the National Security and questioned on that...my crime was that I made an appeal that people with guns, bullets etc. should supply us some so we would fight our battle and that led to my invitation by the National Security." Gosh, what do you expect Amakye Dede to angrily propose when our Police are reluctant to flush out these Fulanis while they destroy farms, rape women, kill residents and steal properties? For Christ's sake, these nomads are terrorising citizens of Ghana in their inalienable territory - this is absurdity of epic proportions.

Again, "The chiefs of the town estimate that close to 40 innocent persons from Agogo have lost their lives as a result of this battle which commenced in 2001," GhanaWeb reported. Meanwhile, the Ashanti Regional Security Council has apparently paid lip service to the fight against the nefarious acts of the Fulani herdsmen. They claim that they will eject the Fulanis from the land of Agogo yet its posture bound by double standards leaves the Agogo folks in a state of bewilderment.

Let's face facts, the Police are probably sitting on a fence regarding this crucial issue due to its enormous dimensions. That is why operational force appears to be the last option as a tough measure to drive the recalcitrant Fulanis away with immediate effect. But is it really a concrete solution to the problematic matter in hand?

Moreover, Richard Amoako Ansong, my writing mentor, recently wrote that, "The Agogo Youth Association, led by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Asante-Akim North, Honourable Kwadwo Baah Agyemang, last week issued a stern warning and a 24-hour ultimatum to the herdsmen to leave Agogo and its environs or risk dire consequences." Also, they promulgated a communal policy that no member of the Agogo township is allowed to conduct business with the Fula people.

For these are all evident of the gross failure of the state to protect the Ghanaian populace. Oh are we foreigners in our own country? This nonsense must be halted at all costs, President Mahama! Yes, the laws of Ghana must ruthlessly deal with those nation wreckers in Agogo fair and square, and without fear or favour.

Source: sirarticle.blogspot.com