When Fulanis become a nuisance in society

It is obvious that many Ghanaians are now worried about the incessant reports of gross misconducts of some nomadic Fulani herdsmen in the country and why it seems government is also unable to provide maximum security in order to forestall the wicked developments.

Actually many past and present government officials, politicians, public servants, security, legal and constitutional experts, academicians, civil society and pressure groups, traditional authorities, non-governmental organizations and individuals are on record to have made several damning comments about the operations of Fulani herdsmen in the Ghanaian society.

Listen to Dr Michael J.K Bokor: 'Many communities in Ghana have suffered for far too long at the hands of the Fulanis whose anti-social activities have now become a major national problem to confront with vigour and determination' and further states, 'Most of these Fulanis are accused of committing crimes such as cattle rustling, murder, rape, plain theft, and complete disregard for our laws wherever they go'.

If you monitor and analyze media reports on the activities of some Fulanis, especially in rural Ghana, you would realize that these aliens have now chosen to act as human pests, causing havoc and discomfort for indigenous people of the land.

I believe some of us may be asking where at all this group of people have come from and why they are in our country making life distasteful for our people. According to the Thursday, February 24, 2011 editorial of The Chronicle newspaper, 'The Fulanis, nationals of Niger, Chad and Mali, have been bringing their cattle down south to graze, anytime the weather in the Sahelian region makes it difficult for grass to sprout naturally, especially, during the long dry season'. The editorial further informs, 'Their (referring to Fulanis) vocation as herdsmen of cattle means they mostly lead nomadic lives, following their cattle to look for greener pastures, especially, during the long dry season. Naturally, Ghana being in the south, and with a relatively greener pasture, is an attractive destination for these nomads'.

I have also learnt that currently there are as many as 18 million Fulani people spread across West African countries and are found in countries like Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, The Gambia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Togo, the Central African Republic, Ghana, Liberia, and as far as Sudan in the east. I have also been made to appreciate that Fulanis remain the largest group of nomadic people in the world.

Anyway, let us come down to what happens in our country as far as the activities of these aliens are concerned. The other day, I was disturbed at the cartoons displayed on the front page of The Chronicle depicting how some Fulanis have embarked on or decided to undertake some forms of nefarious activities at a location, including destruction of people's food crops using their cattle, armed robbery, raping of a girl who was going through some pains and therefore begging for mercy. In fact, current reports about these individuals who have been allowed to enter and live in this great country of ours maybe in the name of ECOWAS protocol on free movement of people and goods are worrying and efforts need to be taken to check the situation.

Seriously speaking, anyone who has ever been to northern Ghana or has ever stayed there would appreciate how rough Fulanis at that stretch of the country are being treated by indigenes. Due to gory reports about them, and with so-called historical facts, a true-blooded northerner (especially a Mamprusi or Dagomba) is forbidden from going into marriage with a Fulani. According to an information handed down to me during my national service days at north a few years ago, any person of the Mole-Dagomba stock who would disobey this taboo and go ahead to marry a Fulani should be prepared to say bye to prosperity and comfort in his/her lifetime. Actually, any indigene that goes into marriage with a Fulani either deliberately or mistakenly, I am told, is usually ostracized till such a marriage collapses.

Personally, I do not fancy making derogatory comments on the personality of my fellow human being. However, I find it extremely intriguing sometimes to comprehend why our Fulani friends cannot integrate themselves fully into our society and learn to live decent lives. Most Fulanis usually move deep into the bush and create their own settlements many kilometers away from major towns and villages. Hardly a Fulani would be seen at social gatherings or involved in any regular communal programmes. In short, they behave like 'wild animals' and have very strong symbiotic relationship with their animals (usually cattle) in the bush. For personal and environmental hygiene, forget! Whenever they get to say market places, it is evident that locales have some problem getting into contact with them because of the kind of bad body odour some of them emit and how shabbily they dress.

Even though a few Fulanis may have tried to identify themselves with some indigenous tribes and religions, more still needs to be done in order to integrate them fully into our mainstream society.

Though unaware of how far a proposal made by the Speaker of Parliament, Madam Joyce Bamford Addo that the Leadership of the House should constitute a 9-member committee to investigate and come out with an action plan to deal with Fulani herdsmen who have been invading and destroying farms in various communities in the country has reached, as reported by The Statesman (Monday, 04 April 2011), I would want to say that the earlier we come out with practically viable legislation on the activities of these Fulanis, the better for us as a people.

District assemblies, traditional authorities, the media and all individuals must aid the security agencies in bringing all the alleged illicit activities of Fulanis under control!

E-mail: [email protected]