By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Yoruba Council of Elders has asked the Federal government to forget about the proposed plan to establish ” cattle colony” in any of the South West states.
Speaking at the end of its 26th national executive council meeting in Ibadan, a Chieftain of the council, Dr Kunle Olajide said YCE alleged that the government was treating Myetti Allah with kids gloves.
He stressed that YCE was surprise that three weeks after the murder of some people in Benue no arrest has been made while the President was unnecessarily silent on it.
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“YCE totally rejects cattle colony and anti-grazing law as solutions to Fulani herdsmen brutality. We believe restructuring is the only solution. Once restructuring is done, it will solve all these problems.”he said.
The YCE spokesperson added that
“Federal government is encouraging Nigerians to go into farming. If we are promoting agriculture and Fulani herdsmen move about with their cattle destroying the farmlands. That is a paradox.”
Dr Olajide emphasized that as far ad YCE was concerned, the entire South west zone would never allow any cattle colony as it will only favours the Fulani herdsmen, saying, cattle rearing, farming are business ventures. No businessman will expect any government to come and run his business for him.”
“YCE condemns the ineptitude of the security agencies on the crisis, three weeks after the gruesome murder, no arrest has been made. YCE is alarmed that the leadership of an association Myetti Allah who had openly been issuing threats have not been questioned”, it said.
Owing to increased criminality, the elders said they were convinced that a centrally controlled security outfit cannot be effective in a heterogeneous multi cultural country like Nigeria.The security outfit must be decentralized soonest” adding this is an important aspect of the envisaged restructuring”.
On the President Buhari’s new year broadcast, the council maintained that in a civilized democratic clime, President’s new year broadcast always heralds hope and provides soothing balm to the citizens, adding , ‘ however, President Buhari 2018 broadcast shot an arrow at the heart of the citizen’s expectations by foreclosing restructuring and glibly blaming process rather structure for the nation’s woes”,
” YCE believes that the dysfunctional geopolitical structure is the root cause of the nation’s woes. The situation us further complicated by the wasteful system of government which is defective and which compels corruption by breeding mental and physical indolence. YCE is particularly disturbed by the fact that responsible leader and elders from parts of the country are dissatisfied with the state of the nation”.
