*Task Governors to enforce anti open grazing law
*Warns criminally-minded Yorubas against kidnapping
*Insist they have nothing against peace loving Fulanis
*Say Yorubas consume 8,760,000, cattie, worth over N9.6bn annually
By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
Yoruba socio cultural group, the Council of Yoruba Elders (CYE) yesterday, called on South West state governors to without wasting time, enforce anti-open grazing Law across their respective states.
The Yoruba socio cultural group in a statement by its Secretary General, Dr. Victor Taiwo in Ibadan, also pledged to invest N1trillion for the establishment of cattle ranches across Yoruba speaking states.
CYE emphasized that there is the urgent need for the South West state governors to start the enforcement of the anti-open grazing law in their respective states, adding that such enforcement will no doubtz put an end to invasion of cattle herders who always feed their cattles with the crops and farm produces of helpless farmers in Yorubaland.
“We the Yorubas have nothing against the peace-loving Fulani people of this country, but we can no longer tolerate any further the miscreants among the herders especially those from other countries perpetrating their menace on our people”, it said.
The Yoruba Elders added, “We are using this medium to compel the executive arms of the governments to enforce anti-open grazing law with immediate effect.
“The Fulani herders should transform themselves from their archaic and primitive ways of breeding their cattle to the global norm of ranching system. They should negotiate for land purchases from their host state governments for the ranching of their cattle.”
CYE stressed, “While we are not declaring any economic war on the people of any section of the country, we however, do not know any sane society that must insist on buying a product which you can produce on your own without stress from outside source more so from the monsters who will destroy your own means of survival, kill your children and wives and cut off your arms, and you will still resort to patronizing such monsters.”
It also warned, “bandits and the criminally-minded Yorubas that are found of kidnapping our people for rituals and ransom should know that their days are numbered within the geographical space of Yorubaland as we have instituted a high-powered security system to be coordinated by our highly respected patriot Barrister Bola Longe (AIG Rtd) and Mr. Marcus Omuiyadun (Rtd CP) ably supported by the leaders of our various youth and security-inclined organizations.”
“According to a well conducted, impeccable, unambiguous and verifiable research, the number of cows the Yoruba people of Yorubaland consume on daily basis is 24,000. Get it multiplied by 365 days it gives us 8,760,000 per annum. The financial implication is ₦984 billion per annum.”
“We need to ask ourselves some questions about the cattle ranches provided for us in Yorubaland by the late Sage Obafemi Awolowo, then we have more than enough cattle ranches that can cater for our daily consumption, then we used to have Fasola Farms Oyo in the current Oyo State on 1,200 hectares, Akunu-Akoko of now Ondo State on 8,061 hectares of farmland running through Ikakumo Ise, Auga-Akoko to Edo State boundary, Imeko in now Ogun State on 4,000 hectares, Ayedun-Ekiti (Oke Ako) now Ekiti-State on 12,000 hectares of farmland through Ikun-Ekiti, Saki in now Oyo State on over 16,000 hectares of farmland, Ibarapa farms in Oyo State on 5,000 hectares, Agege in Lagos State was not left out just as we also had the Dairy Farm in Ibadan.”
“All the ranches mentioned above have gone into extinction, Where are our governors who succeeded Awolowo both old and current? Let them ascribe to themselves the praises that they think they deserve respectively, Aside the cattle ranches bequeathed to the successive governors which have all evaporated, let our governors tell us where the various investment companies and industries Awolowo bequeathed to them are. They need to explain the factors for their deaths.”
“To the effect of the above, the CYE has decided to invest, for a start, a sum of ₦1 trillion on the establishments of cattle ranches and general animal husbandry across the Yoruba states. All hands are already on the machine spinning in this direction.” Taiwo stated.
