A religious cleric, Pastor Jeremiah Babalola, has called on government at all levels to employ corrective measures to end the long-standing and violent conflict between herdsmen and farmers.
Babalola added that failure to act decisively would threaten national food security and further destabilize rural livelihoods.
Babalola in a statement made available to news men on Tuesday, urged political leaders, security agencies, and wealthy cattle traders to align with both divine and constitutional authority in tackling what he described as a “baseless trade” that has devastated the nation’s agricultural sector.
The statement reads in part, “It is obviously noted by the Spirit of God, that: It is not the problem which emerged from our government’s, administration, but, it is the problem which emerged from SOME individual rich men, who have engaged themselves in the business of cattle trade in Nigeria – and NOT ALL the rick men within our communities.
“These few people within our communities, who have their own inordinate ambition for worldly gain, and as such, embark on a baseless trade in an unlawful way; inorder to destabilize the work of our farmers in Nigeria.
“These few people have many cattles among the cattles that have been destroying our famer’s farm both far and near distance to us. The wise men use to say that: Any circumstance which can drive you away from the river, can equally drive you away from your farm; and if that is done, it simply means that, there is no more food for us, the outcome of which is death.
“Don’t embark on cattle trade in an unlawful way_ so as not to kill our farmers by destroying their products/crops with your cattle business.”
While proffering solutions to the issue, he said, “Let the needed corrective measure be taken in these ways – An advice, sir,
You must be an openly registered cattle trader in Nigeria. You need to join your hands with the government on this new restricting order of programme.
“You must have a concrete base for your cattle trade in Nigeria. Buy several hectares of land inside of which to keep and feed your cattle. Two or three traders can join hands together to buy a large parcel of land, for keeping and feeding their cattles. Your own cattle farm is known as your concrete base for your cattle trade.
“You are to fence round all your land bought for your cattles, either with barb wire or with blocks, inside of which you will be feeding a keeping your cattles. (We know that you are a well to do man – having enough money to finance your cattle trade without tears). You are to make boreholes inside your cattle farm, for your cattles to drink water there from, in order to avoid your going out from your own farm into another man’s farm, looking for water for your cattle. Farmers farm is different from Cattle’s farm.
“You need to employ some people, who would be planting for you – maize, cassava and all other leguminous plants that are good for feeding your cattle, inside your cattle farm. You have by this method, secured the needed green pastures for your own cattle. Cancellation of cattles roaming around our city high ways, should take place now; let the movement of your cattles be limited to your own cattle’s farm. Join yourself to those people, who have been running this cattle trade successfully in our country ”
“To you the authorities of our government in Nigeria: You need to take a bold step, on this mater now, and let the corrective measure be taken henceforth. Most especially, point
number five of this message, which Says:
Eradication of a baseless trade in Nigeria. Work on it decisively.”
Pastor Jeremiah Adejobi Babalola
07062355821
