Herdsmen agree to stop bad behaviour, sign agreement with traditional oath in Ekiti state

In a colourful ceremony, herdsmen in Ekiti and southwest took an oath to ensure peace with host communities in Ekiti after a peace meeting convened by Ayodele Fayose, the Ekiti state governor.

The pastorialists promised that they would no longer behave in unruly manner, kill or allow their cows to stray into farms.
The oath taking ceremony was said to have been administered by Ardo Mairero, the Sarkin Fulani of Kwara state.
Punch reports that the meeting was attended by the emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II, who was represented by a former Kano state governor, Ibrahim Shekarau.

Other people present are the national president of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Muhammadu Kiruwa; heads of security and law enforcement agencies, hunters, members of MACBAN, farmers, vigilantes and grazing enforcement marshals.

 

In his reaction, chief press Secretary to the Ekiti state government, Idowu Adelusi, said: “It was administered with kola and sharing of the kola, which is a Fulani tradition that is binding on the initiators.“With this oath, issues of robbery, killing, damaging of farms and kidnapping, among others, being allegedly perpetuated by Fulani herders are over in the state.“The meeting and signing of the memorandum by all parties lasted for two hours between 11.00pm on Monday 19 to 1.00am of Tuesday, February 20,” he added.The communique which was signed by the herdsmen and Ekiti stategovernment read in part:“All herders must obey the anti-grazing and relevant laws of the land.

“That herdsmen must stop attacks on any member of the host communities. Any herder that breaches the peace should be prepared to face the wrath of the law, and Ekiti people should not provoke the herdsman or kill their cattle.

“It is therefore agreed that pastoralists /farmers’ crisis and killings, under any guise must stop immediately.“The meeting supports the anti-night grazing stand of the law because it protects the interest of all parties and the law takes its course in the violation of letters of these resolutions.” 

Source Punch