A Professor of Nomadic Architecture and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at Caleb University, Imota, Lagos, Adedeji Daramola, has offered some tips that can help Nigeria to put a permanent end to the frequent conflict between farmers and herders in the country.
He listed, among others, the introduction of farmers and livestock insurance policies as it is being practiced in India, Ethiopia, and Kenya, the inclusion of both farmers and herders in policymaking on issues that concern them, and the implementation of the report of the recent research carried out on this subject at the University of Ilorin and the Centre for Architectural Research and Development Overseas (CARDO), Newcastle University, United Kingdom, as the tips.
He said the research, in particular, captured the real reasons farmers and herders frequently clash, the challenges and poor handling of the situation, the attendant huge loss of lives, goods, and property, and then profer workable solution that could guarantee peaceful co-existence not only between farmers, and herders but also with other people in their communities.
Prof Daramola shared this thought and perspective at the just concluded national conference with the theme: “Cattle Beyond Crisis: Interrogating The Cattle Resource in Nigeria.”
According to him a statement made available by Caleb University’s spokesman, Dr Elvis Otobo, both federal and state governments must be more committed and serious to this course by taking concrete steps, as suggested in the report to solve the farmer-herder recurring conflicts in the country permanently.
He also mentioned that places considered to be “ungoverned” because of the weak presence of government there, such as Sambisha Forest, should also be critically looked into and make them uncomfortable for bandits and other criminal elements to hide.
The don expressed optimism that all these crises are surmountable but only if appropriate actions are taken jointly by the federal and various state governments.
Other speakers at the conference include Prof Adeniyi Gbadegesin, who is a former Vice-Chancellor of Ladoke Akintola University, Ogbomoso; Babajide Otitoju, the Group Head of News and Public Affairs at Television Continental; Dr Murtala Ahmed Rufai from Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto.
Also, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, where the conference was held, Prof Wahab Egbeyemi, and the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences of the university, Prof Paul Ifabiyi, were in attendance, among others.
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