In a bid to address the persistent clashes between farmers and cattle herders in various parts of Nigeria, (IPAN) Igbos for Progressive and United Nationhood took a proactive step by conveying the concerns of angry farmers and local security leaders in Anambra State — particularly those from Awka North Local Government Area, to the Miyetti Allah leader.
The delegation, led by the National President of IPAN, Chief Lawrence Rapuluchukwu Onuzulike (Orimili N’Achalla), engaged in a crucial meeting with Chief Gidado Siddiki, the National Deputy Director of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association. The meeting, held at Chief Siddiki’s office in Awka, the capital of Anambra State, aimed to address the ongoing challenges faced by farmers, particularly the destruction of crops by herders.
Chief Lawrence Onuzulike conveyed the heartfelt messages from farmers, security and community leaders, highlighting the detrimental impact of the careless destruction of crops on yearly yields.
In addition to addressing the immediate concerns, Chief Onuzulike drew attention to the broader implications of unresolved internal issues. He wondered how the international community would support Nigeria to host complicated major world events, such as world-class international business seminars, major sports and entertainment events, when we cannot address common internal issues like the persistent farmer-herder clashes.
The IPAN leader also wondered why it’s difficult for Nigerian leaders to solve problems whose solutions are obvious.
In response, Chief Gidado Siddiki appreciated IPAN for bringing the messages of Anambra people to him. He reiterated his continuous efforts to foster peaceful coexistence between farmers and herders.
Chief Siddiki outlined proactive measures initiated by the Miyetti Allah National body to mitigate the conflicts, including programs such as orientation sessions for herders on crop identification, the discouragement of open grazing, and the promotion of ranching.
Additionally, he expressed remorse on behalf of Miyetti Allah for the indifferent attitude of some herders and pledged decisive actions to address the issue.
The collaborative efforts between IPAN and Miyetti Allah, as showcased in this meeting, signify a significant step towards finding lasting solutions to the challenges posed by farmer-herder conflicts in Anambra State.
Signed:
Engr. Ozuah Strukture Nnamdi
Media Head/Secretary IPAN
ipannigeria@gmail.com
