THE NEED TO GRAZE THAT GRAZING BILL

I had promised myself that I will not for once talk about cattle grazing issues in Nigeria particularly the Grazing bill. I have not finished talking about human beings. So why should I now start with cows?  I need to finish talking about fundamental human rights before fundamental cow rights. However, in a country where cattle depart from their roles of being the beauty amidst wildlife, exotic sights for tourists and, where necessary, an alternative source of protein amidst many alternatives, it becomes an inevitable subject for discuss. So let’s reflect together!

Up till this week, fights between herdsmen and farmers have continued in Nigeria. In states like Ogun, Benue, Oyo etc, farmers and their farm products have been victims of herdsmen and their cattle respectively. These have severally triggered wild brawls that burst into major massacres and in some cases, loss of lives. Cows destroy farm crops with no apologies from their herdsmen. Moving cattle on the roads, sometimes major dual carriage ways had to be banned in some Nigerian cities because here, cattle excreta to some herdsmen is for road design as if other countries in the world do not rear cattle too. And when those grazing cattle initiate their parade on the autobahn of Lagos-Ibadan expressway where many vehicles left their breaks at home before hitting the roads, expect the massive burials of cattle. And then expect wars from their herdsmen. The reactions of these herdsmen have been terrible as they are ready to kill whatever kills their cattle as if human life and cattle life match each other. This is also to recall for reference,  the recent damage done by herdsmen and their herds some two weeks ago in Adamawa state. Killings of farmers by herdsmen still happened in Ekiti state around May this year.

In Owerri and Port Harcourt Airports in the last 2 years, cattle have stopped aeroplanes from landing on 2 occasions. In Port Harcourt, it even led to a collision with the cows. We were all glad the grazing of cows did not lead to a plane crash.  Should that happen, you surely would not have seen any of the herdsmen.  They will all disappear into the thin air. 

A herd of cattle    Photo credit: www.canalblog.com

Having read the proposed Grazing Bill, I concluded in my mind that in the world of cows, Nigerian cattle should have the biggest country in the world. They can go anywhere along the West African coast to merry and their herdsmen need no visa. They now do not need to struggle for local government or state reserves. By this bill, they will enjoy federal government reserves anywhere from the Sahel right to the fullest of Nigerian rain forests. They can eat whatever crops there and will be protected even by federal laws. The advocated grazing bill protects these herdsmen and their business as if  cattle rearing is the only agribusiness in Nigeria.  If cattle breeders enjoy FG Reserves, poultry farmers, pig farmers and goat farmers should have their share of federal reserves too. 

The bill also said nothing about the victims of grazing by herdsmen. It said nothing about the compensation of these hardworking female farmers who sweat hard for their farm products to mature only to have their crops damaged by herdsmen who see these women’s farmlands as the best lands to graze. What happens to those farm products do not matter as long as their cows have eaten.

When I saw section 17(1) of the Grazing Bill that said that all federal government lands and any other lands considered best for grazing and stock routes by the commission will be subject to the provisions of this advocated grazing law, I screamed!  . Definitely the lands where these poor farmers till for farming are extremely very good for grazing. That is the only reason why these herdsmen move their cattle there. If this continues and these farmers continue to resist and fight these herdsmen, all that is needed is that the cattle rearers will notify the Grazing commission of the suitability of the resisting farmers lands. The commission will then go on to work towards granting the herdsmen occupancy on behalf of the president. Definitely the lands of these farmers will be the first to fit into that clause as these are the farmlands that these herdsmen could not overlook such they were compelled to graze even when they saw crops on them. My question to the advocates of this bill is that “Is a grazing land now more important than a tomatoe farm or a cocoa farmland? Are these cattle rearers more important than these female Benue or Oke Adio farmers? Can we say cattle are more important than yams or cocoa? 

 A herd of Cattle     Photocredit : www.flickriver.com

The worst part of this bill is how section 18(1) of this Grazing bill challenges the Land Use Act of 1978. The grazing bill is seeking that the governor of the state where the desired or suitable grazing land is located should agree with the commission for reconstitution and revocation of the land for the purpose of grazing! Please note that the Land Use Act permits such revocation strictly for public purposes. So can we say that the lands all over Nigeria gotten for the grazing of the cattle of a wealthy few has therefore being acquired for “public purposes”? How is it that cattle rearing  is for public purpose but  tomatoe or cocoa farming is  not when there is no protein need in this country that cannot be met by  richer, healthier and safer alternatives like dry fish, snail, goatmeat? . Even the real poor in Nigeria cannot afford beef.  They eat fish, picked snails, ponmo etc.  If Nigerians do not eat beef in a year, they will never die of lack of protein. So what is this about exactly?

Once again, I support the Ekiti state governor, Ayodele Fayose whenever this grazing bill is mentioned.  I will rather vote for those poor young and old farmers who remain in Nigeria’s inner creeks cum villages and have yet refused to beg for food. Greed and selfish interest is smiling on the pages of this bill. And because this is not in the best interest of every farmer that is not rearing cattle, I insist that it does not do the greatest good to the greatest number. Hence the bill itself should be grazed out of existence!