FULL TEXT OF THE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY THE EKITI
STATE GOVERNOR, MR AYODELE FAYOSE DURING A
MEETING WITH MEMBERS OF THE MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE
BREEDERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA TODAY, THURSDAY,
NOVEMBER 3, 2016.
I welcome you to this meeting, which is in furtherance to our
quest to find a lasting solution to the menace of herdsmen
and safeguard the lives and properties of all residents of
Ekiti State.
Interestingly, I am wearing two caps today because I am
addressing you both as the governor and also as a cattle
farmer. Many of you might be unaware that I also rear
cattle like you. I have 83 cows too and I have told the
person taking care of them that if he goes against the law
and any of them is seized, he will be responsible.
Like I have maintained, I do not have anything against the
Fulanis or any tribe in Nigeria. It is on record that during my
first term, I appointed a man from Malunfashi as a Special
Adviser. This term too, I appointed Musa Kanga into the
Pilgrims Welfare Board, a Igboman is a councillor in Ward
10 and Ado Local Government.
Rather, my concern as a governor and custodian of the
popular mandate of Ekiti State is to protect the lives and
properties of all residents of the State, irrespective of their
tribe, religion and political party.
It is in pursuit of this vital responsibility of government that
we have chosen to control cattle grazing in Ekiti State and it
is being done in other civilised countries of the world. Or are
cattle breeders leading their cattle across city centres and
major roads, with the cows defecating everywhere in cities
like London, New York, Paris, or even Accra in Ghana and
Mecca in Saudi Arabia?
Let me therefore reiterate that there is no going back on the
total enforcement of the Prohibition of Cattle and other
Ruminants Grazing in Ekiti State Law, 2016, which came
into force on August 29, 2016. It is a law that all residents
of Ekiti State must obey.
A situation where herdsmen go about with arms is not
acceptable to us here in Ekiti and herdsmen found with
arms will be arrested and charged with terrorism.
If we are encouraging our people to embrace farming by
giving lands to them to farm through the creation of Land
Banks in the 16 Local Councils, and many of them have
borrowed money to invest in farming, when these farmlands
being cultivated with borrowed funds are destroyed by
herdsmen, who are also engaged in their own form of
farming, how do we get others to embrace farming?
In Oke Ako-Ekiti May, two persons were killed, people’s
wives raped by those hiding under the guise of rearing cattle
and I expected then that leaders of the Miyetti Allah will
show greater concern, but that never happened.
I was therefore miffed when I read in the newspapers that
the Miyetti Allah threatened a reprisal attack on the
government and people of Ekiti State and I, as the one the
people elected to provide them must not shy away from
that responsibility of protecting the people against any
aggressor.
When I heard that you were coming to invade our land, we
were also prepared for you people because I am not one of
the governors that are afraid of anyone.
Some people, because of politics took leaders of Miyetti
Allah in Abuja to the Presidential Villa and I ask them, is
Ekiti the same as Abuja? Is Senator Babafemi Ojudu who
met Miyetti Allah in the Villa in Abuja the governor of Ekiti
State? Did he take any step when his own people were
attacked and killed?
As I speak to you today, I am reiterating that Ekiti people
and all residents of the State will be protected with
everything within my power. That is my duty as a governor
and I will perform it without fear or favour.
I however appreciate the fact that you have now seen
reasons that you should cooperate with the government to
enforce the anti-grazing law. I am glad that you have now
realised that strict compliance with the law is in the interest
of all of us.
On the claim that the Ekiti Grazing Enforcement Marshals
were shooting cows, let me state here that it is a white lie
from those whose interest is bitter politics.
As cattle farmers, which I am one, we must realise that we
are not different from other farmers. We are not also
different from other businessmen who own business
premises where they transact their businesses. If fish
farmers are providing their own ponds and poultry farmers
building their own pens, while also buying feed for their
animals, there is no reason we as cattle farmers should not
also provide our own ranch and feed our cows without
encroaching on other people’s farmlands and properties.
Therefore, you have a duty to join in the crusade to free our
State from the menace of herdsmen. You must expose
those hiding under cattle grazing to perpetrate crimes like
armed robbery, murder, rape and wilful destruction of
people’s properties.
It was in view of this new approach that I directed the
suspension of activities of the Ekiti Grazing Enforcement
Marshals (EGEM) till today, so as to enable the free
movement of your cattle to designated ranches in the State
and I am sure that must have been done.
Today, I am giving cattle farmers in the State 14 days to
register with traditional rulers in the communities where
they are operating while the traditional rulers will forward
the registered herdsmen to the State government.
Once again, I thank you for your support and as your
governor, I make bold to say expressly that even as cattle
farmers, it is my duty to protect your lives and properties
and no matter the situation, I will never shy away from this
responsibility.
Thank you.