By Idris Khalid
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Bauchi has expressed dismay that the Fulbe tribe has been marginalized in the scheme of things in the country.
The association, according to its state Chairman, Sadiq Ibrahim Ahmed, has noted with regret that apart from the marginalization, the Fulanis have been called all sorts of bad names with virtually every crime activity aligned to them.
Ibrahim, at the Bauchi South zonal meeting of the association held yesterday in Bauchi, observed that governments at all levels find it disputable to avail the Fulanis of social amenities such as water for both human and animal consumption, roads, grazing lands and cattle routes, among others.
He called on the Fulanis to forge a united front with a view to fight for their rights and privileges, saying they have not only been related to the background, but also pushed to the wall to stand upright and fight for whatever social amenities government provides to others of their ilk.
Bauchi MACBAN described Fulanis as the most peaceful and easily understood tribe, but quickly frowned, “We have been deprived of necessary of the much-needed social amenities, talk less of cueing us into the government’s economic welfare packages such as farming and industrial loans provision, among others”.
The association chairman stressed the need for unity of purpose among the Fulbe as it relates to peaceful existence, curbing criminal and criminality in the society, as well as embracing government’s policies and programmes.
He also complained bitterly on non-capturing or articulation of Fulbe or MACBAN needs or yens into government’s budgetary provision or its developmental programmes with a view to carrying them along.
Ibrahim explained that the zonal meeting of the association already held at North and Central zones of the state are all geared to device ways of curbing cattle rustling and other banditry activities rearing their ugly heads into the state, disclosing that a state meeting would soon be held to address such issues before hand.
Also speaking at the occasion, the state commissioner for youth and sports, Alhaji Adamu Manu Soro said although the State Executive Council has already approved the 2021 budget estimates, but directed the association to hastily make its demands for possible fusion into the budget.
Soro, who is the chief of Fulani community under tutelage of Madakin Bauchi, described Fulanis and farmers as the same people, saying it is after the Fulani draining of his cattle or animals that he turns to farming, so those two tribes are birds of same topographies.
The Special Adviser to Bauchi state governor on political affairs and a one-time speaker of the state assembly, Bappah Haruna Disina who also graced the occasion, recalled that Fulanis have been in Nigeria for the past 400 years, and could therefore not see the reason as to why they should be regarded as aliens or outsiders.
Disina, also a Fulani by tribe, attributed the indifference being meted to the fulbe to their obstinate illiteracy and the unending fractionalization among them.
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