Open Grazing, Killing of Farmers, South West Governors Failing us

Space Summary

The Twitter Space Open Grazing, Killing of Farmers, South West Governors Failing us hosted by ThinkYoruba_1st. The Twitter space focused on discussions around open grazing, farmer killings, and criticisms of South West governors for failing to address these issues. TYF, a Socio Cultural Org advocating for Yorùbá Conservatism, serves as a vital voice for Yorùbá cultural preservation and interests globally. The space emphasized the importance of community unity, cultural awareness, and governance accountability in protecting Yorùbá values and heritage.

For more spaces, visit the Lifestyle page.

Questions

Q: Why is open grazing a significant concern for farmers?
A: Open grazing puts farmers at risk of conflicts, destruction of crops, and threatens their safety.

Q: What role does TYF play in advocating for Yorùbá interests?
A: TYF serves as a voice for promoting Yorùbá cultural values, heritage, and self-preservation globally.

Q: How can community engagement benefit Yorùbá advocacy organizations?
A: Community support and unity strengthen the impact and reach of organizations like TYF in advocating for Yorùbá interests.

Q: What are the challenges faced by South West governors in addressing farmer killings?
A: Criticism mounts against South West governors for perceived failures in protecting farmers and addressing security challenges.

Q: Why is cultural preservation important in the context of Yorùbá Conservatism?
A: Preserving Yorùbá culture is vital for maintaining identity, heritage, and values among the Yorùbá people worldwide.

Highlights

Time: 00:12:10
Impact of Open Grazing on Farmers Discussion on the dangers faced by farmers due to open grazing practices.

Time: 00:20:45
Role of TYF in Yorùbá Advocacy Exploring how TYF promotes Yorùbá values and interests on a global scale.

Time: 00:32:15
Community Engagement for Yorùbá Preservation Emphasizing the importance of community support in preserving Yorùbá heritage.

Time: 00:41:02
Governance Failures and Citizen Protection Criticism towards South West governors for alleged shortcomings in safeguarding their communities.

Time: 00:52:30
Cultural Awareness and Identity Highlighting the significance of cultural awareness and identity in the context of Yorùbá Conservatism.

Key Takeaways

• Open grazing poses threats to farmers' lives and livelihoods.
• There is a need for urgent actions to address the escalating farmer killings.
• South West governors are criticized for not adequately protecting their citizens.
• TYF serves as a crucial platform for promoting Yorùbá values and self-preservation.
• Advocacy for Yorùbá Conservatism is essential for cultural preservation and identity.
• Ensuring the safety and security of farmers is a top priority for TYF.
• Community engagement and unity are vital in advocating for Yorùbá interests.
• The space highlights the importance of supporting organizations like TYF in preserving Yorùbá culture.
• Addressing governance failures is imperative for safeguarding Yorùbá communities.
• Promoting awareness of Yorùbá heritage and values is a key focus of TYF.

Behind the Mic

Introduction and Topic Overview

Hello, everybody. We should be starting in a minute, so please invite your folks up. This is a very important topic today. Very, very important topic. We won't spend too much time in this space. The plan is to spend maybe just 2 hours at the most. because this is Sunday. I know we had a very big, discussion yesterday. So just 2 hours. That's what we plan to spend here. Want to speak, please raise up your hand, ellie, so I can start to bring you up into the speaker because there's not going to be too many opportunity to speak as much.

Introduction of Felix Amos

so I have here with me with Mr. Felix Amos. Mr. Felix speaker. Mr. Microphone. Can you please do that? Yes, I can hear you. Not as loud, but it's not very loud. Let me see what I can do with the speaker or the mic rather. It's not very loud, though. Not very loud. Not. Better yet. Can people hear him very well? If you can hear him very well, please. Thumbs up. Okay. Once upon calling, sir, I. So we are going to start in the name of Olodumare. Today we will be talking about the farmer issues with the hadas, predominantly the Fulani herdsmen.

Discussion on Fulani Herdsmen

As far as we know, the Fulani are the people doing cartoon rearing business. We don't know of other ethnic group within Nigeria that are doing that business. So we will mention them as Fulani herdsmen. And their killing, incessant killing in the Yoruba land is where we are focused today and also in the middle belt as well. As you all know, this week, in the last few days, actually last week was a. Was a killing sensation for them in those states. They killed a young farmer of 18 years old. They also killed another farmer. Maybe he was in his status as well, that they killed also a few days ago.

Community Response to Violence

And this led to a lot of women in the community. They came out, you know, they tied their wrapper. They came out to protest. But the issue is that for how long are we going to continue to pretend that a tiny rapper around his chest coming out and protesting will stop people that are terrorists from killing in the land? Also, the people in charge that actually has power. We are talking about. We are talking about women, old women that they are. They don't even have any means of defending themselves. They have to come out to protest about the senseless killing of that young man that was killed in Ndo recently.

Interpersonal Conflict and Its Consequences

And as the story had it, the guy was. His farm was decimated by the cattle and the Fulani were made to pay some retribution for destroying his farm. And the next day, after they paid whatever they were supposed to pay, they went to the farm and act into debt. So this has been the many stories that people have been complaining about not to even talk about the people whose farm were just, you know, decimated, people who planted things and their harvest was taken by the cattle rearers. So many different scenarios. The middle belt, I can't even touch. You have to hear it from the middle belt people.

Atrocities and Government Inaction

So many atrocities have been committed in their region, enough to be described as an act of genocide. And usually we don't hear any action from the government. We will see that. Some people will say, oh, the. The Caturia, excuse me. Cannot be. They cannot arrest them. When they arrest them, they actually release them. These are what people are saying in the community. It's got to the point. I think I've lost our voice. Can people hear her? Hello? Hello? Yeah, I can hear you now.

Issues with Farmer Thefts

Yeah, I got. My phone restarted itself, which is very unfortunate because I want to use that phone and not this one because I'll be getting an important call very soon. But it's okay. maybe I will try again to reconnect in the other one. Just give me a second. Okay. Can you guys hear me? Yes, I can hear you. I'm not sure of others. Let's be sure. I think they can hear me, too. Okay, so we're going to try today. Hopefully. Hopefully, this phone will not let us down.

Discussion Initiation

So are you with me? Okay, go on. I think that there's a couple of people raising their hands, so. Okay, yeah, I may want to listen. I may want to listen to questions. Yeah, yeah. So let's take Toba, Mister Toba.

Concerns About Security

All right, thank you. Good evening everyone. And good evening also Mister Feliz, I appreciate your contribution. And what's my major take on this is that our political class in the southwest here, they are trying to be politically correct in the sense that they created a security network. But how effective is this security network? Because the issue we should not.

Absurdity in Security Votes

It is not. It is. It is absurd that people are asking the organizer of program to equal the program is something that should come along. What is their security vote for? They just think that they should just share it. Because part of the issue we are facing is that there is no concerted effort in doing, in tackling a particular menace headlong.

Recent Violent Incidents

And what we are seeing as a result of it in places like on those dates with the recent killings that we had, all the recent kidnapping in kitty state. And we all know security is local. But as far as we fail to do the needful we will always having the same result time and again.

State of Insecurity

One major issue, I don't know, maybe it's as a result of this ECOWAS or treaty or understanding Nigeria is too porous. I was sometimes last year I was at Elisha Barobah in Kwara. Not so went for a program. Program. So one of. In one of our help, our work took us to remove.

Community Experiences

It was a full learning settlement. Those people, they are domiciled, they are full on. But they have been there for long. They have is like. They have. They have a settlement here. So went there, we talked. So in the course of our interaction I was playing with a small Fulani girl and I was telling the Baba gadget, Baba, will you allow me to take this girl to illory that I should marry this guy?

Cultural Insights

Baba said, no problem. See? And I said, but Baba, I don't have cow that I will bring. Baba said, no, he doesn't need cow, that he need money. And I said, why? I believe you will prefer Cowen. Cow is not a problem for them.

Migration Impact

And he now told me something. He said the advent of GSA brought in so many external people all the way from Nigeria and all this country into Nigeria that they were just calling themselves the baba now told me that now they are having problem in their community because of these people who are just moving in on.

Root Causes of Violence

When you look at. When you look at the history of this violence, you will agree with me that it was the influence of these uncheck migrant others that created the problem we are having. Because most of the community, especially people who live in Kwara state here and maybe some part of Ikiti state or Kogi and Nanja and Undo states, especially on do not area.

Local Settlements

They are accustomed with having Fulani settlement that they call gaga. Even some of the ga, they have become part of the town here in Lorraine. So with this unchecked people and their attitude, their propensity for violence, it has created the problem.

Political Response

But unfortunately for us, our political class here in the southwest, they are not rising up to the task, because I don't understand why people will create an outfit and we will now be asking them, please fund this outfit, equip this outfit, do this for this outfit.

Funding Security Efforts

It shouldn't be. This is something that should come alongside establishment. Thank you. So thank you, Mister Toba, I will respond to that. Thanks for that observation.

Addressing Questions

We bring all of them together. So I think score, we've got someone with the name score racing up is fine. So thank you, sir. Mister Toba, I will respond to that and we brainstorm more. Yes, Scott, go on.

Time Constraints

Take just two minutes please, so that you can collect everything together. Like I said, we have very limited time on this space. We don't want to spend 5 hours here. Scott, go on. Two minutes.

New Ministry Proposal

Okay. thank you. Thank you for this base. My question is that the new ministry that is being proposed by federal government, how will the ministry come in all of these issues? You mean ministry for livestock, right? Yeah, that's a very good question.

Shed Some Light

Yeah. So what should we expect? How can they come in all of the issues? Thank you. Then my second question is that you mentioned that the southwest state has enacted some laws as which is which banned open grace, but it's still happening.

Law Implementation Concerns

I want you to help us shed some light. Is it that the law is not, has not been passed or is it that there's a federal government directive that over who state laws? I don't. And another, my suggestion is that when cases like this, because I kind of noticed that you said that when they take them to the station, they have nobody, they become liability on the force and they just have to release them, which they now take advantage and use to commit crime because nobody want to prosecute them.

Suggestions on Prosecution

They will have to feed them and others, like can there be a speed, prosecution for them? Like maybe speed it rather than having to keep them in the station, take them to court, maybe just quickly, a speed court that you can just do within some hours or a day or two days, get them a representative and prosecute them once and for all, wherever you want to take them to.

Response to Suggestions

Maybe prison, maybe if they are found, copy. But maybe they also be hanged or anything rather than having to keep them in the station and which is going to become a body on the force and they will have to just release them. Okay. Can there be that? Okay, thank you.

Continuing the Discussion

Thank you. Thank you. Score. We will respond to that. I've noted them. Hello, sister. Are you taking the fast? Two more ants. Eric Dan and cease.

Final Suggestions

I don't know this name. Let's take Eric Dan. Eric Dan, ask your question one to two minutes, then we go to Tze and that will be all the questions that Mister Felix can answer. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Addressing Ethnic Stereotypes

I want to ask this question about the people, the Yorubas that are always throwing the Yoruba people under the carpet when this issue of hestmen arise. Because when you complain they will say, it's no hestman, that is Yoruba people that is killing the farmer.

Solutions for Self-Protection

So how are we going to deal with these people? And I have suggested that we should, the farmers should be able to allow to protect themselves when this issue comes out. But many people are against it because they feel that the government will come to their aid.

Government Inefficiencies

And just like a police officer once told me that he cannot leave his house, go and be protecting someone in his house. He has his family to protect. So when the government fails, I think the people should be able to rise to defend themselves.

Submissions and Reflection

Thank you very much. That's my submission. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I will speak about that quickly. Thanks.

Further Opinions

Then the last. Okay, thank you for allowing me to speak. My own is just to give an addition to what the second to last speaker I've spoken. Me, I'm from, I'm from Borno.

Growing Issues

And I just want to give a brief snapshot of anticipation of how these things of flying is getting out of hand. So if you look at the trajectory before, issues of flying headers used to be just in the north.

North to Other Regions

Right now, when I mean north, it used to be not east majorly just Adamo, Aburno, Yobe, Taraba and Borno state. But now, if you observe very well, these things has now blown out of profession because now the whole of north central, that is Benue, Nasarawa, Abuja, Koji, Josse, Flanny, Malaysia, have been a disaster.

Identification of Culprits

And one thing that we need to understand is most of the those who perpetrated these crimes are those Fulanis who are from Sahel, Savannah. Some of them are part of the indigenous Fulani. Some of them come across west african countries like Mali, Ninja, Cameroon, Chad.

Understanding Terrorism

So as it is right now, most of these crimes that we see being perpetrated by flying militia or flannel herdsmen, whatever name we to them. One thing that we need to understand clearly is there is terrorism being perpetrated by this subgroup of felonies.

Indigenous Fulani Participation

And we have, of course, we have insignificant indigenous felonies from Nigeria who also are part of this terrorism. But the larger part is being protected by people who are even outsiders from Nigeria, but they are still flying.

Concerns for Local Populations

So now that is why it is really becoming a serious concern. So for me, what I would say, just from my experience, from what I've seen in the north, that is not. Because now we are not talking about north, we're talking about southwest.

Calls for Local Action

Right. The Yoruba lands. Right. So for me, what I would advise people from the locals, which majorly are these farmers, the indigenous people who stays in these localities, the traditional rulers have to really come up with their own ways to save their people and their land.

Implications of Federal Inaction

One thing that I can tell you for sure, without any doubt, is that the federal government, the government agencies will do nothing. And they cannot do nothing because they are already overstretched by the current insecurity within this country.

Rising Insecurity

We know these things. Boko Haram has been there for decades. Now we have bandits who are taking over northwest and now nothing is happening. Fulani Hetzman has never been resisted by the nigerian government in the sense that I don't wanna, because, of course, I don't want to accuse or point fingers because some of you here could have wondered what I'm talking about.

Collusion with Security Agencies

There are a lot of people within these agencies who work with these guys. We have seen how they have dealt with people in Kaduna. We have seen how they are killing people in.

Impact on Communities

Just nothing is happening. If you go to Benue, you see what they do right now. Or let me say for the few months, there are communities that completely have been wiped out by these guys.

Territorial Expansion

Ninjas, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Benwe. Now, for them to go up to southwest, it tells you that they are already overrun. These other communities, the next thing is for them to start doing what they are doing in these places to those your places you call your rubberland.

Confusion and Explanation

I don't want to be specific because I don't want to cause confusion. But what I want to tell you is these guys are doing what they are doing because some people within the state are in support of them.

Underlying Motivations

And what they are after is land grabbing and eliminating a whole community. They will come in a small way, like they will attack, kill, and then they will regroup.

Financial Implications

When you are there talking about money or people they will slap. Thank you.

Context of Security Issues in Benue and Yoruba Land

The same thing with Eboyin, the same thing with platoon, the same thing with Araba that surrounded Benue. So there were. There was enough opportunity, there were enough opportunities for the elders and the militias that the Fulani have put in place to surround Benue and be attacking Benue from here and there. But however, I will now get to the bottom of the issue. Now, this is the most serious part. The what Benue is supposed to do as a minimum was not done, and the same thing is not done in Yoruba land. And I will now explain now, so that Mister Toba and others will. We really understand this. You will realize that in about three months ago they were discussing about state police and now the thing has died down.

Governors' Attitude Towards State Police

So let me tell you, for those people in this call, and we can share this with other people, no governor is interested in state police. No governor was interested in amateur. Let us take note of that. Because the issue is that to establish state security and fund them is a very big project. They need to recruit, they need to train and they need to harm to equip. They will need to now maintain their salaries, pensions, offices, and buy cars and other things for them. This is a very big project that no governor want to venture into. They are not in the position they are not in. They are not in government to do that. It's not their interest that is completely against their personal interest, that is completely against their purpose of joining PDP or EPC or whatsoever.

Impact of Ignorance and Governance Issues

And also the cost of funding that. Like I've said, although it's difficult, but however, it encloses onto their. Onto their aim of coming to politics, which is to be. To become as rich as they can to achievement. However, if that is not done, our. Our peoples are destroyed. I look at the case of a state that was even before the death of Akeridolu. On those days, Mateko announced that they want to recruit people into amateur. Then the commandant came out and said over 10,000 youths or men in persons applied to join Amateku Inundo State. But the commander said they only needed about 300 personnel. Then I put my hands on my head. How will 300 men protect on those states? But that is what the governors want to fund.

The Complexities of Organizing State Security

That is what. And nobody is sure they even recruited 300. So. But now what is the major problem that we really need to focus on? Where we need people. Where we need people to reason. Some people are talking about restructuring, some are talking about Yoruba nation, this and that. Some are talking of different big projects. Whatever anybody believes, no problem about that. But can we look at this? That is at the heart of the survival of our people and tackle it? And this is where we tell us the number one problem with the greatest problem. The problem is the ignorance of our people. It is not. Let me give us example of a UK in the advent of democracy.

Historical Context of Democracy and Its Lessons

The elite in UK, the nobles, they confronted the king, that the king are the one making the law. The king will decide on how much they are going to pay as a tax in a year. And the king is the one that we sentence people, is the one that we prosecute. Is the one that we execute. So they eventually revoted against the king and that is what gave birth to Magna Carta. And finally that led to the democracy. But one thing that happened in the UK is that when the nobles, when they elite, when they started democracy, two serious things happened in this country. I'm based in the UK now. Number one, women's were not allowed to vote. So if you are a woman, you can't vote.

Socio-Economic Barriers and Political Engagement

Number two, if you are a poor person, you cannot vote. You need to land, mass or income or house rent in London or anywhere before you can vote. And so the people need, the poor masses need to fight. They call some people, they call them a pocket borrow. They call another people rotting borrow. The pocket borrow. They can have delegates that will vote for them. So in a community where you have 10,000 adults, they can say only 100 men should vote for them. Then the rotting borrow, they say they are so poor they are not eligible to vote. So what I'm trying to say is this, and I need to say for anybody who cares, Nigeria and our people will be destroyed. Except people can come together and challenge evil and come together.

Strategies for Mobilization and Collective Action

We wisely not by violence, not by act of terror, not foolishly. And I will give us example now to 2021 or your state signed into law. The bid abandoned Congress. Those states sign it into law today. Nobody's, nobody's asking about the implementation of the law. There are no 1020 groups in yoruba and say, look, this law has been signed by the governor Mackide, why is this law not implemented? So, that is why I used to say, it is not that nigerian politicians are so corrupt, they are. It's not that nigerian police are so wicked. Yes, they are. But the main issue is that the most serious thing is the ability of our people to organize ourselves, to push for what is right, to put, for. To push for what is just.

Necessity of Collective Response to Governance Issues

We need to lobby, we need to campaign, we need to do. If we need protest rally, we need to do. We need to bring stakeholders. One person cannot do this. And the same thing happened to amateur. They went to Ibadan and everybody agreed there's going to be amatekun in the southwest, but nobody really follow up forming a group because, for instance, now some states in yoruba land do not even have 300 at Matekun. And one year after they agreed to do amateur, some state did not even start amateur. So. And the same thing has happened. Let me, I want to share this with her for those who care to know that if state police is approved in Nigeria, today, the state police you are going to get is going to be maybe as useless as amateur in some part of the states of southwest today because the state government just needed to recruit 500 persons into state police who equip them, who hand them, who get them functional and nobody know the security foot and nobody care.

Challenges of Local Governance and Political Accountability

And that is exactly what affected everything in Nigeria. Everything. And there is why there is no level that left kind of level of corruption in Uru, in America is because the citizen will not allow it. Because the citizens, they've organized themselves over the years, over decades and they've been able to challenge those atrocities. That's why there is no massive stealing in Germany because the German will not allow it. So what I'm trying to say, in essence is that the way forward now is how we get organizational stakeholders to come together. It involves going to court. Your state need to explain why I'm why the ban on open grace is not implemented and when we are going to do.

Grassroots Mobilization for Effective Governance

If a case is going to happen in Ibadan the farmers will be invited. They will shatter buses from all the over 30 something local government or 40 local government in New York state will come to Ibadan and that will lead to movement, coalition. I will say, this is not about, this is not fighting, this is not rioting. This is a law for our community. It is a law for the protection of our farmer. And it is a law to save the life of our people and to save the posterity of the Yoruba. As we have explained, open gracie is going to destroy Yoruba land. Everywhere we turn to desert. It's just a matter of time and open grace.

Consequences of Open Grazing Policies

And like we have been saying that as more elite begin to give them cartoon it becomes more difficult to address. But now it is. We can still address it today because those elites that are giving them cartoon they couldn't stop on your state house of assembly to pass the law. Although there may be an agreement with the governor where we just pass the law, we won't implement it. Let's do it to make people happy. But if our people can organize ourselves like the Sivas, like the seaboard, for instance we have a demand. Every state should have 5000 police to protect, 5000.

Resource Allocation and Local Security Management

As a starting point, you need to recruit 5000 in place like your state may need 10,000 and the advocacy will continue and the government may say, okay, we don't have the money. Why can't, why don't we have the money? This is our life. This is our life of our people. But if I say it the governor may say, who is that talking? Who is hedgest? Where is he coming from? If you said he will say with that, just go away. But if we have ten organization, 20 organizations, and we begin even the religious body, we need to bring them in, say no, people are corrupting. Let us get them in, form a coalition and mobilize our people.

Emergence of Effective Regional Security

There is no other way. There is no other way. There's not. We will let our people know that going to the mountain. Let's take some questions. Yes, yes. So let's listen to more questions. I think you can give me the names, please, sister. Yeah. So you can call them. Okay. Yes, but we can start with Adi because he signed us. Okay. Yes. Yes. I think it was before. Yes. Thank you, everyone. I really appreciate your contribution, but I have something to say here.

Proposals on Local Government Autonomy

I think signed, I think, I mean, Tinubu, it took the government to court regarding the local government autonomy. Regarding this issue of, banditry. I mean, X Men open grading everything. I think it is better we have security at the local level. Since the local government has been given automobile, which are the third tier of governments in Nigeria, I believe they should be in charge of our local security because our security has to be localized. Yeah, it is in the United States. Here we are, they can different kinds of. I'm staying Maryland South Bay area.

Discussion on Decentralizing Security Structures

Here we have local sheriff, which will. Which we. Which is what we also have. We can also have that in our local government in Nigeria there. So that's a very good suggestion, but we may get to that later. But just to share with you our experience, you need to be with the state of things in Nigeria now. They've given autonomy to the local government and all of that. But if you look at the organization of the security apparatus that we really need, I think the state is in a better position to do that for now.

Localizing Security Management

In the meantime, in terms of the fact or in terms of the resources and when we talk about the security that is local, our states are made up of local governments. So the people that are going to be recruited are also from the local government. I think where your advice really works very well is to at least localize people into their local government, which is. And that's some of the suggestions we even made that even Amatekun, if amateur want to operate in Okomaso, they are supposed to be Obamaso Fidelante group that we also work with amateur, because we need to find a way of.

Collaboration and Accountability Mechanisms

Many people are not discussing this now, even if they want to have the state police. How are you going to make the state police effective for the people so that it is not just an instrument in the hand of the governor. So that kind of check and balance is very important. If the people are localized to their local government in their Matekong structure, or maybe a regional, maybe a local government commander for amateur force in the local government must be an indigenous. That kind of arrangement we have and we create that localization of the operation in a way that make it more effective and also prevent abuses.

Challenges in Local Government Coordination

So your suggestion is very good, but the greatest priority now is how we are going to form that coalition. Yeah, let me listen to you. Before I left Nigeria, I think I used to stay in Nicole and as a whole new local government as VGN. I don't know if anybody stays in this platform. They had VGN, which is vigilante group of Nigeria. So that's the name of that VGN. And these people, they are always in charge of the security in. Even before the police come, VGN is always around to check which is the local government and the Oba of Ekurodi, they are the one financing them.

Case Study of Successful Local Vigilance Initiatives

We can have vigilante this. They have their own gun, but if it is not an assault rifle, I mean, the one that is more not ak 47, but it's gone. Yeah. When Bado was reigning in Kurodo, they were the one who took over all this courtesy. They always get involved and I'll get all these boys arrested. So we can always emulate that in all local governments in Nigeria. Because this autonomy they get to them, the money is not for them. It's for the security to make sure our street and all that stuff.

Importance of Local Governance in Security Management

So they can't just have this money doing that without providing security. So this local government charmer should be the one in charge of this. So please mister, I will come in again because of the time you have brought a very good suggestion. But we need to be much more strategic getting like even Oyo state. It's too difficult for us even to reach the 40 local government also in Oyo. And also Ekoyi may have a lot of resources compared to some of the local governments that may not have resources.

Legal Framework and Political Mobilization

And the organization level at the local government is also weak. And also we are talking about enacting the law and putting the law in place and also driving prosecution. For instance, it is easy now for us to target three or six governors in the southwest and really confront the straight the state government. So what I will say is that in the nearest future, it may cascade to the level of the local government taking more ownership. But the easiest road for us and effective way is a state security well funded amateur.

Immediate Action Steps for Security Enhancement

To start. We should not be waiting for state police. Amateur can do this job. As you have also alluded to the fact that the fiddler has done similar job. I'm assembling is the regional police or like regional security, no regional security. We can come later with the regional struggles by all the southwest governors, all the south. I remember, I think this guy that died, Akira Dulu, was the one who really took that off his shoulder and fought for the because why was not ready to approve that security outfit then.

Advocacy for Collaborative Regional Security Efforts

So he was the one who fought for it. And we had it. And it was agreed by all the south korean government to create a motel as a regional security. Not for stipul. It was a regional security. Please, mister Doye. Mister Doye. Don't let us wait too much time. The idea was. I'm coming. The idea was just a sort of driven by the Yorubas of the southwest as a region in a way, but it is not even recognized the constitution as a region.

Challenges of Centralized Command Structures

For instance, now you don't have a commandant for amateur for southwest region. You only have a commandant for amateur for your. For now. What the. The only regionalism that we have so far now is a form of collaboration, like working together with some level of understanding. And even there have been cases where amatekun were mobilized for Mundo to go and assist a kitty. But you do not have a central regional commandant for Mateko.

Constructing Practical Solutions to Security Issues

So we, to some extent, we understand all those scope. We just want a situation that we see what is doable and we work within that scope and achieve something and begin to cascade each that. The most important part of this discussion is how we can mobilize more people, more organizations to come together and join. We have. We have the lobby, the mass mobilization, the negotiation, the campaign, and the litigation to drive one.

Implementation of Anti-Open Grazing Laws

There is a law that ban open gracing on your state. O your state governor must be compared to implement that law, governor must request the support of also the police in New York. Because the army has actually spoken in Benue some months ago that they will implement the Benue Lord abandoned open gracing. The only thing that I don't know that is maybe happening to those terrible politicians who are horrible is that if you have 1 million Benue citizens in IDP in Benue State, why can't the governor recruit 10,000 of them?

Empowering Local Communities for Security

And you can train them. If he has been training them in the last three or four or six months, they will have been at eleven. And let the 10,000 men from the IDP surround Benue boundary with nasal Awa. And with that they will stop the attack. And even if they attack, it did not stop. If the headsmen and their military come to attack them, there will be casualty from both sides. And at the end of the day, if you know that you cannot go and kill somebody in bedridden and go scot free, then the killers are going to. They are going to also.

Strategies for Effective Governance and Resource Management

They are going to withdraw. But rather than the governor looking for money or minimize all their wastages, you say you have 10,000, you have 1 million people. Why do you want to die? If and if you take 10,000 of them that are young Mendenna, you equip them. By the time they provide security over 900,000, we go back to their. To their villages and start farming. And that we have food for Nigeria and that we have economy for the state.

Political Hindrances to Agricultural Development

But no politician want to do that. They don't know. But no government want to invest 10 billion error into that. And if our people cannot rise up to come together to pursue that as a cause and get other stakeholders, this thing is a tragedy. You can't be taking your cattle to another person's farm. It is not economic. And also, I need to say this. I've not mentioned it before, the economic aspect of it.

Economic Viability of Local Agricultural Practices

If you, a Fulani, if you are selling your cartoon for one 1 million error before, if you need to do ranch now in Sokoto or San Fara or in KB or anywhere, you need to get the land, you need to plant grass, you need to drill borehole or any kind of where you can get water the farmland, then you need to buy grass where you cannot get grass planted by yourself or to supplement the one you have in your area and your feed that you are using, then you now need to transport your cattle, mature cattle to the south.

Addressing Economic Challenges in Cattle Ranching

If you want to sell your cattle in the south, all this cost money. But the suggestion is add that money to the cost of your cattle. If your cat is 1 million error before, if it take you 200,000 to feed the cartoon like that to support your ranch, make it 1,200,000 naira in Ibadan or anybody that want to buy cattle should buy cartoons for 1,200,000 naira. If you. If you want to eat a beef that is more beneficial to us in Yoruba land than our posterity destroyed.

Consequences of Environmental Degradation

And every time, any day you allow congracing to continue a farmer has been sentenced to death and the devastation on our vegetation is unbelievable. So how we go to drive this argument? But like I said, we must have something that is manageable. We must be presenting a cause that we know people can reason along with. And one of it is that Oyo state has all the power to stop.

Legal Framework for Sustainable Agricultural Practices

And there is a law that does it. Amakide refused to implement that law. And Oyo has everything to get 10,000 men into amateur to implement this. And the benefit of that is our aggressive productivity is going to jack up. We can use Igaga as a case study. Igaga has changed. Everything has changed in Igagaya. We have some of our colleagues from Igaga people that have abandoned their farm in the last two years.

Reviving Local Economies Through Agricultural Investment

They've gone back to their farm and they can see the difference. If you do that in all our Okiogum sake, food price will come down and our economy will be able to revive. And it is far more than that. We will be able to stop the spread of synotic tuberculosis. We'll be able to stop the infiltration of our community by terrorists. Will be able to stop the desertification and deforestation.

Environmental Impacts of Invasive Practices

Because they even set these architects on fire. When they burn them with fire, they wait for them to the sprouts to come out. When the rainfall, they will now begin to graze in those areas. And if you ask somebody that has knowledge of agriculture and science, soy science, they will tell you the damage you do to a land when you set it on fire. When you burn the land, that land cannot recover in hundred years. So thank you, Mister Adioye.

Engaging Community Voices in Policy Implementation

Please let's listen to Mister Basharu. Good evening. Good afternoon. Thank you, Mister Felix. You know, I mean, I listen to you, but I also want to go along with Mister Deweye in terms of the autonomy of the local government. I'm from Okogun, part of Oyo State, and currently I can tell you that majority amateur are domesticized to the local government in Nyo State, especially Nikoko. Because. And I do believe that the local government autonomy is a good thing for us if we utilize it.

Political Will and Local Governance

You see, everything you are talking about this security, you also need the political will to do it. And this is why it is very important that we take this local government autonomy very seriously. Because we're talking about the law in Oyo state. You need the political will to implement the law. And that is why with the local government autonomy each local government. Because the problem at Okyogon is different from the problem at Tibado.

Regional Variability in Local Governance Needs

So even when you have a regional motel or state amateur, you still have to go down to the local level because they understand what is their need and they know the people that are living in the area. So I believe that what we need with all these good ideas and plan and program is also politicians that are ready to do, to work the talk. So the local government election that will come in 2027 or whenever INEC is ready with this autonomy, we must make sure that you see for me, I've always said this, if you with that on this head, after the power of God, the next power is political power.

Significance of Political Engagement in Governance

To control your economy, to control security, you also need that political power. So you cannot leg net politics if you want to achieve anything. They have shown us the state of assembly passed the law is by empower. They do anything and they go away with it. So also each local government can pass the bylaw again and say, in our community. But you need people that has that mindset to be elected into the councillor and chairman.

Strategic Political Mobilization and Representation

So for me, with what you've said, the next thing we need is to make sure that when the next, in fact, that everyone in Nigeria today that is here or that we talk to people, we need to start attending political meeting of the two major parties. I mean, to me, I don't think it's a matter of forming a new party. We can take the APC and PDP. Trump didn't form any party. He joined Republican, he changed the party.

Leveraging Existing Political Structures for Change

We can do the same. Okay, so. All right, I'm coming. Let me finish. Please let me finish. So that when the election come, you elect conservative into the position of councillorship with the mindset that these are the bylaws, these are the things we would do in our community, even in Okogun. What the kangaroo is facing is what shaky is facing is what Kishi is going through, isn't what I was going through.

Empowering Local Communities Through Governance

So when you domesticate these security apparatus, which is a nice thing, then you empower them with the law. Because once the law is passed, even in your local government, the police will have to follow that law. But you need the political, which is another thing. I think we need to start talking to our youth about that when the election is coming, number one, starting from voters registration to making sure that the right people are selected for the councillor and we vote for them a mass, then we can do all of this.

Addressing the Need for Political Will

But right now, you said it, say Mackinde is not having the political will to implement it because we need the political will. So. But when it is done. You really try and I appreciate you. I will start from the idea of political. Will I mention something before that? I wish. I don't know whether you were around that time. I gave example of the process that led to democracy.

Understanding the Democratic Transition in History

And I did mention that the generation of the elite and the nobles that fought the king and brought in democracy, they did not allow women to vote. They didn't allow women to vote when they started the democracy. For years, if not for decades, the same thing. Poor people were not allowed to vote. So as we are here, and I can guarantee you, maybe we are 75 or 69 or there are maybe 75 or 76.

Engagement and Expectations from Community Leaders

Our opinion about this topic now today is, let's say, is let's ban on Congress, let's get the state, let everybody fund the, let them fund amateur, let the government be transparent. All of that positive. If 70, 76 of us, if we were all giving appointment now to join Tinubu or to join Mackide, if the opinion is, if they revisit it again in one week or two weeks time or three months time, it will be difficult to get just five of us to continue to say what we are saying and to stand on what we still don't.

Principles for Building Community Resilience

I can guarantee you that over 90% would have changed. So we need to understand the principle on how to build community, how to build nation, how to build justice. So for instance, I agree totally with you about people going to political party and elect the right person, elect and honest person. But that does not guarantee anything. It is helpful to look at people's character, to support people and say this is what we want, form organization, pursue people.

Challenges of Political Integrity

But your best friend and the most honest person you ever knew, if you become the governor today or become the local government chairman today, it's a different ball game. And that's why people will even tell you say, look at, campaign against and protested against just increasing the fair price by just 10%. But now skinnubu did 300% increase in fair price when he became president. So it's, it is as simple as.

The Complexity of Governance and Political Relationships

I don't say it's because they are. No, no, let's do that. Is why this thing is not like a spiritual thing that we are trying to use religious or something. I believe, I believe in God, I pray. I understand, I'm not condemning religion, but what I'm saying let's understand that principle. So when you now come to the way forward that we need to look at is first and foremost the idea of using local government.

Importance of Local Engagement in Decision Making

There's nothing wrong in encouraging, in fact this thing require mobilization and we need mobilization in the grassroots. That's why I'm saying that if we have a court case in Ibadan on open crazy I expect we would need to mobilize so that people will come from the villages all across your state. The farmers people need to subsidize their transportation and come with their placards to Ibadan.

Community Action for Policy Change

And we say these people are killing us. We want our land protected. But the easiest avenue for us to pursue this course without complicating the issue too much and without creating a lot of bureaucracy is let the governor announce the ban on open gracie and instructor amateur is all over the state. And if the order comes from the governor based on the law not using its own personal power is the law of the state pass.

Collaborative Governance Dynamics

Don't forget the people that passed the law. The House of assembly member representing each of the local government of the state. So if the amateur is mobilized then the owners will go to Igaga, we go to Okogun, we go to Gomaswan or you and Saki to say look what Iban will open grace in Igagaw and Governor Kumbhi bye donor of this party to be arrested. Then we will call the right number.

Challenging Local Power Dynamics

Then people in the local government will begin to drive it in each of their local government. Then the local government chairman will also be engaged because local government chairman may also want to buy catch you and give it to Fulani. And people need to confront him right in the local government. So I don't want us to make this thing unnecessary, cumbersome in a way that we cannot achieve anything.

Conclusion and Call to Action

Let me just. Is very important. This is very important. I want to address the issue of political will. I want to address the issue of political will. Please. That is very important. We need to understand the concept of democracy. What led to democracy and what democracy is all about. It is the government of the people, for the people and by the people.

Engaging Communities in Democratic Processes

That's why politicians need to come to you, for you to vote for them to get into power. We may continue to say no, hey, you can't challenge them, you can't do anything. Then the people are destroyed and the word of God even says because of lack of knowledge my people perish. If we really organize, it is not. I'm not interested in political will of Makinde.

Advocacy for Community Rights and Participation

This is the desire of the people for your state. This desire of people of Ogun state and we want it to be implemented. And the governor may say if you cannot implement, you have to resign. I will say that can never happen in Nigeria. I don't talk like that. Then Nigerians are doomed because I want to sell a new rope to sell another. They started from somewhere and their own cases were much more difficult.

Reflection on Social Movements and Successes

Like now you have a. You have a peacock, now you have a woman, right now you have lawyer that can stand for you. When the struggle for democracy began in Britain, in England, you don't have a lawyer, you don't have an advocate. And if the king is saying you are challenging him, he command immediately go and execute him. The person executed.

Historical Lessons on Governance and Social Justice

Thousands of peoples were executed that way. And they. And they continued their struggle until they got their freedom. So, and this thing is very simple. Even all the religious leaders we are talking about, we can carry them along over time. But this is what we are saying, this is a sin, it's a crime against humanity. We are not fighting anybody. If the governor cannot implement the ban of open gracing, he should leave.

Call for Accountability from Leadership

He has to resign. We own the state, it's not his property. We gave him the mandate on our own business and we can do it. Look, if order the regime, look at the answers. Some people may think that answers is a failure. And there may be a lot of controversy around ss. But you know, when the protests began to the government announced that they are handing answers.

A Path Toward Justice and Change

They announced that they are handing even when it will not be well organized, when the elite may not be in full support. Yet the government of such a man, with all the bandits and everything they are sponsoring here and there, they agree that they are going to abolish sars. And you may say, oh, well, have they stopped the police brutality? No, that is a step we only need to continue.

The Necessity of Continued Advocacy

You only need to keep on pushing the boundary. When the women will be allowed to vote in UK, they say, okay, you need to be 30 years old. And they started voting. They said, why CB 30? Why can't we vote? Attainting that men's are also 14. So they need to. They need to continue the struggle. So what I'm telling you now, the greatest strategy today is that there are no coordinated movement of Yorubas that are saying, how can we have a law in Ogun State signed by ability in 2021 and nobody is implementing it.

Mobilizing for the Implementation of Laws

Why is he not being implemented? Why is he not being implemented? If you say it, I say it, another person say it and say, okay, let's meet in Abeokuta, let's go to one town hall and go and discuss. Let's go. Let's call this person and we say, this is the people that are that have been killed. This is the law we want. So that is what we need. We must not say, I understand the issue of political we.

Conclusion and Future Directions

That is why we are here. We are here to destroy that kind of evil practice where we say this is the right thing to do. I don't have political will to do it because of their selfish interest. So let's listen to other people. Thank you, Mister Bashon. We need more of you. And we have. I mean, I.

Call to Action

Okay, please go ahead. Please. Whether it's interested in joining forces, they can message TYF, you know, if you're interested in taking action, you know, there are multiple approaches. Politically changing the people in the office. That's one approach. The approach that Mister Felix is talking about is a different one which is in, you know, take the fight to them. Not a worry. Please give me 1 minute. Let me wrap up my thoughts. So that is another approach. If you want to join this approach message, Ty, Evan, do. If you have an. Especially if you have an organization, join, send your message to TWF and do we take it from there.

Personal Experience and Urgency

Yeah, I want. I just want to add a few things. I just want to add a few things. I won't take long. So I've been hearing about this for more than two years. I think it's enough, actually. And if you are waiting for politicians to actually. Sorry about the background noise. If you are waiting for politicians to actually help, they will not help. If you are calling on them, waiting on them to come, please do this. Please implement this. It won't work. It will never work. Let me tell you now. We called on the federal government on May 22. When they just first attacked one of our villages. Killed 50 people. We called on them. They didn't come.

Historical Context and Self-Defense

They killed people until 1998, before we took our weapons and retaliated. We fought with EJ till 2003. Now, the government tried to make sure that there was peace. Now the government noticed now that the government did not do anything. The government did not come until we start to retaliate. The government started telling us to drop our arms. They did not come when they were killing our people. So if you are waiting for the government to come when they are killing your people, they will not show up. If you don't take yourselves, gather yourselves and protect yourselves, it will never happen. The northerners tried something in cocoa, in waging us, they tried. It was between a bike manda stabbed and Shakiri, stuff like that. And they started running into the town like mad people and we used guns to chase them away. All of them ran out of the town that afternoon.

Examples of Resistance

We use guns to chase all of them away. Because we are not waiting for them to kill another person or attack another person before we take action. This is not. This is the reason why you will not hear that babies open grazing. All those people carrying cow came to one in Shakir area, or maybe an enjoy area, shot someone dead. And you think they will leave? No, they, all of them will take one. One bullet each before they leave. That is the reason I'm not calling for a full scale war against the entire innocent. You know, they are not. All the northerners are bad. They are innocent ones. So I'm not. That's what I'm saying. Saying those, you know those you know that I'm coming. I'm going to finish. Just hold on. I'm saying those you know that carried out this attack and you're waiting for your government to.

Challenges of Grassroots Activism

They will not. Every single pol. They are politicians. They are called politicians for a reason. They are fighting for themselves. They are fighting for their national face. They will not want to anger their friends in the north. They will not do it. Please. Only when you take up to take up yourselves and protect yourselves. That's what we bring an end to the attack. Why are the people in middle bed? Wait, hold on, I'm going to finish. Why are the people in middle beds not actually getting help from the federal government? They've been shouting for government to come. Government have not. I entered their space one day and I told them that if you don't.

Community Self-Defense and Vigilante Groups

If nobody is learning from Borica, the Shekuli pastry world crisis, you will not. No government will come for help. No government will help you for anything. Protect yourself. That's what I'm saying. Okay, please, I just want to interrupt apology for that. There are levels of interventions to solve problem. Okay? We are looking at a systemic solution that and that ensure lasting solution. You are from maybe security in data state. I can guarantee you a lot of people have been killed in Sapele, in Ugeli, and even in the northern part of Delta state. Through these activities. We are not discouraging communities from protecting themselves. You demonstrated that and they are still doing that.

Importance of Community Vigilance

But those are just individual complementary efforts that are needed. We've discussed that. So let's don't let us be dragging back, because we don't want. Just want to be debating. So if somebody want to attack you and you have everything to protect yourself, you should community have to defend themselves. But we are not pursuing that course, every community can just be advised. Look at how. That's why we encourage vigilantes. And it's part of the proposals we call it will be unfortunate for any community not to have their own vigilante now. However, what is going to stop this tragedy? What is going to give address the root cause and the idea that no government is going to come to your head?

The Role of Government

We own the government. We are the government. You say, no, that is in America. That is in Britain. That is in this thing. That is not true. If we do like that, then our generation can be destroyed. You need government. You can't do it alone. And we are the government. And if we are a nation that we cannot compel our government at the lowest level, like state and local government to act in accordance to our expectations and will, then the people are dead. The people are just in slave camp to be just ready to be destroyed. In fact, you don't deserve to be. To be alive.

Historical Inspirations

If Moses can stand up in a foreign land in Egypt and the same pharaoh let my people go, look at that generation. Maybe some people may not believe that, but some of us believe that. And that is what we need. That is what we need. If a Daniel can stand in Babylon, say, this is where I stand. If a nehemiah can go to Jerusalem and say, this atrocity is enough. So that is, we are solving problem. For instance, if you organize men from people in your community and they get wanting or the other to fight from themselves. Before you even know it, they get divided into two.

The Need for Unity in Action

They start fighting themselves also. And you have issues in the community here and there. And some people may get the weapon and begin to do robbery. So we are talking about lasting solution. And the only solution, why we see tech community organize vigilante, protect yourself. And that will be part of this kind of campaign. Because we are telling the people it is illegal for anybody to bring cattle to your farm. And this is the way to go about it. Don't just go and be fighting blindly. Because fighting blindly, you can end up destroying yourself. You can, you can also even be arrested by the government themselves.

The Role of Government and Solicitation of Support

So, but we thank you for your suggestion. So, but we need to make it clear because some of these things may be documented. We, what we are saying is how to use instrument of state to protect our people and to do justice. And we have seen three states have passed the law and we are saying, how do we come together? And I don't want to hear the idea that we can't do it. It diminishes us. As if we are not human. If we say, an abiodun is so powerful in Ogun State that a law to protect farmer Abiodun has all the ability and the authority not to implement it.

Collective Action for Collective Rights

And you say the people in Ogun State, who are supposed to be human being, not animals, not known entities, not dead working cops, cannot join themselves together and say, let's be Nabe Okuta and let's go and meet. Abio was being elected by the same people. They continue to vote for. Buki. There was no. There was no placard and say, where is the enforcement? Because you can see the. There is no consciousness. Because, for instance, united. Sorry. Let me say something about your state with your moteco. You know, like you said, the government. Because we need to be frank with ourselves when we are talking about a lot of our people with the community.

Perception of Security Forces

Amateur is very popular in the community. The people actually believe trust amateur more than the police. Okay, but this is the thing, is not free. I'm a Teku is not free. If you are going to go and tell Amatekun now to come to your farm, you are going to pay them. I don't think people even realize that you will have to pay a moteco to get gas and everything to get a motecu to your place. Even the police? Even the police. Now go to police station. Why is that? You need to fight your car. Is that happening in a society that is normal?

Farming and Security Context

And let me bust your bubble in Idoloca government. Ido. I have a farm in. If you go there, you will think you are in Sokoto. The amount of cat food that is there, you cannot plant anything there. If you are a serious farmer, you are just going to waste your money. And a lot of the people that are in that farming community, they don't have any choice. They keep fighting whenever they can fight. They will negotiate with the Fulani today. And another one. We eat their crop tomorrow. Some of these fulani that are there, even in my farm, we give them notice to leave.

Confronting Challenges in Farming

They refuse to leave. They are telling us that they will be working on the farm. They know it's our land. They will be working. We should give them the contract to be working there. So. And it got. It somehow got into a confrontation today. Point that, you know. This is why I know the limitation of amateur. It's not like Amateku did not want to come and help. But I'm not going to be spilling everything on the Internet. They show intention to come and everything they. But it is not. It is capital. There is some money that is attached to using that assistance.

Limitations of Current Solutions

And even if you do, it is not guaranteed. Because honestly speaking, it's like you are inviting them to come to death. The people are just so enormous, there are too many of them that you cannot get rid of them except with a very strong power of the government and affirmative action to remove them from the land. Otherwise it will be a killing spree. So we need to understand that. I understand what you're saying in terms of you don't want to send a signal that you are telling people to go and be fighting these people to leave their farmland because that would defeat the purpose.

Historical Lessons from Conflict

And we saw what happened in Igaga. When the people try to fight back, the people doesn't even have what it takes to fight back. And these people, they are much more bullied than the local people there. And we see what happened. The casualty was a mess on the part of the Yoruba people and it cascaded into so many other things that we don't want to repeat here today. So you are right when you are saying all of this thing, but we need to. I also strongly believe that where the power lies is in the hands of those governors.

Political Responsibility and Action

And they are not using that power because of reasons that are not best known to us. We can assume that it is for their political interest, which probably that's why. Or maybe it's for their personal interest as well. That's where I was going to in pushing the elite narrative. Maybe some of them also hold some of these cattles as well because don't forget, they sell about 110 cattle or 20 cattle. We give them 1 billion per year. That is why the farmers are getting killed. The money. Follow the money. It's a lot of money that is involved. So let me.

Concluding the Discussion

Let me just stop there so we can. We've spent 2 hours and I didn't want to spend more people. We're going to spend half an hour more and then we will go. Let's listen to. I think. Have we listened to Mister Coyote? We've listened to him or no, I don't know that we know. Let's please, if you have spoken, you can bring. You can. You've not listened to. Okay, Mister Coyote. You've not listened to me. Can I. A couple of minutes? Okay. Thank you very much. Okay, so after Mister Coyote.

The Importance of Coalition

Mister, I think Agbanla is just. Let me see. Okay, let's go ahead with Mister Coyote at least to start with. Okay, thank you very much. Thank you. You are doing a very fantastic job when it comes to, you know, pushing the heritage of Yoruba and Mister Felix, you made very salient and valid points. I just want to buttress some of them and, you know, just add a little flesh to it. And when you talk on two points, the first one is forming that coalition. The coalition is actually very important because if you go back in history, these were, these are the things that our forefathers did.

Reimagining Historical Alliances

Our Lord did his own after our Lord Elko and all those kind of stuff. So one way or the other, we need a coalition that would be, you know, flesh of the people. They will be, you know, putting out the narrative of what the people want. Yeah. Sometimes that when our leaders, I mean, our political leaders, when they know that nobody is going to ask them questions, they tend to do what they like. Although me, I'm not, you know, in support of speaking against the government because, you know, as a lawyer, citizen, a patriotic citizen, you just have to be that abiding.

Creating Political Accountability

But at the same time, we need to, you know, have a kind of coalition that will be speaking the feels of the people so that the governor will know that, okay, if I don't do what these people want, I might not get reelected by the next election. I might be impeached because they have support base that are localized and. Oh, hope we've not lost Mister Coyote voice. Yeah, I think we lost him. we lost him. I know. Yeah, we can hear you now. Okay. Yeah, yeah, he's back.

Continuing the Conversation

Okay. So like I was saying, I'm trying to speak more on the coalition. That's what, you know, our forefathers did in the past. Now they call, you know, the. When affinifer, when a penny ferry was a penny ferry. Yeah. And cool. So we can re, you know, engineer that and make it more modernized, more, you know, youthful and more localized so that it cuts across board. Let me take Oyo State, for instance. I'm from Oyo State. I'm also a farmer. I have farms in. Ok, I have in about.

Challenges Faced by Farmers

But presently I'm in San as we speak, you know, and I know that we have lots of people that are doing this same business that are actually, you know, Leonard, like me. But at the same time, we need to be protected. There are sometimes, although I've not had the incident of, you know, Fulani attacking my farm, mainly because I employ some of them in my workspace so that, you know, that's a form of protection for, you know, my produce. So let us look at how we can make this work by ensuring that we form a coalition that is going to be localized and that can be a weapon that people can be using to, you know, negotiate dialogue, lobby the government in power.

Call for Collective Action

We lost him again. But I think he made this point. I wanted to add with, you know, from a reliable source, the farmers, they have got to the point that they don't, they no longer go and report the people, the Fulani cartoon, others that are gracing on their, this thing in their farm, they don't go to the police anymore because, you know, the police told some of them that there is nothing that they can do to this people. Okay, so just to put it out there, the police told them that there's no point coming because as soon as they are arrested.

Voicing the Inefficacy of Law Enforcement

We lost you for a moment there. We lost you. Okay, can I just quickly make a second point? Yeah, let me finish. So I want to. Let me finish please, because I was in the middle of something. So finally I wanted to say that why some people might think that the people are not fighting back. This people are trying to fight back. But guess what? There is nobody else, nowhere else to go because they feel powerless. So you can finish your thoughts, Mister Carodi.

Concerns Over Resources and Funding

Okay, thank you very much. So the other thing is talking about how, you know, there are sometimes that some people have spoken here that the amateur outfit that we have are not being properly funded and the hands of the governors are tied because, you know, it requires a lot of funding. And it is true practically, yes. And what we are supposed to do as citizens or as indigenous too, is to find a way of supporting the government in that regard. We can form a security trust fund whereby people that have vested interest in all those locations can be contributing a little.

Building a Security Trust Fund

It can be in form of bond, security bond. It can be in form of, you know, contribution that can be looked into. That is even after the coalition has been formed, this is something that coalition can you supervise so that we ensure that it's not been misappropriated by the people in power. So those are the things I want to say. Thank you very much. I raise the mic. Thank you. Thank you, Mister Coyote. I think we've, we are. Banla is no longer in the. I can't see him again, so please Mister Kayode. Okay.

Summary and Closing

The one that just spoken. So do we have any other answer that want to say something we've not had before? I think they exhausted everybody. Okay, somebody just. Good evening everybody. Oh, good afternoon. Morning. What I wanted to say is that I was on Charlie Boy's page the other day and I saw that on the headers. He's actually a popular header that makes videos, I think, TikTok videos. He said that in some of these villages, they actually pay the village heads for the crop, like for the crops that their cows are going to eat.

Fruitful Discussions on Land and Livestock Management

And the village heads collect money, untouchable. And then also in the last administration, if we are going to be very honest, when they say all citizens are equal, but some citizens are more equal than others, it really applied last administration. I'm just hoping that it is different this time because my crops have been destroyed by cows before. This is not in a village, this is in Abuja. Planted moringa corn, you know, just, you know, just stuff that we can. And they brought out knife to chase the boy that is in charge of the place.

Personal Experiences with Cow Encroachments

And I was watching this thing. So it's not like they told me they brought out knife. They feel uncomfortable, as in, they will be doing these things. They will even be laughing. What they are doing, it will bring knife, chase you away from you. They've eaten my flowers before. They didn't even eat it. They just scattered it with their leg and ate the grass around it. Flowers that is the shape of letters, wrote letters and everything. On his side, the ottije, they scattered everything. That cost a lot of money. I'm sure you know how much writing letters with a plant is the all Bible single.

Addressing the Attitudes of Herdsmen

And they feel untouchable when you tell them off. Go, take that. In a way, they will even slow down. They will look at you, are you up and down? I wish you could even see me as. And they will eye you up and down. So this thing is something else. And thank God you didn't go. You didn't have much, altercation with them. Because it doesn't take more than that. Before somebody, they are looking for who to keep. And that's the fact. We don't need to even sugarcoat it. The thing is this, they feel untouchable.

Confronting the Ongoing Crisis

And they. There are plenty. If you go and kill one another, one will come and revenge or forgive 100 years from now. The thing is, they need animals, and most of the cows are owned. If we get elites, and that is. The truth, they are elite. In particular, the percentage owned by our own Yoruba people or non fulani is very small. But however, like what you said about one of them coming out and say that they pay the traditional rulers to stay for two or more weeks or more in the villages, they want it all about in Penle Umar.

Evolving Community Dynamics

And these people, too, they are getting wiser and wiser, like I said. Now, if they really want to get at us seriously, one strategy they can really deploy now is to get a bait and bring in more and more of our elite into this business in such a way that we they get entrenched. And it will be very difficult for us to change the practice. And this is any community that allow them to stay like that for decades. That community is going to fall. That community is going to fall like in Yoruba land.

Consequences of Inaction

There will be no land for farmers to farm again. And your people will die away out of hunger. And they will be the one that will remain. And those of us, they will kill them eventually. What caused the massacre in this? I think was it two years ago? What caused it? Most of these things, cows. They were complaining. Telling federal government, oh, collector. They sent delegates, they went to Abuja. There's nothing they didn't do. When they couldn't take it anymore, they started attacking at the house, at home at full, and it started killing.

Reflections on Recent Conflicts

And that is what is going to happen. It will get into conflict and it only quarantines. There are people now they are crossing neighboring republic called major refugees because full and effect feed cows won't know. No, we need to. This is nothing. Buhari's area again, we cannot have this. Anytoba ferry rare cows, especially in Abuja city. Anytoba moa Abuja. In Abuja, cows are sharing road express road with drivers with cars. Wiki is the one that is cracking down on it.

Final Thoughts on Tragedy and Response

And he watched a video not treading wiki. You will see cows passing where wiki lives. Cows. Big, big cows. So you know, I said I would not be able to stay on this space. Oh, my goodness. I have to go. I have to go. So we have to hang the space. Unfortunately, we will bring Mister Amos back, I promise. If anybody wants to join the coalition, because I believe that some legal actions are going to be started very soon.

Mobilizing for Future Actions

And if you want to be part of it and be really productive. Apart from this session is part of mobilization and bringing the issue to the topic to the public space. And we will have more of it with evidence. And thank you, all of you that posted videos of a lot of this event. Please, if you have more videos, more accounts, or your state, all of these are needed as evidence that I. Have on the jumble throw a lot.

Call for Evidence and Support

Yeah. Please send to us. Location is important. If you have contact or for victims. We will have many victims. Okay. Please follow. Please, please, we need your help. Please follow Mister Amos. And we'll reach out to you. So if anybody, if you have an organization that has interest in this case, please send messages to us. Because like I said, there's going to be some legal actions that are coming up.

Reiterating the Call for Collective Effort

We need as for as many people as possible. We need those people. So Mister Amos, I'm sorry, I have to end this space. I have an appointment and they're already. Calling me to the people. They've really been very good listening, contributed to discussion. So we all, we appreciate you. We pray that God will bless you. Please send your questions to the email back channel. We'll get answers to you. Okay. Thank you everybody for coming.

Conclusion and Gratitude

Yes, ma'am. I thank you so much. We need more people and we are going to see how we work together and also bring all our people on board. We have another WhatsApp group where we've got a lot of people in the group as well. Okay, thank you everybody. Have a good afternoon and good evening wherever you are. Yeah, thank you all.