The Pariah Image of the Fulanis and the Need for Atonement

One of the most hated ethnic groups in Nigeria today is the Fulanis. This wasn’t the case 8 years ago until Buhari became the president of Nigeria. It has been perceived that as a life patron of Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, he elevated the Fulani nation above the Nigerian State by initiating a one-point agenda to relocate Fulanis facing crises in West Africa to Nigeria under the guise of grazing routes, grazing reserves, cattle colony, and RUGA. A former APC National Chairman even reported that some of these Fulanis from Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, etc were brought into the country on the eve of GEJ’s regime to fight in case GEJ refused to step down.

The normal Nigerian Fulanis have a different approach to life. Unlike their brothers from other countries in West Africa that were raised as hustlers in war-torn countries, the Nigerian Fulanis have a different orientation because of our multi-ethnic and multi-religious conglomeration. In the quest by Buhari to give these Fulanis a second home in Nigeria, he reduced the influence of the Arewa forum which was created by Sir Ahmadu Bello to unite ethnic nationalities in the North and he raised Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association to become the sole association of influence in the North.

These battle-ready Fulanis from West Africa have ravaged our communities, perpetrating genocide and Mayhem, killing Hausas in their thousands in Zamfara, Sokoto, Kastina, and Kebbi; killing Nupes and Gbagyis in Niger, and extending their bloodbath in other Middle Belt states like Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, Nassarawa and Kogi. Even states in Southern Nigeria are not immune to their annihilation.

The Nigerian Fulanis are now feeling the effect of their silence and solidarity with the atrocities committed by their invading West African brothers. They are also living in fear and are psychologically caged like other Nigerians. Their women can no longer sell Fura d Nunu as they used to sell for fear of the unknown, and their cattle are dying as they can no longer move about in some states due to the anti-open grazing law; when they visit states that their brothers have perpetrated mayhem, they find it difficult to sleep with their two eyes closed.

This mutual suspicion and fear will persist until a genuine reconciliation and peace process is initiated whereby these murderous Fulanis are fished out and prosecuted or deported back to their original countries. The plan to hide under the Water Resources Bill to implement RUGA will compound the problem. Uthman Dan Fodio said that conscience is an open wound, only truth can heal. President Buhari should take this statement from one of his ancestors seriously and begin to use his remaining 7 months in office to mend fences and talk to his murderous brothers from West Africa to leave. He should also apologize to Nigerians for the deaths and destruction caused by these his brothers.