IDOMA REGION, WHICH AREA WILL BE THE NEXT JOS, AGATU, OR ENUGU?

IDOMA REGION, WHICH AREA WILL BE THE NEXT JOS, AGATU, OR ENUGU? It's a known fact, that any community that made the mistake of allowing the Fulani herdsmen to settle in their hundreds later regret such an act. Arm robbery, Rape, Communal clash, massacre are some of the menace that trail these herdsmen. Have you heard of what is going on in IGANGAN? Do you think your town or village is not the next? Have you forgotten so soon, how the herdsmen rob and rape women on their way to Maya Market? Will you be silent until you or your loved one become the next victim? This is a clarion call for every Indigene of Idoma land to voice their opinion and reject "GRAZING LAND BILLS" If the federal government is allow to grab our land for the herdsmen, they will become gods, our traditional rulers can't summon them anymore. Some day they will seek political power against us, they will ask to be elected as councilors and then Local Government Chairman, if we refuse, then they make us feel what they unleash in AGATU: VIOLENCE! This is not a story to LIKE, It is a *Save Our Soul* message to share! Recently the people of Ukpabi, Nimbo, in Uzo-Uwani local government area of Enugu State were seriously under attack from the menace of this herdsmen. These people has hosted the Fulani Herdsmen, just like the AGATUS did, who in turn graze their cattle on their farm, rape their women, raze their home and kill their men: IT'S TYPICAL OF THEM, THAT IS HOW THEY REPAY FAVOUR! May OTHER PART OF IDOMA’S not have reason to cry over this type of calamity that could have been prevented? GRAZING LAND BILLS: What does it mean for the Idoma’s ? Northerners have been privileged to rule Nigeria more than any other tribes since its independence. Throughout these periods the leaders, both at the federal and 19 states under its control, had kept on embezzling and mismanaging our resources without making any concrete plan for cattle rearing which is the predominant farming activities in the northern states. The realities is now on ground and almost unbearable for the northern states. However, instead of bravely embracing the challenges and found solutions to it, the northern government politically and maliciously intend shifting the responsibility to other agro-ecological and geo-political zones. This they intend carrying out through national assembly. The national assembly is considering bills for the establishment of the grazing lands throughout the federation. When the bills is passed, what implications does it have for the Idoma’s? When the bills is passed the lands will be forcibly collected with little or no compensation. Such land will then be allocated to the Fulani herdsmen for cattle grazing. Firstly, we have been living harmoniously with our Fulani farmers from ages and wherever they are, the chief and king of such villages or towns respectively are regarded as their landlord and they (Fulanis) always pay homage to and respect this tradition. We regard them as visitors and they operate within this limit. However, the passage of this bills give Fulani farmers land-lordship of our inherited land and property.

Secondly, Fulanis are cattle farmers, our fathers are crop farmers. So, the passage of the bills is a way of ROBBING Peter to PAY Paul. If our landed properties will be collected for the cattle farmers, what will be the faith of our crop farmers? Is the government ready to give free seedlings, fertilizers, and tractor or storage facilities for the crop farmers? Is the government ready to rent and stock shops for our mothers? Whatever that is good for the goose is also good for the ganders. Importantly, the bills specifically targeted at South-west and middle belt agro-ecological zone which is the tropical rain forest. Some parts of the north is already suffering from desert encroachment while South-south and South-east have limited land resources and the little they have are polluted with oil spillage, mangrove and marsh land. It is almost sure that whenever such request comes to Benue state, it will be pushed to the Ogbadibo Local Government and some other local Government within Idoma Region. Therefore, a save our souls messages and calls should be sent to Sen. David mark, the senator representing Benue south senatorial district. This should not be politicised. The seized land is not going to affect only APC nor PDP nor Accord or SDP. It’s about our future. It’s about our unborn generation. It’s about preserving and protecting our traditional institution. Who knows when they get the lands, may be Serikis and Emir will be installed who may not be answerable to our King. So, well-meaning indigenes of Idoma, traditional councils, friends, relatives and political associates of these honourables should let them know what passage of this bills meant to us. Arise Idoma’s let protect our land, our heritage and our future.