By Adeleke Gbenga
The Jamu Nati Fulfulbe Association of Kwara State has pledged its support to the Ministry of Livestock Development created by the Kwara State Government to promote food security in the State.
The association described the newly created Ministry as a good step in the right direction, expressing hope that the new Ministry will not only give the Fulani herders sense of belonging but will be fair to them in the distribution of resources in the agricultural sector.
This view was expressed yesterday by the Chairman of the association, Alhaji Usman Umar Babatunde Alfulani at his office while fielding questions from newsmen.
He commended the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for the initiative, reiterating that the new Ministry will give more attention to the livestock sector of the agriculture unlike before when livestock was subsumed under the food stock sector in the former Ministry of Agriculture.
Alhaji Usman Umar Babatunde Alfulani stressed that Jamu Nati Fulfulbe which he described as association of indigenous Fulani will assist the newly created Ministry to achieve the Government aims of food security in the livestock sector.
He appealed to the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to revive the old grazing reserves Kwara State was once said to have across the State, saying this will encourage the Fulani herders to rally round Government to achieve its objectives.
The Chairman of the association demanded for a full infrastructural development of the grazing reserves with modern facilities including clinics, water, feedstock, schools and security for the herders and their families.
He also requested for empowerment for the herders, especially the Fulani herders, saying such empowerment will further boost their livelihoods.
Alhaji Usman Umar Babatunde Alfulani thanked the administration of Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for appointment given some Fulanis in his administration, saying they need more employments in all sectors of the State.
He advocated for equity and justice in the distribution of resources among ethnic groups in the State, stressing that this will go a long way in fostering harmonious relations and peaceful coexistence between different ethnic groups in Kwara State.
He frowned at ethnic profiling and stereotyping directed at the Fulani communities as the perpetrators of kidnapping by a section of the Nigerian press in recent time.
He said such negative portrayals are capable of fueling mutual suspicion among ethnic groups, saying all ethnic groups have their own bad eggs.
Alhaji Usman Umar Babatunde Alfulani also appealed to the Kwara State Government to support radio programmes on government owned stations that would be broadcast in Fulfude to the Fulani community in the State.
He reiterated that this will bridge an information gap between the Government and the community and promote enlightenment on Government programmes.
