The Agbekoya Reformed Society (ARS) has raised its voice against rampaging Fulani herdsmen, saying it has mapped out strategies to defend Yorubaland against their attacks.

In a statement issued January 26, signed by Aare Agbekoya, Chief Adekunle Oshodi, the society observed that cattle rearing is private business, and that government had never supported farmers with forcibly acquired land to farm in other peoples communes.

It also observed that government had ever seized rivers upcountry for fishermen down south to fish in northern rivers.

It described as patently wrong and wholly suspicious that a subsisting government has chosen a particular private trade (cattle rearing), mostly conducted by a particular ethnic group (the Fulani) for favour over and above the interests, businesses and lives of other Nigerians.

According to Agbekoya, “It leaves a bad taste in the mouth and a nasty smell to the nostrils when you witness the atrocities committed by these agents of Lucifer, for which not a single arrest, prosecution or sentencing has been done, even after thousands of lives have been lost to this lunacy!

“History and anthropology teach us that every human group is nomadic in nature, but had settled down somewhere at a particular point in time. Why have the Fulani refused to settle down at, or around, their ancestral lands in the Futa Jalon and Futa Toro highlands of Guinea and Senegal and built modern ranches, in this computer age, to rear their cows without foraging into other peoples territories to disturb their peace. Why?”

The farmers’ group also pointed out that the grazing bill, as crafted by its sponsors, “is arrogantly malevolent in content and impetuously contemptuous, in character, of other people’s interests and concerns. In the darkest parts of hell from where it was horribly construed, it shall remain, because it is mortally flawed, morally insensitive and forever unworkable.”

ARS accused the Fulani of continuous resistance of the restructuring of the Nigeria federation, which would have saved the country from the inevitable abyss to which it is careening at a breakneck speed.

It said: “They still prefer their anachronistic lazy ways of leeching unto other people’s properties and fattening up where they did not sow. This is scandalously inequitable and unworkable.

“Kaka ki Kiniun se akapo Ekun, kaluku yio ma se ode tie lototo ni!”

The group said it has been watching events as they unfold. “Our silence is not consent. Neither is our cadence tacit support!

“The Agbekoya stand is premised on its history as a defender of Yoruba society, values and territory. It will be tantamount to self-immolation if Agbekoya rescinds this traditional role to others, thereby exposing the flanks of the Yoruba societies and communities to infringements, incursions and attacks as is presently the case!

“Egbe Agbekoya championed the most well-known peasant-driven political revolt in western Nigerian history, and continues to be referenced by grassroots organisations as a successful example of collective action against unpopular government policies like the prevalent advent of nascent murderous Fulani hegemony on the whole Nigeria nation,” ARS said.

While emphasising that it is time for it to “roar” once again, the Yoruba group warned the Fulani herdsmen whom it said are backed by the Federal Government that “all this nonsense must stop and end forthwith!”

Agbekoya also called on its members – farmers, hunters, traditionalists and Yoruba ancestral security outfits – to commence total and uncompromising protection of all parts of Yorubaland, from Kwara to Kogi, Lagos to Ondo, Ogun, Osun, Oyo and Ekiti.

It said: “Our bushes and forests, farmlands and settlements hereby remain impervious and sealed to Fulani marauders, arsonists and murderous gangs. The government of the day has clearly and obviously failed to offer protection to our people in the urban and rural areas.

“A three-day Oro festival will be conducted all over Yorubaland on an unannounced date to cleanse our land of terror and fish out any threats lurking within our borders.

“Those who have ears to hear, let them hear!

“Patapata laa f’oju, kunna, kunna laa dete. Oju afo ifotan, ija l’on da sile!”

ARS called on all Yoruba sons and daughters, villages, communities and farmers that are under threat to report to their local community heads and chiefs for links to Agbekoya traditionalists and ancestral security units in their locality.

It boasted: “We are everywhere! Any threat or harm inflicted on any Yoruba is a challenge to Agbekoya, and it will be resolutely met with!

“Aja t’o ba l’eni lehin, yio pa obo.”

ARS explained that the press statement was issued in conjunction “with and support of the actions of Yoruba Liberation Command (YOLICOM) and the laudable Voice of Reason (VOR) press release of January 22nd, 2018 in Punch Newspapers which advocates the exit of the Yoruba nation out of Nigeria, before the 2019 elections, if there is no meaningful restructuring within the shortest possible time.”

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