Tunde Ajaja, Alexander Okere and John Charles



The move by the Federal Government to establish a radio station to reach Fulani herdsmen has elicited some strong reactions.

The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, said on Wednesday that the Federal Government had acquired an Amplitude Modulation broadcast radio licence, frequency 720KHz, for herdsmen as part of efforts to end the perennial farmers-herders clashes.

“The radio service will serve as a vehicle for social mobilisation and education, in addition to interactive radio instruction methodology that will be adopted to reach the very hard-to-reach segment of our target population,” he noted.

Reacting to the development of the announcement, the Christian Association of Nigeria faulted the move, while the Jama’atu Nasril Islam, on the other hand, described the initiative as a welcome development.

But speaking to one of our correspondents on Friday, the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, a Fulani socio-cultural association, described the initiative as a “positive” step in the right direction.

The Secretary-General of the group, Mr Saleh Alhassan, said information dissemination was crucial if the lingering crisis between farmers and herders was to be resolved.

He said, “This is a good development that we support, because if we stand any chance of transforming the livestock development sector, we should educate the major players in the sector – the herders.

“Anybody that is against it (radio) is either mischievous or is very ignorant of the purpose.

“Why must people talk anytime government says it wants to do anything for herders? In spite of the fact that we provide 90 per cent of the animal protein in this country, aside from milk and other animal products, what have we benefited from the government?

“Now that the government wants to pass across constructive information to improve our lives and sensitise our people, having identified that there is a problem in reaching them, should that now be a problem? You can neither reach them via television or newspapers, so what can you do? There is nothing sinister about it; it will be controlled by the government.”

Alhassan said the radio would “definitely” help to reduce the clashes, but that to end the clashes, “we must have effective land resource management in this country”.

In its reaction, the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, described the proposed radio station as a plan to foist Fulani and Islamic agenda on all Nigerians.

In an interview with one of our correspondents on Friday, spokesman for the group, Prince Uche Achi-Okpaga, said, “You have the Voice of Nigeria; it transmits in Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. You have Radio Nigeria; there are programmes in Hausa, Fulani and many languages. You have other state-owned radio stations that have programmes in different languages. What do they mean by a Fulani radio station?

“You have Biafra Radio but you are clipping their wings and looking for them everywhere. You said IPOB wants to overthrow the President with flags but Fulani herdsmen are attacking villages, killing people and nobody is going after them.”

He added, “The water that is passing under the bridge depicts clearly that promoting an Islamic agenda is the intention; that is the proper Islamisation that they are saying.”

Also, the President General, Mdzough U Tiv, a socio-cultural group in Benue State, which comprises of Mdzough U Tiv, Idoma National Forum and OM’igede, Chief Edward Ujege, condemned the move.


He alleged that the Federal Government had shown disdain for minority groups in the country.

He said, “Does Nigeria need any radio station now when all the states own radio stations. If you insist on having a particular programme for a particular group of people, Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria is there.

“It is criminal for the Federal Government to use public funds anyhow. For us in the minority groups we align with what former President Olusegun Obasanjo said.”

However, a former Provost Marshal of the Nigerian Army, Brig Gen Idada Ikponmwen, said the proposed radio station was ill-advised and divisive since the government had said the herdsmen terrorising farmers were not Nigerians.

The retired general said, “The President must be told point-blank that it is a wrong measure to start a radio station for only Fulani. How can that measure be in consonance with promoting a cohesive, united and progressive Nigeria?”

On insecurity in the country, he said there had been a gradual deterioration of security right from the Olusegun Obasanjo government.

He said, “It’s not the making of this government alone, but nobody can deny that the government has failed to make the welfare and security of the people its primary purpose; Nigeria is sitting on a keg of gunpowder.”

rusher14:
Anybody against the government reaching out to Fulani Herdsmen is enjoying the benefits of the conflict.

Honor10:


A u sure this is the best way to reach out to them?

At this time that there is tension and suspicion of fulanization and all, I know fulanization/islamization of this country is not possible, but this special radio dedicate to them came with wrong timing.


And to be sincere with ourselves, this issue of herdsmen menace have been treated with kid's gloves. Buhari fail woefully in this aspect.

PS: am a pro-Buhari like u

rusher14:


Can you suggest a better way to reach out to them?

We have all kind of radio stations in Nigeria and No one complained about yorubanization, Igbonization, christianizarion and even Islamization.

Why is it that any suggestion the government makes in tackling this issue is resisted by some ?

Ask them for solutions and they keep quiet.

Esseite:


“You have the Voice of Nigeria; it transmits in Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. You have Radio Nigeria; there are programmes in Hausa, Fulani and many languages. You have other state-owned radio stations that have programmes in different languages. What do they mean by a Fulani radio station?

Cant the Fulanis tune to regular radio stations while the fulani language is inducted into the VON or Radio Nigeria as every other language?

What information needs to get across to fulanis that demands a separate radio station for that purpose?

Esseite:


“You have the Voice of Nigeria; it transmits in Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. You have Radio Nigeria; there are programmes in Hausa, Fulani and many languages. You have other state-owned radio stations that have programmes in different languages. What do they mean by a Fulani radio station?

Cant the Fulanis tune to regular radio stations while the fulani language is inducted into the VON or Radio Nigeria as every other language?

What information needs to get across to fulanis that demands a separate radio station for that purpose?

rusher14:


The same information that makes one have an exclusive Igbo or Yoruba station.

Why are you looking for something wrong with it?

Esseite:


There is everything wrong in it, we have 375 Languages in Nigeria... if we begin preferential treatments to those without secluded regions, we are only creating more division, coupled with the sect has not been in the best of news with mayhem and killings allegedly tagged to them.

BIGGIE121:
There is no imperfection in introducing fulani radio as a means to reach out to the fulani herdsmen, anybody who is against it should go and hug transformer.

Oldiesgoodies:
Why not use Radio Nigeria, even their slogan says ”uplifting the people, uniting the nation “ or something like that

Something is off!

rusher14:
Anybody against the government reaching out to Fulani Herdsmen is enjoying the benefits of the conflict.

ZombiePUNISHER:


Anyone who supports the reward of a radio station for the herdsmen for a job well done by the federal government is a terrorist..

ShalomX:


Exactly! Radio Nigeria, Voice of Nigeria and other government owned stations can serve the purpose. All they need to do is to create programmes and information specifically target at the herdsmen.

The fact is either this government is downright insensitive to the needs of the citizens or it has something very sinister up its sleeves.

As Nigerians watch how all these pans out, it wouldn't hurt to prepare oneself for surprises. This government?

rusher14:


Can you suggest a better way to reach out to them?

We have all kind of radio stations in Nigeria and No one complained about yorubanization, Igbonization, christianizarion and even Islamization.

Why is it that any suggestion the government makes in tackling this issue is resisted by some ?

Ask them for solutions and they keep quiet.

rusher14:
Some people are real silly.

DabuIIIT:


Shut up.
Did the 4kn govt ask for solution before launching genocide against ipob,ipob who never hurt a fly?

You are very annoying

DabuIIIT:


You are number 1

Why is the fed govt taking the fulanis personal? Of course,the jihadist is their patron.

That was why he advocated for grass to be imported. That was why he he asked from r every state to create cattle colony. And that's why they are thinking of floating a radio station exclusively for them. These are medievals who do not pay taxes or contribute anything to their hosts.


What a zoo bush enclave.

Spits

rusher14:


It is a reward and it benefits the harder in thst it puts money in his pocket abi?

ZombiePUNISHER:


Only money can be used as a reward?

BTW the radio Fulani herdsmen was created outta piss and not Niger delta oil money