Heads of Agricultural value chains in Ondo State under the Aegis of Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association (OSACA) has thrown its weight behind the Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu for giving his full backing to the enactment of anti-open grazing law in the state saying it has been long overdue.
In a statement signed by the leadership of OSACA and made public by Ayo Omogie, the group further said enforcing the law will bring peace and not chaos as suggested in some quarters.
According to the statement, OSACA noted that Ondo State
Chapter of Miyetti Allah was part of the public hearing by the Ondo State House of Assembly and publicly proclaimed that they embraced ranching and modern cattle breeding techniques, thus the idea is welcomed in the state
The statement reads in full:
ONDO STATE ANTI-OPEN GRAZING LAW: FARMERS & AGROPRENEURS GIVE FULL SUPPORT
We have gathered from the media, the press statement of an Association of cattle breeders, Miyetti Allah Kataul Hore through its Secretary, Saleh Hassan.
We would have ignored this unwarranted and illogical outburst (as we most often do) but we were stirred up by the recollection of Edwin Burke’s quote that “the only necessary thing for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing”.
Many times, we just shake our head in disbelief that this is happening in real life and not that we are watching a melo-dramatic Nollywood thriller.
We wish to state as follows:
Farmers, Agropreneurs and citizens of sane extraction, fully support, and were part of the process, of enacting this anti-open grazing law. We stand by it and vehemently support its enforcement.
Miyetti Allah, Ondo State chapter was part of the public hearing by the Ondo State House of Assembly and publicly proclaimed that they embrace ranching and modern cattle breeding techniques. We believe that this is more sensible and peace inclined!
If there is no allusion to the fact that we are in a banana republic, how can there be the thought of ever proposing a law in the National Assembly to legalise (and therefore make enforceable) wanton destruction of fellow citizens’ livelihood and make the outbreak of a full blown war a very high probability?
When unknown people & animals destroy farms, communities and water sources, they are always “NOT OUR PEOPLE BECAUSE WE ARE NOT CRIMINALS/BANDITS”.
However, when there are measures taken to curb these criminal activities, MIYETTI ALLAH KATAUL HORE is the organization that is always protesting OR is the organization on legal retainership for criminals and bandits?
One would rather think that the organization should actively work with law enforcement agents to relentlessly expose these criminal elements since their members saturate the various forests and reserved areas which serve as hideout to these workers of wickedness!
We wish to reiterate that cattle rearing is part of agribusiness in the livestock category. Those that raise pigs, chickens, turkeys, grasscutters, sheep, and goats e.t.c are in the same line of business with those that rear cattle. Are cattle superior livestock? Are they “born to be free” and must not be confined and fed at the owner’s cost?
Other bonafide citizens of Nigeria have a right to pursue their livelihood and everyday life in peace, OR DON’T WE?
I hope those in authority will reassure us that we do. Or are we fooling ourselves by believing this?
We submit WITH EVERY IOTA OF CONVICTION that our cries, our representation and the State authorities’ consideration of serving us, brought forth this LONG OVERDUE LAW to offer some level of protection to us. Enforcing the law will therefore bring peace and not chaos as some might be threatening.
As surely as the wringing of the nose brings blood and the churning of milk brings butter, those who think of unleashing mayhem on law abiding people will be consumed by their own schemes!
We do not believe in the course of violence, but it must be said, that the sayings of our elders reveal why the hawk preys on a chicken’s young ones but refrains from the duck’s own. We need not say more.
Our advice to the Federal authorities “Be fair to all, pursue a Nigerian agenda” all will be well.
In Ondo State we are hospitable people but hospitality that will lead us to the Hospital (Dead or alive) is unacceptable to us and has passed the threshold of our tolerance.
Signed by:
Heads of Agricultural value chains in Ondo State
Under the Aegis of Ondo State Agricultural Commodities Association (OSACA)
