By Aminu Ahlan Shariff

… When The Lion of the Senate Roars Against Bill to Round Up Fulani Herders Like Lost Cattle.


There is no gainsaying the fact that our country is indeed immensely blessed to have such unique and responsible leaders who can smell impending doom from and can boldly and courageously speed the process of curtailing it to serve the nation which would naturally be at the receiving end if it rear it’s head at the long run. Leaders who have the guts to call a spade a spade, utter and act the truth matter how it bitter it may taste no minding the repercussions and sentimental condemnations that may spring up from unscrupulous and unpatriotic element waiting to pounce at any given opportunity. But the country as whole needs and respect such extraordinarily leaders who are always willing to sacrifice everything for the betterment of citizen even at the detriment of their own personal comfort. And one of such commendable personalities is known other the current Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibril aka Maliya.

Unfortunately known for it’s shortcomings, shenanigans, intrigues, manipulators, deception, evil machination, unpredictable nature and many other vices, democracy still remains the only alternative and the only legitimate means of gaining power and authority to be in a vital position to determine the fate of electorate who entrusted their collective wealth and destiny at the disposal of those privileged to be occupying the throne of power. As such many people venture into the game with different mindset depending on their personal desire, wish and aspiration.

Some are simply there to grab an opportunity to siphon people’s collective wealth by embezzling and looting treasury with sole purpose of enriching themselves and their cronies at the detriment of the voting populace. They misused the golden opportunity to serve and get engrossed in indecent and misguided looting spree to amass ill-gotten wealth and accumulated properties and undeserved luxurious life style not minding the fact that people lined up and wasted their precious time to ensure they represented them with clear sense of purpose and enjoy dividend of democracy. But there also abound few and decent individuals who are into politics with sole purpose of getting an opportunity to serve the populace with inner zeal, determination and unquenchable hunger to better the life of the voting populace through efficient and effective display of honesty of purpose by bringing developmental projects and ensure delivery of dividend of democracy through creating legacy that would forever be remember with awe and admiration. They are guided by tireless spirit and selflessly worked for the betterment of their people. Count Senator Barau Jibril as one of such rare species.

Any society that dreams and crave for people oriented development which the practice of democracy offered and provided opportunity for, should always crave and yearn of such kind of genuine and honesty driven personalities to occupy the throne of leadership and power for the betterment of the electorate. As such, it indeed imperative that in some cases, individual who demonstrated such unique are finally occupying the throne. And I can unequivocally said here and now with fear of contradiction or challenge that Deputy Senate President of Nigeria, Distinguished Senator Barau Maliya.

It was indeed shocking, absurd, shameful and utterly disgusting watching the scenario that unfolded at the Senate sitting this week, when to global shock and bewilderment of the viewing audience, one Senator from Benue State stand up with his confidence and swagger acting as individually or representing hidden dark forces, presented a motion for the assembly of distinguished Senators seeing an order and enforced law to stop Fulani herders from rearing with animals across the country but to be restricted to their place of abode. In his hallucinating and misplaced task, he urged the Senate to ensure that henceforth , Fulani herders should be ban from their yearly massive movement in search of watery and eatble grass which is normally found in an area with periodic abundance of rainfall.

Coming at this critical period when the nation is graffling and struggle with numerous social and economic palavers, when its trying to overcome all those menace of food insecurity, dwindling economy, massive decay in all sectors, abject poverty and above all the total insecurity with recurring lost of lives and properties especially in the northern part of the country, I was personally and justifiably terrified and shocked when the said Senator presented the unpopular motion. But was even more freightened thinking that the bill may have a backing of majority of the distinguished Senators and might have even been discussed and settled the matter prior to the commencement of the official sitting. To the  undescribable joy and satisfaction of the Nigerians, some genuine and patriotic Senators have also notice and recognized the catastrophic doom the said may subjected Nigeria to if allow to see the light of the days. Some eloquent and electively deserved Senators quickly raised up and condemned the bill due to it’s destructive consequences to the continue existing of the unified nation or even it’s entire existence. Many voices were heard which they all aired their opinion on the unpopular bill.

But it was amazing, tantalizing, delightful and spectacular watching the all powerful Senate President who majestically with aura of power and intellectualism stand up to speak against the motion. The intellectually endowed Senator teared the motion to pieces while the entire members were watching and listening with profound and necessitated attention. After all, it was the charismatic Deputy Senate President defending his opinions with facts and figures that can not be dispute. He warned the Senate about the serious implications of adopting such motion citing the current level of insecurity in the country as such adopting such motion would flare up the current manageable efforts of the government and set the country on fire. Delivering with confidence, eloquence and aura of convincing, the man justifiably opposition of the bill was received with resounding applause and brought an end to the further discussion of the monster bill.

Nigerian recieved the news of his rejection and the entire peace loving and patriotic citizens appreciated, commended, saluted and pour endless accolades on the popular Senator whose influence and popularity keeps gaining momentum across the entire country. And the observers and analysts joined the prey in commending the all powerful Deputy Senate President. For it is vividly clear that adopting such motion tantamount to curtailing the Fulani Herders their means of livehood and is going to be a receipt of unstoppable anarchy across the country.

It no longer and an un deniable fact that the rampant kidnapping and bandits activities especially in the northern part is orchestrated and superheaded by the Fulani despites the present of other tribes and foreign machineries in their midst. But we shall also not dispute the fact that their condemnable activities was first of all triggered years back by the activities of the farmers and cattles robbers whom they entangled together in a deadly fights and war that always resulted in lost of lives and thousands of cattle. The farmers always be it justifiably or sentimentally claimed that Fulani destroyed their planted crops with their rampaging cows as such subjected them to massive slaughter and unmeasurable lost cattles and sheeps. Such repeated actions which the authority always found it hard to resolve was the antidote that triggered the Fulani herders to involve in deadly acts of kidnapping and banditry. The perceived injustice they suffered in the hands of authority such as law enforcement offices and conniving local chiefs made it a necessity and regarded as survival method by some minority Fulani whom are few in number considering their large population of cattle reares who navigated the lengths and breed of the entire country year in year out. A practice that is in existence for centuries.

Imagine a scenario where such practice should abruptly stop without any provision of alternative and suitable replacement that would provide an avenue where teeming numbers of reares would feel at ease and feel a sense of belonging as Nigerians who are respected and protected as prescribed by the constitution of our great nation. But one need not be told what the adoption of the bill may led to. The rest of the majority peace loving would  with no iota joined their minority in the deadly business and in the process set the country on fire for they would be many to confront and defeat.

The entire global world that includes friendly nations, the authority, peace loving citizens, Fulani front lines association and the entire Nigerian are proudly and justifiably grateful to the unique and charming Senator whose timely intervention brought the monster bill to it’s final extinction and termination.

One can vividly see the genesis of the opposition discomfort and feeling if fear towards such a political rising star who qualities, experiences, track records and achievements needs not be mention for they are well known to all and sundry. Infact, his endless penchant for providing good governance with absolute commitment and undying zeal is simply out of this world. No wonder, his adversaries and opposition element are having sleepless night and ultimately scaring the living daylights out of them because his freightening, superb and emulating experience in Nigerian politics coupled with his daily raising profile across the length and breath of the country would not only be a herculean task but also impossible to overtake.

I stand to be corrected.

Shariff Aminu Ahlan
APC Intellectual Warrior
08034533848 Realahlan0101@gmail.com