The Mogaji Abose in Olubadan lineage, Chief Adegboyega Adegoke, Sunday called on Oyo state government and Fulani herdsmen to give room for more dialogue and consultations on the recently passed open grazing bill in the state.
Adegoke made the plea while speaking with newsmen in Ibadan on the recently passed anti grazing bill by the Oyo state House of Assembly.
He stressed that even with the passage of the bill into law, the state government could still go further by inviting stakeholders, particularly the aggrieved party to sort out the grey areas in the interest of the masses, the government and the various herders’ organisations and bodies in the state.
Specifically, Adegoke advocated adequate involvement and commitment of prominent traditional rulers, community and religious leaders among others towards finding lasting solution to possible controversy that could arise on the issue.
He said a common ground could be found to resolve the controversy, stating that meetings should be held to sort out grey areas in the interest of the masses, the government and the herdsmen living in the state.
“I want to appeal to our listening government to still give our herdsmen another chance by inviting them to a roundtable discussion to sort out grey areas in the interest of the masses. This law is not targetted at anybody, tribe or occupation but to find lasting solution to the disagreement that always occurs between the herdsmen and their host communities,” he said.
Adegoke maintained that the Fulani herdsmen across the state have been living peacefully in the for years with indigenous farmers to the extent that they have started inter-marrying each other until recently when they started having issues, hence the urgent need for the much-needed timely dialogue.
Mogaji Adegoke pointed out that “the government and herdsmen can take cue from the Benue state example when government recently invited the Fulani herdsmen to roundtable and after the deliberation, the herders apologised to the government while government also agreed to accommodate them as one family.
