By Amos Tauna
Kaduna (Nigeria) — A former Special Adviser to Late Governor of Kaduna State on Christian Matters, Rev. Joseph Hayap, has faulted insinuations that Fulani have left Southern Kaduna, following the farmers/herdsmen clashes in the area.
He made the declaration in Kaduna, northwest Nigeria at the Tangwat Youth Association public lecture on the theme “Justice and Peace a Panacea for Youth Development in Southern Kaduna.”
The Chief of Ardo of Bajju Chiefdom in Zangon Kataf local government area of Kaduna State, Abdullahi Avong had in a cross cultural festival organized by Search for Common Ground in the area, called on all Fulani who left the area during the crisis to return to the area, assuring that peace has since return to the region.
Hayab noted, “lt is true that there was crisis between farmers and Fulani herdsmen, resulting in the lost of lives and property, but the truth must be told of what happened and the picture of the area presently for the world to know.
“There was crises in Southern Kaduna, where both farmers and Fulanis were affected, nobody chase anybody away. Go to Southern Kaduna today, from Kachia, Kwoi, Zonkwa, Gidan Waya and many other communities, there are Fulani cattle rearers, rearing their Cows in a peaceful atmosphere, without anybody pointing accusing finger to the other.
“When they said that the Fulani in Southern Kaduna have been chased, that is not true. That is the kind of propaganda when people hear they assume there are no Fulani in the area. I can personally take you round to show you as many Fulani communities you want to see presently living happily in Southern Kaduna.”
He disclosed that after the crises, there are issues in some part of Southern Kaduna between Fulani herdsmen and farmers, stressing that measures were been put in place to engage them in dialogue for better understanding among themselves.
“What is leading to these kind of destruction of both lives and property, ruining of farmlands amongst others issues that need to be addressed but we shouldn’t exaggerate the story that there is no Fulani man in Southern Kaduna that is not true.
“There are Fulanis in Southern Kaduna and they the Fulanis know what am saying is the truth. We are together with them and we’ll continue to build our relationship with them and correcting where there are errors.
“Southern Kaduna has history, we have foundation that was laid to make us who we are, failure to know who we are is the reason why today everybody will stand up and say anything he want he want to say that has no base.
“We have to understand where we came from and appreciate where we are today and then anybody dealing with us if he doesn’t understand our history will always be judging us wrongly. If they understand our history they will appreciate the angle we’re coming from.
“If we must tell ourselves the truth, how did a Southern Kaduna man got education? Education was not given to Southern Kaduna by a government arrangement but through the missionary, and that the area holds unto till date. When Southern Kaduna man expresses himself, it is not on rumor or unnecessary story, it is base on facts and figures.
“Southern Kaduna greatest asset is education and the greatest problem that could be used against its people is education, ” Hayab explained.
