Abubakar Ahmed.
By Dada Ahmed in Jimgbe.
As all hands on deck to find lasting solution to herder-farmer clashes in Nigeria, a herder, Mal.Abubakar Ahmed, has stressed the need for Journalists to ensure objective reportage of the clash as part of efforts for the nation to over come the problem.
Ahmed, a fulani, gave the advice at Jimgbe village, Ajaokuta Local Governnent Area of kogi state in an interview with the Correspondent of The Reporters on Friday.
He criticised the biased reportage of the problem, adding that the the herders were in some cases portrayed as the offensive party and the farmers on the defence.
Ahmed said:” I think the best way in finding lasting solution to this problem should start from objective reportage of the event itself.
“When clash of this nature happened, not much effort is done by Journalists to also find out the side of the herders.
“All we read in the media is that,herders have killed farmers or destroyed farms but not much is read about the brunt the herders also experienced in such bloody clashes.
” There are many instances we also suffer in the course of the clashes, leading to loss of our members as well as our cows, but the world does not get to know much of our own plight as well.
The herder, who said that he was not in support of the clash, maintained that Journalists were better placed,as information managers, to present unbiased report of the clashes by examining the two sides of the coin and present it to governnent to enable appropriate authorities find permanent solution to the crisis.
He traced the genesis of herder-farner clashes to intolerance, lack of love and lack of education environmental factors and economic down turn among others.
“Herders and farmers should see themselves as one exploring natural resources for their livelihood.
“We should be able to see down and solve our problems amicably, many lives have gone in the course of this clash on both sides and this is not good for our nation,” he advised.
Ahmed,a secondary school certificate holder who has diversified his means of livelihood from herding to Kekenapep transport business,called on his fellow herders to access the various educatuonal opportunities in the country to boost their means of existence.
The herder, who is in his late 20s, married with a child, argued that acquiring western educatuon will give the herders more leverage to seek more opportunities besides their traditional rearing of cattle as a single source of livelihood.
