By TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Osun State chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Prince Gboyega Famodun, has called on the youth in the Southwestern region of the country to show interest in cattle rearing business.
Famodun, while speaking in Osogbo at the weekend, said it was not correct that cattle rearing business is the exclusive preserve of the Fulani people, saying that the herding business is a veritable source of engagement for the youth.
The APC boss, as such, called on the federal government to encourage the establishment of cattle ranching system by the herders, in line with global practices.
Famodun denied that he once canvassed the establishment of Rural Gracing Area settlements across the country, saying it was the imagination of those peddling such speculation. He stressed that he only supported cattle ranching system and not RUGA, saying that his comments were twisted by mischief makers.
Shedding light on his stance, Famodun said, “There is no reason we won’t co-exist in this country. The laws of the country allow free movement of people. The same Fulani people have been living with us for ages without hitches.
“I learnt from a very senior lawyer that the law of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has been encouraging ranching right from the colonial days to the First Republic.
“Those who are mistaking ranching for the RUGA settlement policy are only being mischievous. What I said that was twisted by the agents of the devil is that the government should encourage ranching as being operated in the advanced countries of the world.
“You can’t go to the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and other developed nations and find cattle grazing freely on their streets, as they have ranches.”
The APC leader also stated that the belief in some quarters that cattle rearing is a customary and exclusive business of the Fulanis should be perished, adding that “if ranching is encouraged by the government, it can be a veritable source of engagement for our youths.”
“It is advisable for our youths to also show interest in cattle ranching. After all, there’s Obudu Cattle Ranch in Calabar; as well as the Mokwa Cattle Ranch, while it is also on record that former Premier of the Western Region, the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, used to have a cattle ranch in the region”, he explained.
Meanwhile, the APC chairman has condemned the gruesome murder of Mrs Funmi Olakunrin, daughter of Afenifere leader, Chief Reuben Fasoranti, by bandits suspected to be Fulani herdsmen.
Famodun, in a statement by his media consultant, Mr Kola Olabisi, said the killing typified inhumanity of man against his fellow man.
He said, the killing which was a flagrant act of impunity was “pungent manifestation of exhibition of wickedness”, tasking the law enforcement agents nationwide to brace up with a view to bringing an end to such a callous act.
