Baba Othman Ngelzarma, National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, has spoken out about the longstanding issue of farm destruction caused by open grazing. In an interview with Arise TV from 9:24, he acknowledged that cows straying into farms and causing damage has been a persistent problem for years, but emphasised that it is not a new phenomenon. According to Ngelzarma, farming and herding have always coexisted, and occasional skirmishes are inevitable.
However, he highlighted the importance of good communication and understanding between farmers and herders, which has traditionally led to amicable settlements and continued coexistence.
According to him, “The issue of farm destruction has been there for quite some time. It has been there even when farming and herding started. These two traits coexisted and were created to coexist together, so skirmishes are bound to happen. Cows can stray into people’s farms and make destruction; this used to happen for years, but when there was good communication and understanding, the farmers and the herder normally settled on the farm, paid for the damage, and continued to leave together.”….Sée Móre
When I Think Of June 12, I Think Of The Man Who Was My Teacher At UNN In October 1973 – Prof Utomi