EazyMoh:
Nice one OP the crisis between Fulani herdsmen and farmers tends to always be exaggerated and misrepresented. Many wouldn't believe these people still inter marry and live peacefully together on most occasions for the better part of time. The crisis are only from time to time. But the way things are reported it makes it seem as if the moment a Fulani herdsmen sights a farmer the next thing is killing and vice versa. Like Boko Haram and JTF.
Again if I may ask, have you seen any herdsmen with an AK47 or any firearm? Because I have never seen one in my entire life!

Joey82:
So today, in the heat of the Fulani killings in Buruku, my busy body took me into the deep of Gwer West. We all know the sorry state of the road from Makurdi to Naka (that one is story for another day). The road from Naka to Agagbe and a little beyond is very motor able due to on going constructions. Our expedition finally took us to a destination we could no longer drive. We parked and did the rest of the journey on foot.
I must confess I have never seen plain, arable land so vast (Benue is richly blessed), I could see as far as my eyes could take me, save for some few tractors that ploughed the soil and a pocket of young men and women who followed behind in search of “Gbaver” or “Akee” - a species of fish that cysts in the dry season . I also have never seen so many herds of cattle like I did today, white colors from far and near with dust from their movement renting the air, moving in different directions one wonders where they are headed. I completely lost count of how many times our vehicle had to park for the herds men to clear the way so we could pass.

To get the clear picture, we trekked to the border of Gwer West with Agatu, crossing a stream whose bridge was just a log of wood laid across. While we were contemplating whether to attempt crossing (I come dey wonder who send me), our guide was already at the middle of the log drinking still, murky water from the stream (these guys strong sha). They told us the Agatus have decided to fight a “cold war” with the fulanis, they’ve refused to sell food items, water, medicine, cigarettes, drinks and any other thing a Fulani man will need to survive, that in fact trade between the Agatus and fulanis is at absolute zero, leaving the fulanis no choice but to move towards Tyoshin. I also learnt from our guide that there are 3 different layers of Fulani: the big men who own the cattle, the nomadic herds men who move the cattle from one place to another in search of pasture and the militia wing which launch attacks when the need arises.

One thing that surprised me however was the level of peaceful cohabitation between the Tivs and the Fulanis. One of the men I talked to told me he left his village settlement to set up a makeshift camp so he could carry out hunting activities together with other hunters. He showed the” Kpiam” (Gazelle in English I guess) they killed yesterday smoking under charcoal. Right there beside these camps were herds of cattle littering the surroundings as can be seen in the video (I begin dey wonder which kain liver these men get). He told me the last time they (Tiv and Fulani) fought, there were lots of deaths, schools were burnt down and their kids could no longer go to school, worst of all; there was hunger and their means to livelihood was cut off since they could no longer farm, leaving them no choice than to live at peace with the fulanis.
Now as I’m back to the comfort of “City life”, typing while my feet aches from blisters, I can imagine those hunters in their make shift camps, exposed to the elements (I no see any mosquito net for there self), with unwanted neighbors (Fulanis) who have forced themselves on them. It makes me wonder if in the long run, this forced cohabitation is the panacea to peaceful coexistence or the Tivs there are just sitting on another time bomb waiting to explode.

HungerBAD:


The last time I visited home,I went to some remote hilly village in Akokoland in Ondo State and stayed 2 weeks there.

Did not know anybody there. Just showed up one evening and that was it.

For the Obudu thing. For about 3 years now,I have been trying to talk to somebody with the phone numbers I see on their website.

It's either not working or like one time,the guy I got on a cell phone promised to send me the vacation package price list by morning And it never came.

If you know how to get in touch with the Obudu cattle ranch I will appreciate it.

Joey82:
My friend in a pose with one of the herdsmen

blues20:
Can't these guys practice modern ranching for fuvck sake? Why destroy another man's means of survival to perpetrate your own? This is completely inhuman.

HungerBAD:


The last time I visited home,I went to some remote hilly village in Akokoland in Ondo State and stayed 2 weeks there.

Did not know anybody there. Just showed up one evening and that was it.

For the Obudu thing. For about 3 years now,I have been trying to talk to somebody with the phone numbers I see on their website.

It's either not working or like one time,the guy I got on a cell phone promised to send me the vacation package price list by morning And it never came.

If you know how to get in touch with the Obudu cattle ranch I will appreciate it.

Sleekyshuga:
@Joey82, nice tour..

The Nothern region in general is blessed with land mass. I passed Benue on my journey to Nasarawa State. Several times, I kept peeping at sign posts and was shocked we were still driving around one state with 5 hours already gone .

A State I may not dream of passing through is Niger State; that's like the five South Eastern States put together . Or are you been fun...


About these cows, Lord knows how much I fear them . If possible, I don't even want to see them. The herdsmen ain't even trying; the cows graze everywhere, cross the road recklessly etc. The funniest was when I spotted them at our NYSC/LGA Secretariat .

nwaanambra1:
Benue has been conquered.

Taraba state conquered

Plateau State almost taken - war suspended so they can re-strategies

Nasarawa State - on the verge of being taken over


Kaduna State - annihilation in progress - southern kaduna - soon it will be conquered

Kogi, Kwara and Edo - Soldier Herdsmen silently being deployed


the sad thing is - they always go for the best lands to rear their cattle. these states mentioned so far - their lands are the closest description of paradise.



my question is - after they destroy all the arable lands, do we all start feeding on beef alone?


what a messed up country.

01Alpha:
Can't you just make a sentence without calling "south east" you lot make me sick

Excuse me ?

Make you sick? Can you hit the closest pharmacy around your area?

You either deal with it or pass..

Sick ni... Well ko..

cybriz82:




if i hear u well...edo ke?? if dem try edo state na juju dem go use kill them.

Sleekyshuga:

Excuse me ?

Make you sick? Can you hit the closest pharmacy around your area?

You either deal with it or pass..

Sick ni... Well ko..

HungerBAD:


The last time I visited home,I went to some remote hilly village in Akokoland in Ondo State and stayed 2 weeks there.

Did not know anybody there. Just showed up one evening and that was it.

For the Obudu thing. For about 3 years now,I have been trying to talk to somebody with the phone numbers I see on their website.

It's either not working or like one time,the guy I got on a cell phone promised to send me the vacation package price list by morning And it never came.

If you know how to get in touch with the Obudu cattle ranch I will appreciate it.

Joey82:
So today, in the heat of the Fulani killings in Buruku, my busy body took me into the deep of Gwer West. We all know the sorry state of the road from Makurdi to Naka (that one is story for another day). The road from Naka to Agagbe and a little beyond is very motor able due to on going constructions. Our expedition finally took us to a destination we could no longer drive. We parked and did the rest of the journey on foot.
I must confess I have never seen plain, arable land so vast (Benue is richly blessed), I could see as far as my eyes could take me, save for some few tractors that ploughed the soil and a pocket of young men and women who followed behind in search of “Gbaver” or “Akee” - a species of fish that cysts in the dry season . I also have never seen so many herds of cattle like I did today, white colors from far and near with dust from their movement renting the air, moving in different directions one wonders where they are headed. I completely lost count of how many times our vehicle had to park for the herds men to clear the way so we could pass.

To get the clear picture, we trekked to the border of Gwer West with Agatu, crossing a stream whose bridge was just a log of wood laid across. While we were contemplating whether to attempt crossing (I come dey wonder who send me), our guide was already at the middle of the log drinking still, murky water from the stream (these guys strong sha). They told us the Agatus have decided to fight a “cold war” with the fulanis, they’ve refused to sell food items, water, medicine, cigarettes, drinks and any other thing a Fulani man will need to survive, that in fact trade between the Agatus and fulanis is at absolute zero, leaving the fulanis no choice but to move towards Tyoshin. I also learnt from our guide that there are 3 different layers of Fulani: the big men who own the cattle, the nomadic herds men who move the cattle from one place to another in search of pasture and the militia wing which launch attacks when the need arises.

One thing that surprised me however was the level of peaceful cohabitation between the Tivs and the Fulanis. One of the men I talked to told me he left his village settlement to set up a makeshift camp so he could carry out hunting activities together with other hunters. He showed the” Kpiam” (Gazelle in English I guess) they killed yesterday smoking under charcoal. Right there beside these camps were herds of cattle littering the surroundings as can be seen in the video (I begin dey wonder which kain liver these men get). He told me the last time they (Tiv and Fulani) fought, there were lots of deaths, schools were burnt down and their kids could no longer go to school, worst of all; there was hunger and their means to livelihood was cut off since they could no longer farm, leaving them no choice than to live at peace with the fulanis.
Now as I’m back to the comfort of “City life”, typing while my feet aches from blisters, I can imagine those hunters in their make shift camps, exposed to the elements (I no see any mosquito net for there self), with unwanted neighbors (Fulanis) who have forced themselves on them. It makes me wonder if in the long run, this forced cohabitation is the panacea to peaceful coexistence or the Tivs there are just sitting on another time bomb waiting to explode.

nwaanambra1:
Benue has been conquered.

Taraba state conquered

Plateau State almost taken - war suspended so they can re-strategies

Nasarawa State - on the verge of being taken over


Kaduna State - annihilation in progress - southern kaduna - soon it will be conquered

Kogi, Kwara and Edo - Soldier Herdsmen silently being deployed


the sad thing is - they always go for the best lands to rear their cattle. these states mentioned so far - their lands are the closest description of paradise.



my question is - after they destroy all the arable lands, do we all start feeding on beef alone?


what a messed up country.

Ignyte:


OP, could I lift this for my blog??
I promise to write the source...

01Alpha:
yanyaya talking grabish... Keep on romancing your enemies, speculating what you thought might be true.


You would meet your Waterloo some day. Nonsense

Ajgal10:
Oh yeaaa...in 2008 as a lagos butter pikin, my grandma decided to take me through same adventure when i went to Makurdi. From Northbank market we embarked on this journey to Rukubi on bike. Rukubi is a border community under Doma LGA in Nassarawa state. And it ws the most historic moment of my life as i travelled through the banks of River Benue. There were times we stopped over to cross water by foot. The fulanis na anoda story. The market day experience and how i saw so much fresh fish and food in the forest city. It was a memorable one. Sadly a few years ago in 2014, i learnt the fulani monsters struck and pulled down all those communities i had visited, leaving littered corpse and old folks. This is the Benue story indeed.

Joey82:
"Gbaver" - a specie of fish that cysts in the dry season waiting for rains being smoked.

nwaanambra1:



my brother they are amassing herdsmen soldiers in edo desert and dropping supplies to them using helicopter - ask that reps member from edo.

munas:


Kindly trow more light on this...
Does it mean that the fish will be alive in the dry ground and when the rains comes,it will start swimming again or what?

EazyMoh:

So you didn't see any of them in your expedition yet they are in your report. Continue.

EazyMoh:

So you didn't see any of them in your expedition yet they are in your report. Continue.

EazyMoh:
Nice one OP the crisis between Fulani herdsmen and farmers tends to always be exaggerated and misrepresented. Many wouldn't believe these people still inter marry and live peacefully together on most occasions for the better part of time. The crisis are only from time to time. But the way things are reported it makes it seem as if the moment a Fulani herdsmen sights a farmer the next thing is killing and vice versa. Like Boko Haram and JTF.
Again if I may ask, have you seen any herdsmen with an AK47 or any firearm? Because I have never seen one in my entire life!