Fulanis, Seeks Southern Kaduna Forgiveness
By Alex Uangbaoje, Kaduna
A Fulani’s social cultural group, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Kaduna State Chapter, has appealed to the people of southern Kaduna to let bygone be bygone to allow for a peace coexistence among various ethnic and tribal groups in the area.
MACBAN, in a passionate appeal in Kaduna on Friday called on both Fulani’s and Southern Kaduna people to sheath their swords and embrace peace in order to end the crisis in that has ravaged the area for some time now.
Assistant National Secretary of the group, Ibrahim Abdullahi who addressed the press on behalf of the Fulani’s said, “We call on the entire people of southern Kaduna to forgive what has happened. Both parties should learn to forgive. This crisis will never end if you think you would go and revenge what happened to you , so we’re appealing to all parties to sheath their swords and embrace peace.
“We want to also support the steps so far taken by the government of Kaduna State and all the security agencies in order to return normalcy to the area.
“We call on leaders in particular, political, religious and otherwise to desist from making inflammatory speeches that could escalate the situation. There should be no hate speech, those speeches that paint us religious sentiment or ethnic jingoism. Let us all work for peace. We inherited a peaceful southern Kaduna and I don’t think we are sensible if we bequeath to our children and grandchildren a southern Kaduna that is fighting itself.
“We want to assure that we will continue to work with people of goodwill. In southern Kaduna there are good people that are out for peace. And I want to make it clear that there are Chiefdoms where you never, ever experience any clash because the traditional rulers there are out to promote peace. Kagoro, Marwa is one of them eventhough some people mischievously leave from other places and come to Marwa and attack. We’ve seen all that and have told our people never …….at any Marwa person because they assist us. We want to respect their traditional ruler who’s now known worldwide for peace. We have other places like Jaba local government area etc. We are going to work with these people to ensure total reconciliation.
“We also want to express our appreciation to the Governor of Kaduna State…in Africa it is a normal thing that when a government starts a project, the other government will abandon it. But out of his wisdom he decided to resuscitate the peace process started by late Sir Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, which was first of all identified all the people affected in the crisis, sit down with them, iron out every details and then forgive.”
