RUGA: An ineffective elixir
With Ayobrown Adetunji
Truly, the credulous person don’t know when to keep his distance, unfortunately he swam around miracle and wonder worker, on entering his personal aura, he unfortunately surrendered himself to illusion and hallucination with a heavy solemnity just like cattle. Surprisingly, when the issue of semantics arose from the brouhaha that ensued between a Law Professor and his Oga’s aide who is a BSC, Masters holder or even with more learning, explaining and even narrating the (in)appropriate meaning and interpretations of RUGA, diminished VP’s office. Indeed, if finally submitted or concluded as the case may be, finally surrendering to illusion will land nowhere else but in a Disastrous Island. Certainly, it is just a matter of ‘semantics’, the improper understanding of words was how Garba Shehu described Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and his office on the issue of Ruga settlements. Strictly speaking, it is very important and necessary to be able to play the professor when needed and never impose such an attitude for merely its sake, a good lesson I have just learnt.
Garba Shehu, a former president of the Nigerian Guild of Editors for about 16 years and an aide to President Buhari, lectured his Oga’s vice, educating him that there is no difference between Ruga and livestock plan, funny indeed…. Einstein was a boob outside physics, isn’t that very funny indeed? The Vice President Osinbajo had, while refuting a statement by the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, said the Ruga programme was different from the National Livestock Transformation Plan. Shehu, who is the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, then contradicted his claim on the Ruga programme. When you play with the masses’ emotions, you have to know how to adapt and attune yourself instantly to all of the moods and desires that may likely be produced there from. Many think Shehu overstepped his boundary and said more than necessary…or what do you think too?
Many think the Ruga programme is masqueraded by the Buhari’s administration as the National Live Stock plan to Nigerians, but how come that it came to the level of embarrassment and Osinbajo was not able tell between the two; separate them or detach them, compare and contrast these duo? Or is he also in the know but telling Nigerians otherwise. I tell you, masquerading as a swine works wonders on those who are arrogant and overconfident, another lesson this whole scenario teaches. Although, many, including legal luminaries like Femi Falana (SAN), rightly posited that the Federal Government cannot take over any land in any state without the consent of the state governors. Even every Northernrs knew quite well that the programme will not fly in Rivers or Delta or Enugu states. Except it disguised and put in another colouration. No southerner will trust such scheme, no matter how it is wrapped.
Truly, it is pertinent to point out that the Supreme Court has held that the entire land in each state is vested on the governor. As far as the Land Use Act is concern, the Federal Government has no control over any land outside the Federal Capital Territory, as simple as that!
The man, the son and the donkey; all these assure nothing but ravishing and increasing the imagination of many Nigerians to the highest degree, I have these pieces of advice for these actors. The speed with which the FG settled this cow matter is suspicious; Kai, providing free land from hardworking folk’s tax income, else the same citizens whose minimum wage has still not been paid in spite of several months of talks. What a funny country!
If it is a real and workable idea, the North should go ahead and make very good progress out of the plan. If this will turn the ‘nomadic pastoralist’ to ‘sedentary rearers’, and ensure peace down south, then it is a welcome development. We should allow government take initiatives. We should ask ourselves, why it has to be the Fulani that’s doing the RUGA, why not give the money to state governments to bring in their own investors from anywhere they want that can invest in cattle? Why should another man’s land be given to a Fulani man, when in reality he himself can’t do the same thing for colleagues and others? Buhari should be ready to give out his own family land and even his farm for piggery,Shikena!
Why play on Nigerians repressed emotion with the contradicting claims reported in sections of the media. If truly Ruga settlements are not being supervised by the Office of the Vice President, as they claimed that it is different from the National Livestock Transformation Plan approved by state governors under the auspices of the National Economic Council, then why the commotion and confusion? And on the National Livestock Transformation Plan, which Buhari’s administration said 13 states are already in the process of implementation, what is the stage of the plan to transform livestock production system in the country along market-oriented value chain in order to ensure atmosphere of peace and justice in Nigeria?
To Shehu, many believe he mistook his unrealistic excited feelings for mystical strength by attacking the country’s vice President that way. It is worthy of note that long before Buhari’s government there has been in existence the national live stock plan by the Federal Government without little or no upheaval as is associated with the Ruga. He might smile and caress his beard as he thought of the trick he had played with Ruga through his semantic analysis but the tendency to doubt and the distance that allows proper reasoning has already been broken when Osinbajo too joined the contagious government. Such is life in the animal kingdom, who could believe that such an ugly, unintelligent, nervous little creature could be capable of such deception, a friend rhetorical asked.
This piece of advice to Vice President Osinbajo, to become a founder of a new faith, you must be psychologically infallible in knowledge of a particular subject for which you desires followership. When you try to unite useful with the un-pleasurable, nothing better than unthinkable will surely be the resultant effect. A deceitful man will always find plenty more who are ready to be deceived because men are so simpleminded and so very much dominated by their surrounding attention and immediate need(s). Many agreed. One should not be too straightforward…go and see the forest. The straight trees are cut down; the crooked ones are left standing. Kautilya, an Indian philosopher who lived in the third century (B.C.) spelt that out in simple language.
For the Buhari’s administration, the most effective strategy is to mix creed with science, if success is to be achieved. Facing the reality will rather be better….can an Igbo man rear his pigs in Sokoto, Kano, Zamfara, or even in Niger state? An Hausa man will say ‘Ka mede ankali’ – be careful, this will not be a bad warning to such administration before it sets the entire country on fire. Never touch the wrong side of a razor because nothing cuts like valerian steel, is just the message. As a leader, you may imagine that constant diligence and the appearance of working harder than anyone else signify progress or improvement, but actually, they have the opposite effect, as it implies weakness. Working on sectional unrealised desire for a kind of promiscuous and pagan unity will never last. ‘Seriki ngoma, Sanmani ngoma’, nothing last forever, even if the Ruga disguised in whatever name is eventually forced down Nigerians’ throats, it will be a matter of time before it is revolted against. You can fool someone always, but you cannot fool everyone always. Thank God, the plan has been suspended at least for now.
Speaking unequivocally, no more monkey at Idanre hill, these days, the rest are now big boys. Who fit allow such, as precious more than life the cattle is to a Fulani man, such is another thing to another. Where there is smoke, fire is very likely; no need for soothsayer or need for any certificate, not even WAEC (I guess you understand) before knowing this. A multi-ethnicity nation like ours should not impose sectional will on all others, if it is by force, the resentment that follows can be catastrophic as it is capable of sweeping the country into oblivion. The tumult that resulted from Ruga is truly scary and tumultuous, I concluded.
*Ayobrown, Senior System Analyst, National Pilot Newspaper, writes via [email protected]