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Open Letter to Governor Godwin Obaseki

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7 years ago

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By Sylvester Odion Akhaine
Your Excellency,
I chose this medium of an open letter to reach out to you because of the existential danger presently confronting the peoples of Edo State. It is no longer news that Nigeria has become an open killing field stalked by so-called Fulani ‘herdsmen’, a roving band of terrorists acknowledged by the Global Terrorism Index as the fourth most dangerous terrorist organisation in the world.
The crux of the matter is that while every community in Nigeria is alive to this danger posed by this band of terrorists and have openly rejected penetration projects variously referred to as ‘cattle colonies’ and ‘ranches’ advanced by their sponsors who currently control the levers of power at the centre, the governing elite in Edo state has maintained felonious silence over their forceful occupation of Edoland and murderous activities within. It is possible that the silence is induced by honest ignorance of the dynamics of the activities of these terrorists on your part and therefore requires some enlightenment by a recourse to some aspects of our history.
History is a resource central to the survival of peoples and organisations. As it is often said, it is the compass to navigate the past, appreciate the present and consider the future. The Edo people fenced off attempts by neighbours and aliens to dominate them. We did not impose our culture on them if they were sworn to oaths of peace and good neighbourliness. As indigenous people with a legend of the creation of the world, we never ceded an inch of our territory to any other people. We resisted the incursion of the British in 1897, despite their superior fire power and occupation of the capital, we waged enduring guerrilla battles against the British up to the time of so-called independence in 1960.
Importantly, before British invasion, the same alien forces who are ravaging all parts of the country in murderous adventures today invaded Hausaland in 1804 and seized the political superstructure of the Hausa who today are subsumed under their domination. They indeed invaded Edoland from the north of our space known today as Kukuruku areas, a name engendered by the heroic resistance to the invaders known to oral tradition as Azanamas.
To be sure, in about 1850 during the reign of Oba Adolo (1848-1888) the Edo people fought wars with the Nupes who formed the bulk of the invaders under the superintendence of the Fulanis. The Nupes who launched out on two fronts, westwards against the Yorubas and southwards against the Edos in their crusade against the peoples of the forest region met with resistance. The Yorubas inflicted a crushing defeat on them at the famous battles of Osogbo spearheaded by the Ibadan forces in 1840 and later the British at Erinmope in the late 19th century. They had a field-day in the Kukuruku country which they raided for slaves and altered the socio-political institutions of that part of Edoland a great deal. In the records of the British, the Kukuruku division was formed with headquarters in Fugar in 1919. Until this period much of Edo North, including Ososo, Okpella, Uzairue North and North Ibie were administered as part of Northern Nigeria under the British from Lokoja. Indeed, without the overwhelming resistance from our forebears, we would have been living in a world of aliens (for a comprehensive knowledge, read Akhaine, S. O., The Kukuruku Wars and the Secularity of the Nigerian State: Some Preliminary Reflections).
Unfortunately, the British decolonisation process placed the levers of power in the hands of the same feudal forces and the dynamics of the civil war were to ensure their total control of the material forces of the state—all the instruments of coercion to ensure perpetual domination of the rest of the country (See Kunle Lawal, The Role of the United States in the Decolonisation process in Nigeria). A recent writer and combatant in that war called the outcome of the civil war, ‘tragedy of victory’.
Your Excellency, the struggle for restructuring is to restore what Pa Enahoro called equitocracy to the federal arrangement of the country. It is the extant relation of domination that Majors S. D. Mukoro and Gideon Orkar sought to undo in their military revolt of April 22, 1990. It is exactly what the incumbent administration has been reinforcing by what is now famous as his nepotist appointments in the security forces. The partisan nature of the military in the genocidal war against peace-loving peoples of this country is legendary. For example, when the people of Ukpabi Nimbo in Enugu in South-East converged to discuss their fate in the hands of the Fulani terrorists, security forces were deployed to halt the gathering while arrest were made. Bosso Community in Niger state were attacked by the ‘herdsmen’, and therefore primed themselves for self-defence. For that reason, men of the 31st Artillery Brigade invaded the community in a dawn raid. Nearer home, after the killings in Ewu, Edo State, the innocent protesters were shot at by the military from a unit in Auchi. There are more damning evidences across the country which lent credence to the accusation of complicity of the military/security forces by the former army chief, General T. Y Danjuma.
The above is to give you a sense of the continuity in the quest for domination by the Fulanis currently masquerading as herdsmen. One of the methods they have adopted in recent times is what the British have called swamping. They evacuate their people at nights into neighbourhoods and then form innocuous retail posts over which they make inroads into occupied communities. It is an old stratagem they employed in Hausaland before take-over in the 19th century. Having been profiled by their murderous activities, they have been unable to realise their occupation agenda so far. The current minders of the Nigerian state whose interest is coterminous with this murderous ethnic group seek the realisation of the agenda through ‘cattle colonies’ and ‘ranches’. Hence, the corresponding resistance across the North, Middle Belt and the South.
Assuming, it was a question of grazing only, late Chief Obafemi Awolowo who read between the lines, suggested a civilised approach to nomadic grazing long ago: a functional rail line between the North and South that could facilitate the transportation of beef through airconditioned compartments to the markets in the South. The Guardian Newspaper even suggested in one of its editorials, a dual economy, that is, the south selling hay to the herders in the north while purchasing beef from them. It will interest you to know that the then Midwest region had attempted a self-sufficiency approach by establishing ranches to feed its own people. They include Igarra and Ubiaja. The latter had a dairy. The last stocks at Igarra were slaughtered for pepper soup by the Igbinedion Administration while the Ubiaja ranche was sold to late Admiral Aikhomu for a pittance and ownership has since changed.
My fear is the influx of the ‘herders’ into all parts of Edoland: from Ovia North East, Orhionmwon, Ikopa-Okha, Ibillo, Igarra, Ekpoma, Irrua, Ugbegun, Igueben Agenegbode. Most alarming is large concentration of the ‘herders’ in a large swathe of land lying athwart Ewohimi and Uromi in Edo central (Esanland). The ‘herders’ script in Nigeria is land grab and control of the locals.
The quest for land acquisition is beyond doubt a well-thought out occupation script acted successfully in Darfur by the Sudanese government. Under the pretext of drought, Arabs from the north of Sudan and Chad moved into Darfur known for its lush vegetation and settled. Before long, the Arab government in Khartoum first and foremost armed the Janjaweed bands to undermine the local people. Subsequently, it re-engineered the administrative units of the areas and imposed the hegemony of the migrants over the indigenous groups such as Fur, Masalit and Daju. The consequence was the formation of two armed groups for self-determination, namely, Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) (for details, see the UN Report on Darfur). This is already being perfected in Southern Kaduna where Governor Nasir el-Rufai has just created new emirates to impose Fulani jurisdiction over the indigenous people of Southern Kaduna and render them second class citizens in their ancestral lands.
Indeed, the continuous influx of the terrorist herders into Edoland indicates that the State government under your leadership may have ceded our land to them for occupation, thereby fostering an existential crisis for Edo people. I am not unaware of a statement from your office to the effect that Edo State Government “has not ceded any land, in any part of the state, for ranching project to any one” and recognises animal husbandry as a form of business by private individuals, and that “the state government does not, as a matter of policy, directly engage in businesses” but act to provide enabling environment to attract private investors. I am also not unaware of the ban on night grazing by your government. In relation to the actions of Governors Ortom and Fayose, these are all kid gloves approaches. Human lives matter.
The reality on the ground belies your government’s position. It is that a large chunk of Edoland is being occupied by ‘herdsmen’ steadily and illegally. The lie of things in relation to the subject demands more than statements. It requires practical action.
So far, we have recorded uncountable casualty from their murderous activities. In the last three years, the following killings, by no means exhaustive, were recorded. In 2016, a 64-year old farmer was killed in Okada town in Ovia North East; a medical doctor identified as Ehidiamen Oakimena was killed by herdsmen along Okada-Benin road in Edo state, a teenager was killed in Ibore, Irrua; Two women, Mrs. Martina Emoyon and Mrs. Ariu were raped and killed in Ewu in 2017; also, in 2017, a pregnant woman was raped and killed in Ukpenu, Ekpoma. In the current year, a student of Ambrose Alli, Collins Ojierakhi, was killed in Ugboha; Mr. Pius Eromosele, a pastor was killed in Odighi Community in Ovia North East; the right hand of Arowolo Jerome, a farmer in Igodi quarters of Ojah in Akoko Edo Local Government Area of Edo State amputated by the herdsmen; A bus driver with Gloryland group of school was butchered along Auchi road, Igarra. The domino effect in terms of halting farming activities is immeasurable. Our people now stand the risk of famine.
I have in the above-offered insight into the threat the ‘herdsmen’ pose to our collective existence. I am inclined to suggest some solutions. The first solution is based on assumptions. If the present conflict is truly farmer-herder and driven by climate change as some have argued the Edo government should sponsor an executive bill to prohibit open grazing in Edoland as is done in all civilised countries. The states from which the herdsmen are coming have been the recipient of cash to push back desertification, and fortunately for them, the Chinese have evolved biotechnique for growing vegetation in the desert, they should buy into it and not export the consequence of their negligence to other states. Some Edo indigenes have cows that are also grazing in the open, they should be summoned and ask to put them into ranches and encouraged to make the state self-sufficient without relying on cows from the north. Also, there are already existing cattle markets in Aduwawa and Ivbiaro-Warake road at the bank of River Orle on the Auchi Side; they should be re-organised to be exclusively managed by Edo State indigenes. Northern cattle traders can bring in their cows, sell and go—no settlement and no occupation. Nigeria is not a frontier state but a country of Indigenous people.
The second solution flows from my conviction that the elements masquerading as ‘herdsmen’ are terrorists and are part of a heinous agenda of the current minders of the Nigerian state to occupy the rest of the country and subjugate them. The level of killings and its morbid nature which the terrorist herdsmen have perpetrated in the Middle Belt and our own casualty in their barbarism support my position. Our solution is a no, no, to the Federal Government herders project, namely, Cattle Colony, Ranches and Livestock Transformation Plan. Edo is listed among others state where the pilot project would be experimented and over which the Federal Government has voted N179 billion naira. While other states have said no vehemently, Edo state under your watch is still prevaricating. In practical terms, the state government must mobilise all available legal instruments to remove the terrorists presently occupying parts of the state. The open grazing law will deny them the cover for their sinister project.
Let me warn that if proactive steps are not taken now, we might soon find ourselves in ‘dishonourable graves’. It requires practical action and the time to act is now.
Thanks for your attention.
Sylvester Odion Akhaine, PhD (London), is an associate professor of political science and acting head, department of political science, Lagos State University.

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Waterfront Summit: KPV Founder Engages Lagos Commissioner on Sustainable Coastal Future

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7 hours ago

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November 18, 2025

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Prince Adegboyega Adekoya has expressed deep commendation for the Honorable Commissioner for Waterfront Infrastructure Development, Dayo Bush Alebiosu, following a strategic engagement at the recently held Waterfront Summit in Lagos.

Prince Adekoya described the conversation with the Commissioner and key members of the Lagos State Ministry as inspiring and forward thinking, praising Alebiosu’s visionary leadership in championing a sustainable coastal future for Lagos State.

According to Adekoya, the discussions went far beyond infrastructure. They centered on the need for holistic coastal development one that places people, culture, and the long-term continuity of Lagos at the core of every project and policy direction.

He noted that his commitment to this cause is both personal and ancestral.
“It is my prerogative, birthright, and royal duty to safeguard the waters, lands, and shining sands my ancestors protected,” he stated.

Adekoya also emphasized his role as a key stakeholder and founder of KPV Global Network, a thriving community of creatives. He affirmed that the network is strategically positioning the creative sector as a strong driver of Nigeria’s bold moves in global culture, tourism, and creative diplomacy.

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Again, Fayose Makes Scathing Remarks Against Obasanjo Hours After Former President Attended His Birthday

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13 hours ago

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November 18, 2025

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Former President Olusegun Obasanjo and ex-Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, on Monday renewed their old enmity, with Fayose raining insults on the 89-year-old ex-president, whom he declared “belongs in the zoo”.

The feud between the duo dates back to the beginning of the Fourth Republic, when Obasanjo was president and Fayose was governor in Ekiti State.

Obasanjo had sent the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission after Fayose over a poultry project embarked upon by Fayose, which Obasanjo declared was fraught with corruption.

The relationship between them has been frosty over the years, with Fayose seizing any chance to lash out at Obasanjo, alleging his Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library in Ogun State is a product of corruption.

Fayose repeatedly demanded that Obasanjo return his N10m contribution to the building of the library.

However, in a dramatic twist, ahead of his 65th birthday last week, Fayose had visited Obasanjo in his Ogun home and invited the ex-president to the birthday.

 At the birthday party in Lagos, however, Obasanjo, who was the Special Guest of Honour, recounted how  Fayose had abused him severally in the past without batting an eyelid.

He explained that despite asking for forgiveness from him several times, Fayose would still go ahead to abuse him in a display of arrogance.

 The former President said he was surprised that Fayose would be bold enough to invite him to the birthday.

 Addressing the gathering,  Obasanjo said, ”Some people called me and said that we heard that you are going to attend Fayose’s 65th birthday, have you forgotten how he abused you? But I said that they should not worry, irrespective of his character, he remains one of my children. The Yoruba will say ‘Won kii le omo buburu f’ekun paje’, meaning that you won’t say your child is bad and offer him to a tiger to devour.

 “But you are not the best of my political children, you’re not, but you have made achievements that must not be ignored.”

Obasanjo said, haunted by his past acts, Fayose could not, at first, directly approach him to invite him to his birthday, but instead sent  a former minister, Osita Chidoka, “to come and sound me out.”

“You could not come to me directly because you knew that you had not done so well by me,” Obasanjo said, “‘Bi iwo ba se rere, ara ki o a ya o’. So, I told Osita to tell you that he had delivered the message you sent him to me. You later phoned me and I said that you could come to see me at any time.

“Even at that, you could not come directly to knock at my door; you took precautions, you sent Foluso ahead of you, who came before you, to gauge my feelings and pulse, after which you arrived about an hour later.

“When you came to me, you called your wife, and while on the phone with your wife, I said that the two of you have not done well. Mo ni eyin meejeji kii s’omoluwabi; and your wife completely disarmed me.

“She said, ‘Yes, Baba, you are right, please forgive us,’ and what else can I do? You have asked for forgiveness, and I have forgiven you, but the right lesson must be learned.”

Obasanjo then launched into his past relationship and feud with Fayose.

Quoting Romans 12 vs 15, Obasanjo said the Bible enjoins Christians to “mourn with those who are mourning, while we should also rejoice with those rejoicing.”

He said, “Like I said, that we are here to thank God for his mercy and faithfulness, you must always understand that you’re who you are and where you are by the special grace of God, and so you must always give praise to him.

“I also said that we are here for stock taking, part of what you yourself have said. I knew you, and I was with you because of the initiative you took to give water to the people of Ekiti State at that time; you will remember this vividly. It was this initiative that set you apart and made me fall in love with you.

“I didn’t know you from anywhere before that time; it was S. K. Babalola that I knew and was going to support for the 2003 governorship because of his track record with the Nigerian Union of Teachers.

“However, I later pitched a tent with you and dumped Babalola, who, in any case, was also not a member of our party, PDP, then. You remember that we were at Efon Alaye to campaign, and one of their challenges there was erosion, which we promised to fix, and we fulfilled our promise.

“Ayo, there is a difference between being courageous, being bold and being foolhardy. Courage, boldness and foolhardiness do not go together.

“There is also the virtue of humility, which goes with humility. Humility is one of the virtues that mark out our character in Nigeria, particularly the people of Yoruba land. Integrity is also another virtue. We had a campaign and, by the grace of God, you won the election.

“And when you won, you wanted to do a lot of good things. One of those things was to help the farmers. When you came to me, I said that if you wanted to help the farmers, one of the things you could do is to either subsidise the chicks or the feeds and not that, as a government, you will say you are establishing a poultry farm.

“I said that Gomboro could come, and within the time the memo to buy this and that was still going from the table of one government official to another, the disease would have cleared all the chicks. And you will remember this story, I came to your farm and I saw the chicks that were about two weeks old with their shavings very neat and asked, ‘Ayo, se awon adiye tiyin ki yagbe ni’  (Don’t your own type of chicks excrete?).

“And your brother, Oyinlola, the then governor of Osun State, was telling you right there, ‘I told you that if he (Obasanjo) doesn’t know anything, he knows about poultry’.

 “You also remember that, before this issue about poultry, some came to say that you did not go to Olivet Baptist School, Oyo, but I knew that you went to the school and finished there. We can see those who were your mates and those who were your seniors, so that is unlike some people, who we really don’t know the school that they attended.

“If you remember, you and your wife came to me at Oyinlola’s house and begged for forgiveness for all that you had said to me, and I said that I had forgiven you, but you never stopped. You also came to my house and apologised. I said that I had forgiven you, but you still didn’t stop.

“Ayo, I did not ask you to contribute to my library, or did I? The governors decided, and you joined them. I never begged you for money for anything except when you came last week, on Tuesday.

“I told you that since you will make me abort my trip from Kigali, Rwanda and come back on Saturday when I was supposed to be back on Sunday, you would be the one to pay for that because I can’t be using my retirement money for such.

“But if it will be of interest to you, it was Alhaji Aliko Dangote who sent the plane that brought me back to the country. So, the money you sent through Foluso is still with me. I have kept everything intact.

“Obviously, part of why you have called me to this occasion is to make things right with those whom you might have offended. I also want to urge you to still think about those people you have offended and call them for a truce. Forgiveness and repentance are quite important.

“You must repent from all misconduct because we must begin to prepare for heaven, because no one will escape the judgment of God. Please join me in singing this song, ‘Ope mi ko i to, ojojumo ni o ma dupe…’”

Clearly angered by Obasanjo’s remarks, Fayose, on Monday, sent the ex-president a “Thank You” text message, filled with insults.

The Punch

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Dan Agbese, Newswatch Co-Founder, Dies at 81

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1 day ago

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November 17, 2025

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One of the founders of Newswatch magazine, Chief Dan Agbese, is dead.

According to a statement issued by the Agbese family of Ikpilogwu clan of Agila district, Ado Local Government Area of Benue State, he died on Monday.

“We hereby announce the passing away of our husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and mentor: Chief Dan Agbese, the Awan’Otun of Agila.”

“Chief Agbese transited to eternal glory this morning, Monday November 17, 2025. He was aged 81.

“Burial arrangements would be announced by the family in due course.

“Born May 12, 1944 in Agila, Chief Agbese was a renowned journalist and author, famous for his seminal contributions to journalism practice in Nigeria and renowned for his satirical columns.

He was editor of The Nigeria Standard and New Nigerian newspapers, and General Manager of Radio Benue, Makurdi.

“Chief Agbese was one of the founders of the trail-blazing Newswatch magazine and was until April 2010 its Editor-in-Chief.

“Before his passing, he wrote several books and maintained weekly columns in notable newspapers including the Daily Trust and The Guardian, while running a media consultancy with his friends and colleagues, Ray Ekpu, Yakubu Muhammed and Soji Akinrinade.

“He is survived by his wife , Chief Rose Agbese, their six children, and seven grandchildren.”

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