By Femi Idowu
I have been following with keen interest the development in the country over the unfortunate attacks on communities by suspected Fulani herdsmen. The incessant attacks which are ravaging some communities in the country have posed a serious security threat to our national unity and peaceful co-existence as an indivisible entity.
Of all these callous incidents of herdsmen attacks, I had special interest in the recent carnage in Nimbo community in Uzo Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State, which drew the attention of the world.
As a westerner, I was interested in the Enugu incident not because I am a Nigerian, but due to my closeness to the state. I lived and studied at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN) for 5 years in the late 80s, and I came to identify the people of the state as peaceful and accommodating. During my academic pursuit in Nsukka, I undertook constant visits to Adada River in Uzo Uwani L.G.A, located not too far from Nimbo community where the killings took place.
So, I became passionate about the state when the news of the carnage filtered around the country. My reaction then was uncomplimentary. Rather than embracing the peace approach and call for fasting and prayers which was aimed at calming down frayed nerves and forestalling a reprisal attack, I felt that a backlash against the herdsmen was the best option. I was not bothered about the implication on our nation’s security then, especially the southerners residing in the northern parts of the country.
I had expected a spontaneous reaction from the Igbos to send a signal to the world that they cannot be taken for granted in their fatherland. But unlike some states that would have taken actions that will escalate the already tense situation, Enugu people, no doubt, handled the matter maturely, in the overall interest of the nation.
If the incident had happened in some states, they would have made inflammatory statements that could have precipitated a reprisal attack. The states would have accused the Federal Government of failing to live up to their responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizens of the country, calling on their people to fight back and defend themselves. They would have also raised sentiments along tribal, religious and political divides without taking strategic steps to promptly address the issues decisively and amicably like the Enugu Governor did.
When the governor visited the Nimbo community, saw a dead body, wept and called for fasting and prayers, many people then misunderstood the wisdom behind his emotions, empathy and resort to God’s intervention.
But, when I recalled that tears streamed down President Barack Obama’s cheeks in January this year, when he summoned the memory of the 20 elementary school children slaughtered in Newtown, Connecticut, I saw wisdom, leadership, humility and maturity in what the Enugu Governor did at Nimbo.
After his press conference, where he gave a narrative of what transpired and how the security agencies failed him despite all the assurances and painstaking efforts he made to forestall the attack on Nimbo, I was overwhelmed with emotion and convinced that the security agencies have questions to answer.
The recent turn of events, has proved those who had criticized the state’s handling of the Nimbo attack wrong. The trend of events has portrayed the governor as a statesman and diplomatic leader with a deep rooted instinct in crisis management and passion for peace and unity of the country. It has proved that he displayed maturity in the face of provocation, by not allowing a reprisal attack that would have done the Igbos more harm than good.
I am convinced that he considered the consequences of a possible counter-retaliation on his innocent brothers and sisters residing in other parts of the country, when he condemned the dastardly act and promised to do everything possible within his constitutional powers to bring the culprits to book and put an end to the incessant killings in the state.
I have realized that the governor’s path to peace, dialogue and strategic engagement of all concerned, towards bringing the culprits to book and finding a sustainable solution to the menace of the herdsmen, was not a sign of weakness but a sign of reasoned maturity and commitment to the promotion of our national unity and integration.
I sincerely commend the governor for this uncommon wisdom geared towards a peaceful, united and prosperous nation.
The significant fact about the Enugu attack is not only that it drew the attention of the entire world to condemn the heinous act and call for justice, our President after the prompt visit of the Enugu Governor to him, also condemned the attack and directed the security agencies to immediately secure communities under the attacks of herdsmen and arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly acts and bring them to justice.
I was delighted by the decisive decision of the governor, shortly after the attack to reactivate and strengthen the vigilante groups in all the communities in the state with an initial seed fund of N100million to provide complimentary security services in their respective areas. The governor equally constituted a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to unravel all the circumstances surrounding the attack.
I was equally impressed by the avalanche of heartfelt condolences and commendations the governor has received over the Nimbo attack and for the maturity he displayed in handling the matter.
It is on record, that the governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) were the first to pay a condolence visit to the state over the Nimbo attack. They condemned the attack and commended Gov. Ugwuanyi for “the show of maturity in handling the provocative incident, which they described as a criminal act that cannot be associated with tribe, religion or political party.”
I appreciate the inspirational words of the Chairman of the APC Northern Governors, GovernorIbrahim Shettima of Borno State during the visit which read thus: “Times like this call for maturity, calmness, leadership role, which Gov. Ugwuanyi has displayed. We are one nation with a common destiny. The killers should be treated like criminals and should be fished out and dealt with.”
During the APC Governors’ visit, it is worthy of note that the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola from the western region, also condemned the carnage as callous and commended Governor Ugwuanyi for the manner he has handled the matter by not allowing a reprisal attack.
It is also on the condolence register, that the South East Governors and other Leaders from the zone; the South East PDP Governors and other leaders of the Party; the South-East Council of Traditional Rulers; the state chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN); the South East Town Unions; some Catholic and Anglican Bishops in the state; the Fulani and Shuwa Arab Communities in the state;, the governor’s Kinsmen under the aegis of Nsukka General Assembly and Nsukka Professional Group, among others, all condemned the attack and commended the Enugu Governor for his maturity in handling the sad incident of Nimbo which did not lead to further violence or a reprisal attack.
Just a few days ago, I watched the governor on television, when he was accompanied by Fulani Leaders to a community in the state (Akpakwume/Nze) to dispel a rumor of an impending attack on the people of the area and reassure them of their safety. My heart thawed over the wisdom in his efforts to embark on a prompt visit to the community to promote peace and unity and guarantee the people of their safety. This is an attribute of a statesman and detribalized Nigerian.
Two days after the visit, I also read in the media, that the governor met with the Fulani and Shuwa Arab communities in the state and Leaders of Apkakwume/Nze community on how to foster peace and unity and enhance the security of lives and property of the people of the state in the wake of the recent attack on Nimbo community.
It was reported that after the meeting, all the parties involved unanimously resolved through a communiqué read by the secretary of the Fulani community in the state, Bala Ardo, that there will be no night grazing or rearing of cattle, no carrying of arms by the cattle rearers, and no night movement of cattle from one location to another in the state. The meeting also constituted a joint peace committee that will be meeting every month to promote peace and address any issue that might arise between the herdsmen and their host communities, etc.
From the foregoing, there is no doubt that Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has through the sequence of his actions since the incessant attack on Nimbo community, demonstrated quality leadership that provides answer to the fundamental problems of national disunity, tribalism and religious bigotry that have threatened our existence as an indivisible entity.
Again, I commend him immensely for being in the vanguard of national discourse for peace, unity and integration, for in unity we stand and in disunity we fall. I now believe that Enugu State is truly in the hands of God!
Idowu, a public affairs analyst wrote in from Ikeja, Lagos.
