OPU Canada Chapter backs Fayose’s anti-grazing law in Ekiti

Oodua Progressive Union (OPU), Canada Chapter has applauded Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State over the signing of the anti-grazing bill into law.

Mr. Keke Adams, National Coordinator  and Chief ‘Femi Shodunke, National Public Relations Officer in a statement to NEWSVERGE said, “The signing of the anti-grazing bill into law by His Excellency, Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose, has caught the utmost attention of the entire members of Oodua Progressive Union, Canada Chapter.

We, therefore, declare unequivocally that we welcome the law and hereby express our solid support.  In line with this, we want to commend, and appreciate, the lawmakers who voted in support of the bill as history will record them as the upholder of the protection of the rights, properties and lives of their people.

We must specially commend Governor Ayo Fayose for his laudable and rarified courage to stand for Ekiti people and ultimately the Yorubaland as this law will, no doubt, checkmate the myriad of robberies, unnecessary incursion and unwarranted killings, maiming, raping and destruction of farms and properties worth several millions of naira in the state, and send positive hope to other parts of the country.

We are specifically enthralled by the ban placed on the carrying of arms by the Fulani herdsmen.  To us the move is indeed a right measure at the time when the Federal Government of President Muhammadu Buhari, in a gobsmacking way, appears to be looking the other way while these herdsmen continue to violate the laws of the land on firearms and other weapons of destruction.

Let us, however, remind ourselves that the anti-grazing law is definitely a vivid demonstration of the unassailable rights of the people of Ekiti to determine their rights in a true Federal structure.  Therefore, this law is a clear reminder of the urgent need for Nigeria to be restructured along true federalism.

It is in this respect that we enjoin all other governors in the South West to immediately initiate, enact and sign similar law and put in place measures to enforce it without delay.

However, we will like to remind the Federal Government of Nigeria to learn from other countries where cattle rearing, which are private enterprises, are carried out in a restricted manner without any violation of other people’s rights, gibberish incursion into other people’s properties and unnecessarily endangering the lives of residents.

We must not hesitate to also call on the National Assembly to emulate the step taken by the Ekiti State to protect the lives and properties of fellow Nigerians in all parts of the federation against arson, attack, maiming and killings of innocent souls under whatever guise – either religion or tribal grounds.

Relatedly, we observe that it is a well-known and verifiable fact that all over our region in the South West, we have Sabo, a settlement for predominantly Hausas/Fulanis.  Similarly, we have Iga, another settlement for predominant Fulanis where they gather their stock and peacefully live without disturbance or provocation by our people.

But, shockingly, our findings have shown that these inhabitants of Sabo do not pay their electricity bills, and officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria dare not go into this enclave to disconnect their electricity.

The result of this reckless, boldfaced display of unacceptable and condemnable, impunity is the fulcrum of high cost of electricity debts in the country.

Finally, we encourage all Yoruba sons and daughters and all Yoruba organizations, like Oodua People’s Congress (in Nigeria) and Oodua Progressive Union in diaspora, to rise up in support of Governor Fayose, and other governors who are willing to introduce the anti-grazing law, as we reiterate our immeasurable support on ways that would guarantee the safety of lives and properties of our people in the region.”