Fulani herdsmen take oath, promise peace in Ekiti

Fulani herdsmen in Ekiti and South West have taken an oath to ensure peace with host communities in Ekiti, and by extension, the South West region.

They promised that they would no longer behave in unruly manner, kill or allow their cows to stray into farms.

The traditional oath is said to be an effective cultural sanction against cattle herders as its violation is believed to bring tragedy on the culprit.


The oath was administered by Ardo Mairero, the Sarkin Fulani of Kwara State, after a peace meeting convened by Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose.

The meeting was attended by the Emir of Kano, Mohammed Sanusi II; the National President of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, Muhammadu Kiruwa; heads of security and law enforcement agencies, hunters, members of MACBAN, farmers, vigilantes and grazing enforcement marshals.

Emir Sanusi was represented by a former Kano State Governor, Ibrahim Shekarau, at the meeting also attended by members of the state cabinet.

According to Fayose’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, the traditional oath was taken with kolanuts as agreement that the herdsmen in Ekiti will not behave unruly any longer, kill or allow their cows to stray into farms.

“It was administered with kola and sharing of the kola, which is a Fulani tradition that is binding on the initiators.

“With this oath, issues of robbery, killing, damaging of farms and kidnapping, among others, being allegedly perpetuated by Fulani herders are over in the state.

“The meeting and signing of the memorandum by all parties lasted for two hours between 11.00pm on Monday 19 to 1.00am of Tuesday, February 20,” he said.

The communique reads in part, “All herders must obey the anti-grazing and relevant laws of the land.

“That herdsmen must stop attacks on any member of the host communities. Any herder that breaches the peace should be prepared to face the wrath of the law, and Ekiti people should not provoke the herdsman or kill their cattle.

“It is therefore agreed that pastoralists/farmers’ crisis and killings, under any guise must stop immediately.

“The meeting supports the anti-night grazing stand of the law because it protects the interest of all parties and the law takes its course in the violation of letters of these resolutions.”