Rethinking the Herdsmen-Land Cultivators Crises in Nigeria: A Historical Perspective

International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS) | Volume V, Issue II, February 2021 | ISSN 2454–6186

Rethinking the Herdsmen-Land Cultivators Crises in Nigeria: A Historical Perspective

Kenneth Chidi Oforji¹, Mmanti Monday Benjamin Akpan, Ph. D^2
1Department of History and International Studies, Ritman University, Ikot Ekpene, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria
²Department of Peace and Conflict Resolution, National Open University of Nigeria, Uyo Study Centre, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract: Peaceful coexistence is crucial to socio-economic development. In a country like Nigeria where political, ethnic and religious crises are the order of the day, economic development becomes slow, at best, and elusive at worst. Herdsmen and land cultivators clashes have cost the country so much in terms of finance and loss of lives. Consequently, if nothing tangible is done to ameliorate the situation, more finance and human lives would go down the drain. The study takes a historical perspective on the clashes between herdsmen and land cultivators with the aim of identifying the causes and effects, as well as projecting possible solution. Textual analysis of existing literatures was carried to boost hindsight on previous researches on the subject. Also, face-to-face interviews with some resource persons were also conducted to ensure that historical methodology was adhered to. The study shows that the crises have assumed ethno-religious dimension among other findings. Consequently, deliberate, concerted and sincere effort by the different tiers of government is recommended to resolve the psychological impact of the crises.

Keywords: Herdsmen, land-cultivators, farmland, conflict, ethno-religious dimension.

I. INTRODUCTION

The Nigerian polity is a heterogeneous one, with varying and similar ethnic nationalities such as Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, Fulani, Tiv, Ibibio to mention but a few. These different peoples have been coexisting (though not without some forms of disagreements) for centuries. The spate of ethnic and religious crisis in the country has enjoyed prominence in the light of existing literature. For instance, Tonah (2006) asserts that conflicts and violent clashes between farmers and nomadic cattle herders have been a common feature of economic livelihood in West Africa. These conflicts between farmers and nomads are triggered by regular competition between farmers and nomadic herders for farmland, pastures, water, trees and the use of rangeland in general (Akpaki, 2002).To this end, the crisis between Fulani nomads and sedentary farmers; the cause of the crisis; and possible solution constitute the preoccupation of the paper.
The sedentary and pastoral Fulbe (Fulani), who are product of inter-mixture between sedentary Tukulor in the area and incoming Berber nomads of the desert north, who were migrants from the middle Senegal area (Erim, 2006). Population explosion and lack of farming and grazing land, occasioned by overgrazing in the Gambia and Senegal, forced the Fulbe out of the area into wanderings. By the 12th century

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