Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State is swimming against the tide. His decision to go against the position of southern governors on open grazing is damnable. It is a miscalculation. It is an albatross that will always come round to haunt him. No doubt, Uzodinma is looking at politics. But the issue at stake cannot be reduced to the sallies and frolics of politics.

At issue here is the decision of the 17 governors of southern Nigeria to outlaw open grazing in the region with effect from 1st September, 2021. At their meeting of 5th July, 2021 in Lagos, every state of the south was mandated to put in place a legislation to this effect. As things stand now, virtually all the southern states have complied with the collective decision. But Uzodinma has just stepped forward to reject the plan. He wants to exclude Imo from the comity of southern states of Nigeria.

What is Uzodinma’s point of departure? He claims that there is no existing anti-open grazing law in the state. He also said there was no need to enact an anti-open grazing law because, as he claimed, farmers and herders in the state are coexisting peacefully as a result of mutual understanding. He also claimed that both parties have signed a memorandum of understanding to work together.

However, contrary to the governor’s claim, Imo State of Nigeria Law No. 9 of 2006 entitled “Imo State Prohibition of Grazing of Cattle” exists. While the existence of the law is not in doubt, what a people-centred leader ought to be concerned about is whether the law enacted 15 years ago still meets the demands and realities of the moment. In fact, there is no doubt that aspects of the law have become obsolete. For instance, the law in question could not have envisaged the present-day cataclysm that is ravaging the land owing to the reckless activities of armed herders. What every responsible and responsive government faced with the situation ought to do then is to revisit the law with a view to aligning it with the realities of the moment.

Rather than send an amendment bill to the Imo State House of Assembly, the government in Owerri decided to take refuge in deceitful excuses. But no one runs faster than his shadow. The people of Imo State, like an overwhelming majority of Nigerians, have said that they do not want open grazing in their state, but their governor wants to impose it on them. In whose interest is the governor acting? Perhaps the governor needs to be reminded of the eternal truth from the epistemic repertoire of Chinua Achebe to the effect that no man, however great, can win judgment against his people.

The governor’s rejection of the will of the people suggests that the Sword of Damocles is in action here. The apocryphal anecdote which alludes to the imminent peril faced by those in positions of power is at play. This parable of power draws attention to the fact that those in power always labour under the specter of anxiety. This state of constant apprehension usually robs them of happiness. In fact, the Sword of Damocles is a jinx of sorts. It is only those who wield power wisely that can escape the perilous march to damnation.

Beyond Imo State, Uzodinma’s decision to repudiate the collective position of southern governors is most impolitic. It will make him and the state he represents loathsome in the eyes of others. By his action or inaction, he has, unwittingly, broken southern solidarity in a matter that clearly tests the resolve of the people. This situation will make Imo a pariah state. The people of the State cannot afford this stigmatization.

Those who reduce an issue as serious as open grazing to politics are short-sighted. They should see beyond their nose. If they do, they will realize that the issue at stake is bigger than politics. It is about peaceful co-existence. It is about building a nation where no one will trample upon another’s right. The matter is not about north-south divide as some people imagine. It is about the peace and progress of the country. If the matter were a regional affair, we will not have anti-open grazing law in Benue State. Governor Samuel Ortom brought about this law in his northern state of Benue because he does not want his people to be oppressed and killed in their own land.
In fact, those who mean well for the country stand against open grazing. They do not just stand against it, they come up with alternative ideas that can work. One such person is Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State. In February this year, he held that movement of cattle either by road transportation or by trekking from north to south of the country should be banned. He called on relevant authorities to come up with legislations to back up this measure. To demonstrate his seriousness, he set up a Ruga settlement in Kano State. He said ranching is the best way to bring an end to the incessant clashes between farmers and herders. That is the way of patriots. They go for solutions that will bind not those that will bring about wider cracks in the system.

Given the peaceful disposition of the likes of Ganduje towards finding an amicable solution to the vexed issue of farmer- herder clashes, well meaning Nigerians have been wondering why President Muhammadu Buhari who should be at the forefront in the search for peace in this matter is, ironically, acting as the agent provocateur. Whereas the civilized world has adopted ranching as the only acceptable mode of cattle-rearing, the president is insisting on open grazing. He is talking about grazing routes and grazing reserves, an option that has drawn the ire of peace-loving Nigerians. As the father of the country, Buhari ought to be swayed by popular opinion. Why is he working towards stoking the embers of acrimony instead?

The mood of the country should inform the likes of Uzodinma that this matter goes beyond politics. It is not about feathering one’s nest. It is about love for the country. It cannot therefore be sacrificed on the altar of any narrow, selfish interest. Governor Uzodinma should join the train of the civilized who have written off open grazing as anachronistic. Hiding under a non-existent memorandum of understanding between farmers and herders is a poisonous attempt to lead the people by the nose. It is also unhelpful to lie to the world that herders in Imo State are abiding by the provisions of the existing law by respecting areas that are restricted from open grazing. No inch of Imo state is restricted in the eyes of the herders. That is why they roam freely in every nook and cranny of Owerri. If the state capital suffers this level of violation by herders, you can imagine the fate of rural settlers and their farms and farmlands. Every available space in Imo state is just a grazing area.

The governor should simply do the right thing. Embarking on an orchestrated sleight of hand in this matter will be an exercise in futility.

By Amanze Obi