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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association (MACBAN) has extolled Enugu State Governor, Chief Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for his statesmanship and unflinching support to their members.
This is as the Sariki Hausawa of Enugu State, Alhaji Abubakar Gambo, urged members of the group to reciprocate the governor’s gesture by ensuring that herders entering the state conducted themselves well without rupturing the peaceful coexistence with the host communities.
National Director (Administration) of MACBAN, Alhaji Gidado Siddiki, who stated this at a farewell gathering for the governor in Enugu, Tuesday, said Ugwuanyi had in the past eight years of his administration, promoted the spirit of ‘live and let live,’ in the state.
MACBAN said the occasion was special because they did not gather to make demands from the governor but to celebrate their chief benefactor and appreciate his glaring demonstration of pan-Nigerian spirit while he was at the helms of affairs of the state.
According to them, Ugwuanyi truly acknowledges Nigeria as one united entity where citizens are at liberty to live and earn their livelihood wherever they choose, insofar as they are legitimately engaged.
MACBAN further said that the governor recognises the fact that the numerous indigenes of Enugu State spread across the geopolitical zones of Nigeria in search of decent life should not suffer any fright where they are.
Miyetti Allah said: “Your Excellency has therefore dealt kindly with us even in the face of daunting challenges when criminals masquerading as herdsmen infiltrated our camps and caused pains to the everyone. While our people suffered huge losses in human and material terms from often misdirected provocations, Your Excellency would not and did not fall for the orchestrated plot to demonise a people who for ages have lived in peace with the indigenes.
“Your Excellency, your resistance to blanket profiling and stereotyping of a people stands you out as a distinguished leader and a renowned statesman. Though you make personal sacrifices and suffer obvious discomfort, posterity will surely be kind to you in reporting your role in holding Enugu State together and keeping Nigeria as one united country.”
While praying God to guide Ugwuanyi’s political steps to greater heights in national service, they urged him to remain steadfast in his conviction and advocacy for harnessing the diversity amongst the peoples of Nigeria in achieving a prosperous and livable nation.
MACBAN also expressed the optimism that the incoming governor, Peter Mbah, will toe Ugwuanyi’s footsteps in relating with them even as they pledged to work with the government in tracking marauders in the forests and making the state safe for the people.
Gambo praised MACBAN for staging the event, saying that it was the first of its kind in the state.
He cautioned then to control the movement of their members, adding that “it’s their bid to caution those coming into Enugu State to know that there is an existing understanding and ensure there’s no friction with natives or farmers.
“The governor is his wisdom created a very wonderful platform in Enugu State, that makes it possible that whenever there is dispute between herders and farmers, they come in and resolve it amicably.”
