REVIVAL OF PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE AMONG BOLE 1, 2 AND 3 FARMERS AND HERDERS

A meeting held by the mediation committee established to resolve conflicts in Bole community, sponsored by British Council whereby Murmushi People’s Foundation is the facilitator of the dialogue between herdsmen and farmers in Bole 1, Bole 2 and Bole 3 on the issue of herders grazing the farm yields of farmers, have embarked on ways of how to resolve the emanating conflicts from both the herders and farmers living in Bole community.

The meeting started on Monday 29^th October 2018 to 5^th November 2018 were the board of committee started on triangulating the issues base on the happenings of herders cattle who are grazing on the yields of farmers. The farmers who were at the meeting said, all they want is to see that there farm yields are settled because that is their only means of livelihood with their families. The committee further stated the rules to be imbibed by the herdsmen on the issue of paying for damages of farmers farm produce.

The amount to be paid include: If a herdsmen is caught damaging food produce of the farmers, he will pay the sum of N5,000 for the board of committee, culprit will receive ten lashes from the panel, and payment of N500 per cow for entering the farmers farm.

The committee on resolving the issues of the plight of farmers, came up with the idea of identifying the herders if the farmers are sure they were the ones that committed the act of destroying their farm yields. Issues raised by some of the farmers, said “they know some of the herders that ate their farm yields”. If given the opportunity, they will even give the hideouts of the herdsmen and were the keep their cattles.

According to one of the Village head in Bole 2 by name Jackson and his colleague Hamidu said "the day they saw herdsmen grazing on one of the farmers farm”, they went to catch one of the herders but their King Alh. Gambo Garba of (Sullubawa) who was among the people that pursued the herds men said, “he   knows the parent of the herdsmen they should leave them to go". But to the amazement of the farmers, when the issue of identifying the herdsmen was raised, Alh. Gambo Garba said he did not know them. But a stand was brought to the table that, He will bring the father or the herdsmen that grazed on some of the farm lands of the farmers for proper action and decision to be made by the board of committee. Alh. Gambo Garba brought the people who were accused of being the victim of the incident of grazing farm yields of some of the farmers who were affected but, they were not the herdsmen who destroyed the farmers farm yields.

Resolution is in top gear as some of the herdsmen brought their guardians and the guardians of the herdsmen agreed of paying the damage done by their herdsmen. By paying the damage done by the herdsmen, They will have peace within their communities.

Alh, Gambo Garba has advised his fellow herdsmen to always exercise the attitude of unification and confront any issues that will destabilize the peace of their communities. Tolerating each other with love and care and if any herdsmen who decides to prove stubborn, a proper channel should be followed in resolving the issues than fighting which at the end will lead to clashes that will result to the lost of lives.

Solomon Bagai who spoke on behalf of the farmers, applauded the facilitators of the programme for bringing such a gigantic initiative and pleaded that, they in their own way, will listen to the voice of their leaders and seek their fatherly advice. The members agreed that all the occurrence that happened since they were assured of being settled, they in their own part, will abide by the rules because, to them, being peaceful in their community is what they want.