Date: 2018-04-22

The farmers/herders clashes took a new twist in Osi, Kwara, as a teenage Fulani herdsman was granted scholarship by a former Chief of Naval Staff, Vice-Admiral Samuel Afolayan (Retired)

The scholarship granted to the teenage herder, whose name was not disclosed for security reasons, was from primary to university level.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gesture from the Ex-Service Chief was the fall out of a peace meeting brokered by the Chairman of Ekiti LGA in Kwara, Hon. Yinka Dallas.

The meeting held at the council Secretariat in Araromi-Opin was at the instance of Dallas toward mediating and resolving the lingering crisis between Afolayan and the Fulani community in the area.

It would be recalled that Afolayan and the Fulanis had been at loggerheads following alleged invasion of his farmland at Osi, a Kwara suburb, by herdsmen.

The invasion was alleged to have caused destruction of farm produce running into millions of naira.

Afolayan’s efforts to protect his property from the intruders was said to have paid off with the capturing of the said teenage herder who had invaded Afolayan's farmland with his animals.

The seizure was to have created animosity between Afolayan and the Fulani Community which attracted the attention of Dallas and some traditional rulers in the area.

Dallas, in his remark, maintained that no progress and development could take place in an atmosphere of chaos, violence and acrimony.

He said it was the responsibility of the council to ensure that peace, unity and understanding flourishes among the indigenes and non-indigenes in the communities.

The council boss appealed to the warring parties to bury their differences and allow peace to reign in the interest of the community.

Afolayan, on his part, thanked the council chairman, the monarch and other stakeholders for ensuring peaceful resolution of the crisis.

Afolayan, who described education as the best legacy, said the gesture was aimed at encouraging and promoting educational development among the people, especially at the grassroots.

He disclosed that the processes toward the resumption of the beneficiary at the Navy Primary School, Offa, Kwara would commence immediately after the parley.

Mallam Adamu Fulani, the Head of Fulani clan in the area, expressed happiness and thanked Afolayan for the gesture.

He promised, on behalf of his people, to strive to sustain the established cordial relationship by avoiding acts capable undermining the peace and unity among the people of the community.

Meanwhile, Oba Solihu Adasofegbe, the traditional ruler of Osi had expressed delight over the end to lingering hostility between the ex-while service chief and the Fulani community.

Adasofegbe, made expression, during a security stakeholders meeting that followed the peace meeting earlier held at the council Secretariat at Araromi-Opin.

The monarch also expressed confidence in the council administration's ability toward ensuring growth, progress and development among of the people community.

Mr Babs Anjorin, the Divisional Police Officer, Eruku Division expressed the command’s readiness to partner with the council and other stakeholders in combating crime and criminality in the area.

Anjorin thanked the council Chairman for living up to expectation as the number citizen and law enforcer in the council areas. (NAN)