Fulani attacks and historical nudge (MUST GO FOR TUES.)

Sir: There are a few historical lessons we can all learn from the sporadic attacks and killings in various communities in Nigeria, in recent time! Because King Yunfa, the Hausa sarkin in Gobir (Sokoto) permitted a Fulani immigrant called Usman Dan Fodiyo and his group in February 1804, the whole of northern region lost the kingdom to Fulani emirates from 1808!

The kind Yunfa was killed in 1808 and the Fulani warrior, Fodio established Sokoto caliphate, making himself Sultan! Lots of people were killed by the Fulani warriors then to overrun the Hausa kingdoms! Gradually, other Hausa kingdoms were pillaged and taken over by the Fulani emirs! They failed to overrun Borno kingdom, hence the Shehu remains paramount till today!

Because the Afonja dynasty compromised by allowing a Fulani warrior known as Janta Alimi to settle in Ilorin, the Fulani guerrillas killed Afonja in 1824! And Ilorin, a Yoruba town under Oyo empire, fell into Fulani hand, becoming an emirate under Sokoto caliphate till today! If not because the Yoruba warriors defeated the Fulani jihadists in Osogbo in 1840, we could have had Fulani “emirs” as rulers in Oyo Alaafin, Ibadan, Owo, Osogbo, Ede, Ado, or Igede Ekiti today!

Therefore, what the Fulani herdsmen are doing today without control is an agendum to overrun all towns in Nigeria! So that we will have emirs in Owerri, Enugu, Benin, Agatu, Abeokuta and other towns where FG creates “grazing reserves” for Fulani herdsmen!

If Yunfa didn’t accommodate Fodio and his warlike immigrants from Futatoro, Hausa sarkins would be ruling today in the north! And if Afonja didn’t conspire with Alimi, a Yoruba kingdom would not have been ruled by Alimi’s offspring till today!

Let us continue to expose the hypocrisy behind the killings of innocent people by the Fulani herdsmen! It is a subtle continuation of 1804 Fulani jihad by the fully-armed and protected Fulani herdsmen!

May God prevent further bloodbath in Niger.

• Kunle Rotimi,
Lagos.