By Emmanuel Gandu
EXCERPTS
“Simply put, the Hausa tribe seek their identity, their franchise, they seek their independence, they want to be free from the shackles of centuries of slavery and domination by the Fulani oligarchic control.”
INTRODUCTION
They call it Hausa Zalla, Hausa reawakening, consciousness, collective purpose, collective solidarity, economic development, security, justice, political representation, and above all, building a better future for generations of the Hausa.
But in whatever name they may choose to call this movement, I see it coming too late too little. However, its better late than never.
PURPOSE OF THE REAWAKENING
This nomenclature of “Hausa/Fulani” had blinded the Hausa tribe into believing that they were one in name, faith, intent and purpose. And that everything had been betrothed to them by the British colonial masters as allegedly announced to them by the reverred Premiere of Northern Nigeria Sir Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto.
But alas, the Hausa race have just suddenly become aware of the long term plans of the Fulani begun by the Othman Danfodio Jihad of 1804 where all Hausa land was conquered, Hausa Emirs removed and replaced by Fulani to make up what is called the Sokoto Caliphate.
According to the proponents or should I call them advocates of this reawakening consciousness like Aliyu Ammani, the clarion call is for the Hausa tribe to understand their identity, recover their history, strengthen their unity, and work collectively for their advancement.
Simply put, the Hausas seek their identity, their franchise, they seek their independence, they want to be free from the shackles of centuries of slavery and domination by the Fulani oligarchic control.
HOW THE HAUSA/FULANI DEALT WITH NIGERIA
The Hausa/Fulani phenomenon that had compromised Nigeria to a catastrophic and violent country is unacceptable, highly regretable and inhuman in the 21st century.
For an entire Hausa/Fulani race to remain silent in the face of rising cases of killings, banditry and kidnapping across the country smacks of complicity, treason, and terrorism.
Unknown to the Hausas, the Fulani had begun the killings in the Middle Belt of Benue, Plateau, Southern Kaduna, with incursions to the South East, South West, South South, Niger, Kebbi, and Kogi states. They spared states like Jigawa, Bauchi, Kano, and Yobe because these states are predominantly habited by Fulani.
By the time they were done with these, they turned the violence on the North West states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Northern Kaduna state but in only Hausa communities. They never attack Fulani towns and settlements.
The Fulani brought this violence on Nigeria in order to kill, exterminate, take over territory and occupy, just like they did during the Othman Danfodio Jihad.
This is the reality the Hausas have just come to terms with.
The mere mention of the name “Fulani” or “Herdsmen” sends shivers down the spines of every Nigerian. Farmers, individuals, security personnel, health care providers, government officials, and community leaders have various “tales of the unexpected” about the kind of violent extremism exhited by the fulani herdsmen militia and bandits on the Nigerian citizens.
From the North through the Middle Belt and down to the South, there is no respite from the series of gruesome murders/attacks on innocent people in their homes and on their farmlands. Arson, murder, rape, and kidnapping for ransom is their stock in trade. They rip open the stomacks of pregnant women to ensure that even the unborn babies do not survive the onslaught. Anarchy is let loose on the land while various successive governments stand by and watch helplessly.
If one may enquire,
* Who are the Fulani ?
* What do the fulani want ?
* Why do the enjoy killing people ?
* What is their modus operandi ?
* Is it in their DNA to exterminate life ?
* Are they Nigerians ?
* What must be done to stop their thirst for blood ?
FULANI ANCESTRY
Fulani is an ethnic group spread across many countries, but predominantly in Central Africa, West Africa, and East Africa. Their population is of major significance in Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso.
The Fulani speak Fula or Fulbe language, and are traditionally a nomadic pastoralists herding cattle, sheep and goats across borders and into the hinterlands.
They keep seperate lives and lifestyles from the local indigenous farming / agricultural population.
The origin of the Fulani is traced to the Berber people of North Africa around the 8th – 11th century AD from where they migrated and spread across regions.
They were the first group of people in West Africa to convert to Islam. Through Jihad (Holy War) they were able to take much of West Africa especially the Hausa pagan territories and towns.
Interestingly to them, and unfortunately for others, the Fulani have established themselves not only as a religious, tribal, but also as a political, economic, and a fighting force in defence of their cause.
As a result, they have continued to forcefully conquer, and occupy much of West Africa including Nigerian territory.
FULANI CONQUEST OF HAUSA LAND
In 1804 Othman (Usman) Dan Fodio, a fierce, studious, and Charismatic Muslim Fulani Scholar began preaching reformist ideology in the Hausa Kingdoms of West and Central Africa. His movement became a revolution, and seing himself as God’s instrument, he preached and launched Jihad against the Hausa Kings whom he felt were not following the teachings of the Prophet Mohammed. A great upheaval ensued during which the Fulani took control of most of the Hausa States in Northern Nigeria and elsewhere.
A new kingdom based on the city of Sokoto known as ‘Sokoto Caliphate’ emerged as the headquarters of the Fulani empire in Nigeria.
This led to the establishment of the Sokoto caliphate’s hegemony over Northern Nigeria (excluding the Borno Empire and most parts of the Middle Belt).
The Sokoto Caliphate included areas especially in Emirates of Kano, Zaria, Katsina, Daura, Dutse, and Ilorin who’s rulers became Fulani Emirs under the provinces within the Sokoto caliphate.
EXPANSIONIST STRATEGY OF THE FULANI
As part of their expansionist strategies, the Fulani first move into an area and tended to be peaceful. The local indigenous people gives them land on lease or as grants where the cattle droppings as manure serves as batter.
With the passage of time, the number of new Fulani arrivals increase by multiple.
This influx is fuelled by larger migration aggravated by the practice of seasonal movement and trans humance across several countries in search of pasture and water for their cattle.
Consequently Fulani resentment at being ruled and dictated to by ‘pagans’ soon become issues of disagreement with the indigenous host communities/land owners. Besides, grazing land for their cattle progressively become issues of violent conflict with the host community.
MODUS OPERANDI OF THE FULANI AGAINST HAUSA
According to Zackarys Gundu, a
Professor of Archeology, Ahmadu Bello University,
Fulani feudalism is real and it is why we cannot reason same way.
What Islam means to the Fulani is ‘occupation and usurpation of the conquered by Fulani orligarchy kingdom.’
But what Islam means to others is Religion.
Gundu emphasised that the Fulani MUST lead the prayer over Hausa or any other tribe.
The Fulani may take the sons of Hausa, castrate them and use them as domestic guard over his harem of women. No Nigerian court system nor press has ever inquired into this.
Gundu goes furthe to educate the public that it is sacrilege for Hausa to raise his voice over or against Fulani man.
Hausa man’s luck in anything must come from Fulani. Else, he is a SLAVE forever!.
Every Fulani is encouraged to speak Hausa but Hausas hardly learn Fulfulde.
* FULANI claim the right to belong or rule any Northern State or territory.
Hausa has no right to own land except as a tenant of the local chief who incidentally is answerable to the fulani Emir. The Hausa man must pay rents in form of farm produce every year. This is called ‘Jangali’
•All Emirs are Fulani. Most Governors and Senators in Hausa populated territories are Fulani. Most ministerial and juicy appointments under each successive government are systematically handed to people of Fulani extraction who are residing in different states in the North. Fulani would rather support Igbo or Yoruba for the office of President rather than Hausa for fear of Hausa rising to position of power and influence that will alter the status quo. Fulani will never gamble with this.
* Before the Jihad conquest, Hausas were never Muslims. They had their cultures & traditions like any other Nigerian tribe But now, the fulani oligarchy ensure that the Hausa culture and traditions are forgoten.
* The ease of inflicting strong Sharia by the North is a ploy to retain the CHAIN of control over the Hausa.
Those who chose to stay in the South most early are mostly Hausas, but a Fulani would soon come and colonize them as Emir. So, they lose their freedom and identity.
Only few Hausas are able to escape totally and blend into other tribes through marriage etc.
As such, CASTE system is being run in Nigeria by Fulani against the Hausa.
When a Fulani starts a trade or business including transportation, wholesale of goods etc, all his employees are mostly Hausa who are regarded as slaves and dare not steal or refuse to labour cheaply. It is a sacrilege for an Hausa to rise against him in competition.
When land & liberty is not inherited from your 3rd or more generation, do you still wonder the result of poverty among these Hausas rightly labelled as TALAKAWAS? It is a caste system.
* Each time you struggle for the NIGERIA project, the preoccupation of the Fulani is how to preserve the North from being snatched away from them.
All your governmental apparatus mean nothing to Fulani. For example, you know very well how Hausa is dying in silence under Fulani stranglehold.
If Fulani perpetrates gargantuan political/ corruption/crime over you, and you shout HAUSA????or at best Hausa/Fulani. It please them because that’s the name they coined to mask who they really are. It is now that people are waking up to these deceitful strangers.
* In psychology and sociology, MASTERS/CONQUERORS have no feelings for anything they do against their SLAVES! So, next time you see anyone gets away with dastardly acts, know that he is either a Fulani or working for Fulani interests.
* One of the greatest evil in Nigeria is that the entire Hausa race are oppressed without any ray of hope, yet others mostly from the south never know or care about their true identity and suffering.
The greatest offence that Awolowo commited was not anything more than saying: “I will educate the TALAKAWAS” (Hausa “slaves”) and they will realise themselves and rise against you”. Jonathan joined in the mistake when he announced his Almajiri program!
The only intermittent respite experienced in Nigerian political space is only when a Fulani ally is fighting Fulani interests as in the case of Abacha against the Caliphate when he tried to change the oligarchical power and control in the North from Sultan of Sokoto to Shehu of Borno (of Kanuri tribe). Abacha, though a tough military general, paid for this.
* Next time you see POVERTY in the North, take a good look around to also see that there’s an Alhaji nearby in sprawling wealth! He OWNS them. This is how it works for them. But one fact you should also take note is that all the almajiri boys in Nigeria are Hausa by tribe. There is no fulani child doing Almajiri.
* What about the emerging powers of even the Normadic Fulani? Uthman Dan Fodio invited them from Futa Jalon and other fulani countries in 1804 to fight the Jihad battle that conquered most of the North West geo-political region into what we know today as the Sokoto Caliphate. The allegiance remains that they protect the interests of one another. GREATER THREAT IS THAT CHILDREN OF NORMADIC FULANIS (Cattle rearers) NOW WANT TO SETTLE DOWN.
* The unending killings and land occupation in Benue state, Plateau state, Southern Kaduna and other parts of the Middle Belt by Fulani herdsmen under the watchful eyes of the government is a pointer to this fact.
* Let your children know the NIGERIA they are born into and her political consequences. There’s nothing like RELIGIOUS consequences in Nigeria. (Know this). RELIGION as far as Fulani is concerned is a political tool of oligarchic and political control. When next you want to liberate Nigeria from the Fulani, or cut away part of it, remember that FULANI say that Nigeria belongs to them. After all, they have the FOOT SOLDIERS – the fulani herdsmen.
* Every Fulani from outside Nigeria can come here to get more rights and privileges over YOU.
These are the basic principles and pattern of fulani ethnic violence, domination, occupation, and forceful land grabbing employed by the fulanis over the ages.
**Note : As there are bad and good people among the various tribes of Nigeria, so there are good and bad fulani people. Therefore, the bandwagon profiling of all Fulanis as militia, terrorists, bandits, land grabbers and occupying forces is not appropriate, and is not intended in this discourse.
