Gani Adams, aare ona kakanfo of Yorubaland, has said that the Yoruba tribe will not forgive governors that adopt the Rural Grazing Area (RUGA) initiative of Federal Government.
In a bid to tackle the Fulani herdsmen attack on farmers which plagued the first tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari, Federal Government proposed the RUGA settlement scheme to tackle the crisis .
However, cheif Gani Adams has said the initiative is a dangerous policy which will drive the country into more chaos.
According to him “Yoruba people had never wanted Ruga. It is unwarranted, needless and a dangerous policy. It is a policy that can break this nation, just as it has overheated the polity.
“The governor who does that would put himself in problem. It would not even be a four-year or eight-year problem; it would be an everlasting problem. And given the tension this issue generated, the Yoruba, especially, won’t forgive such a governor for life.”
He said the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration is only supporting a wrong plan, as actions of the herdsmen have chased out investors and prevented farmers from going to their farms due to the fear of being kidnapped.
“Now, even concerning private initiative, many people want to be involved in agriculture; they want to spend their money, but are afraid that if they go to farm, they (kidnappers) would kidnap them.”
The Oodua Peoples Congress leader warned that there may soon be food shortage if the trend continues.
Following public outcry, the federal government suspended the plan to implement Ruga.
Inuwa Yahaya, governor of Gombe state, however, said his administration will proceed with the initiative despite its suspension.
The coalition of northern groups (CNGs) also issued a strong warning to governors who are opposed to the Ruga settlement programme to reconsider their decision within 30 days.
