联邦政府最近宣布开放放牧不可持续,并倡导全国向现代牧场化转型,这一声明有力地验证了贝努埃州前州长塞缪尔·奥托姆首席的远见和信念。近十年前,在如此立场面临重大政治风险和个人代价之时,奥托姆州长就明确表达了与联邦政府现在传达的相同信息:开放放牧时代已不可逆转地过去,牧场化是尼日利亚唯一可行且可持续的前进道路。如今,联邦政府明确承认导致开放放牧消亡的复杂因素,包括传统放牧路线日益减少、人口迅猛增长的压力以及可耕地竞争加剧。作为回应,政府公布了雄心勃勃的计划,在农牧冲突频发地区战略性地建立现代牧场定居点。这一官方认可标志着一个关键时刻,将讨论从地方性关切转向国家优先事项。历史无疑会提出的问题是直白而深刻的:塞缪尔·奥托姆的观点是错误的,还是他的视野超越了当时的主流政治和社会潮流?他在需要付出代价时挺身而出。奥托姆州长对牧场化的承诺并非仅限于空谈或声明。他的政府将坚定的信念转化为切实的立法行动。2017年,贝努埃州颁布了具有里程碑意义的《禁止开放放牧和建立牧场法》。
This pivotal legislation not only outlawed the practice of open grazing but also meticulously established a comprehensive legal framework designed to facilitate and govern the transition to modern ranching. At the time of its enactment, Governor Ortom unequivocally stated that this law was a direct reflection of the collective will of the Benue people, emphasizing its dual purpose: to foster an orderly system of animal husbandry and to safeguard the interests of both agricultural communities and livestock owners.The subsequent period proved to be a tumultuous chapter in Nigeria’s political narrative. Chief Ortom found himself subjected to intense vilification, relentless castigation, and immense political pressure from various quarters. Powerful vested interests vehemently demanded the repeal of the law, while prominent organizations, such as the Miyetti Allah groups, openly declared their opposition to the policy. Despite enduring a climate of hostility and significant political isolation, Governor Ortom remained steadfast, refusing to cede the inherent right of the Benue people to enact legislation that governed land use and livestock production within their own state.However, Ortom’s resolve was unshakeable; he refused to be coerced into retreating from his principled stance. He consistently reiterated that the law was not designed to target any specific ethnic group. His message was clear and inclusive: individuals of Hausa, Fulani, Tiv, Idoma, Igbo, Yoruba, or any other ethnic background were welcome to participate in the livestock business within Benue, provided their animals were managed through ranching. His core message was elegantly simple and profoundly impactful:
牧场化不是反富拉尼政策。相反,牧场化是一项倡导和平、支撑农业繁荣、推动经济发展并促进采用现代可持续畜牧生产方法的政策。奥托姆付出了代价。美国众议院在2026年提出了《尼日利亚宗教自由和问责法案》。该拟议立法中的一项重要条款要求谨慎考虑对被认为严重侵犯宗教自由的个人和实体实施定向制裁。值得注意的是,该法案特别将尼日利亚米耶蒂·阿拉赫养牛协会和米耶蒂·阿拉赫·考塔尔·霍雷列为受审查实体。此外,该法案要求评估某些富拉尼族民兵是否应被认定为外国恐怖组织。虽然该法案尚未正式成为法律,但其条款的影响无疑深远且不可低估。国际机构现在对奥托姆多年前强调的行为提出问责疑问,这一事实令人震惊。
在奥托姆州长强烈要求彻底调查暴力肇事者及其资助者并追究其责任多年后,类似的担忧现在在国际舞台上得到呼应。历史再次回顾并验证了最初被忽视或无视的警告。贝努埃现在绝不能倒退。遗憾的是,虽然尼日利亚整体似乎越来越相信牧场化的必要性,但贝努埃州现任政府似乎无意中削弱了奥托姆政府勤勉建立的强大执法架构。这一发展引发了一个基本而紧迫的问题:联邦政府正果断地走向将牧场化作为国家政策,而贝努埃州——这个率先通过进步牧场立法的州——却似乎在这一关键举措上倒退?《禁止开放放牧和建立牧场法》仍然是贝努埃州具有法律约束力的法规,除非通过正当程序依法修订或废除。其法律地位不能因政府对执法感到不适而消失。贝努埃人民有权获得当前政府政策方向的明确阐述。
Crucial questions demand immediate answers:Is the law currently being enforced with the rigor it requires?What has become of the dedicated Livestock Guards who were instrumental in its enforcement?Why has open grazing once again become a widespread phenomenon across numerous communities within the state?What concrete and effective measures are being implemented to ensure the safety and security of farmers whose livelihoods are intrinsically linked to unfettered access to their ancestral farmlands?And, most critically, if the Federal Government itself now concedes that open grazing is an unsustainable practice, what justification can possibly remain for the perceived weakening of Benue’s pioneering ranching framework?These are not merely issues of ethnic division or political maneuvering; they are fundamental questions pertaining to public safety, agricultural sustainability, national food security, and the unwavering principle of the rule of law. The state already possesses a well-defined legal framework for the implementation of ranching. Rather than undermining this crucial legislation, the current government should be focused on strengthening it, enhancing its implementation, and ensuring that both farmers and livestock owners operate strictly within the bounds of the law.Samuel Ortom courageously navigated this challenging battle when the path was solitary and fraught with opposition. He maintained his unyielding stance at a time when capitulation would have been the more politically expedient option. Today, Nigeria is incrementally embracing the very solution for which he was once subjected to condemnation. History may operate on its own timeline, but history ultimately remembers those who possessed the foresight to see tomorrow. That individual, unequivocally, is Samuel Ioraernyi Ortom!Signed:Comrade Austine AdanwoConvenerALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY & GOOD GOVERNANCE
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