At The Crossroads To The Future

The sun sets at Camp 2 IDP camp Daudu bringing yet another day of their lives as refugees to an end

 The people of the Tiv tribe in Benue State, North Central Nigeria are known  for hard work and gracious hosts. A typical Tiv man is raised a provider. He toils under the hot sun in his large farms with his family and entertains guests with sumptuous meals. Huge servings of 'luam' and rich soups laden with different types of  'nyam' (meat) for their enjoyment.

The Tiv people are part of the groups of Nigerians that have received the short end of the stick in the farmers/herdsmen crisis.  Such claims they predicate on the unwarranted large scale series of  violent attacks and bloodshed. Unimaginable pain caused by senseless violence borne from years and years of the farmers/herders conflict. A situation  that has rendered thousands homeless, many maimed and left in its trails, sorrows, tears and death. 

Members of the community allege that, from passionate farmers, providers and gracious hosts, thousands of these people have been reduced to refugees in their ancestral home. They claim they have become perpetual guests subject to the graciousness of their host (the government) and the charity of God through various national and foreign interventionist agencies as well as private individuals.

      Two years and counting since the nightmare that shocked the world, the residents of Camp 2 IDP camp Daudu of Guma Local Government Area (LGA) Benue State have uncomfortably adjusted to their new reality and the earliest residents of the camp that was established on the 13th of January, 2018 sarcastically refer to themselves as the 'pioneers'.

From the bustling mini market at the entrance, to the giggling innocent children running around deeply engrossed in their games, many could not hold  their breath in the beauty of that moment as we were being transported to an ideal world where those laughing children and busy women are just ordinary people going about their business, in a flourishing community. Such a moment is quickly ruined though by the ensuing narratives, as the reality is glaring inspite of how hard one tries to romanticize it.

Blessing Zayol, a widow and mother of seven and one of the 'pioneers,' when asked if she felt there had been any improvement in the situation since she arrived at the camp, said, "it is simple, if there had been any improvement, I wouldn't be here today. I would be home with my children''. Blessing said she would be comfortable going home and living alongside the herdsmen with her children if they adhered to the provisions of the Anti-Open Grazing Law of Benue State.

Tersen Tyondun who has lived at the camp for two years said the Anti-Open Grazing Law had made things slightly better, as it had stopped the herdsmen from herding their cattle into the area. Bernard Apu, the Assisting Camp Commandant and one of the four State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) staff in charge of the camp, agreed with Tersen and added that before the Law came into effect, the herdsmen could be found roaming in the area and even leading their cattle into the camp itself.

Ferdinand Ioryoosu, a 'pioneer' and Camp Youth Leader, said he could speak for the 105 youths at the camp that they would be willing to live peacefully with the herdsmen if they agreed to ranch their cattles. Tersen said in his opinion, he was willing to move back home and live peacefully at this point with the herders like his ancestors did. Bernard however, disagreed. In his own opinion, "this idea is no longer feasible as the herders of old were people with just five to fifteen cattle and farmers with small or average farms. The situation has changed now, as even bigger plots can be farmed thanks to technological advancements, fertilizers and farm machinery. The herders on the other hand have also evolved. With one herdsman owning over a thousand cattle. So it would be almost impossible to allow the cattle roam freely without damaging the farmers' crops, which has been the age long cause of conflict". To Bernard, strict adherence to the Law is the way forward.

Rebecca Yanum, "pioneer" and mother of nine, insisted the Law isn't working but said she'd be willing to move back home and live peacefully with the herdsmen if, and only if they ranch their cattle to avoid conflict.

All efforts to meet with herdsmen in the area failed as the general consensus is that there are no more herdsmen in the area.