Professor Wole Soyinka has berated the Ogun State Police Command for lying over the invasion of his Abeokuta residence by herdsmen and their cattle. The Noble Laureate, yesterday in a statement he personally signed in Abeokuta, said, “Cattle imperialism under any guise is an obscenity to humanity.”
He promised to commence a process of public sensitisation on the need to eliminate open grazing and called on the police to join hands with the agenda as it progresses.
Making “a special practical plea,” he drew the attention of the Federal Government to the need to make cattle wagons a priority following the resurrection of the railways. “I grew up with the regular sight of those practical conveyances. It is time to bring them back.”
According to the Nobel Laureate, the most distressful aspect of his recent interaction with cows and herders was that it had created a most unwanted distraction from the ongoing life-and-death Nigerian narrative. “One has to take time off to deal with distortions and fake versions, while students are being reportedly waylaid and killed and/or kidnapped in Ondo and farmers are being slaughtered in my own state. In short, the killings continue, even as panels are being launched to enquire into immediate past human violations,” he said.
“For those who truly seek details of the Ijegba incident, I hereby affirm that I was never physically attacked, neither did I attack any cows. The cows and herders did, however, attack my property – and not for the first time.
“The police need to be very, very careful, learn to be straightforward with public information. Failure to adhere to that obvious, basic form of conduct means that the public will lose total confidence in security agencies and constantly bypass them in times of civic unrest, no matter how trivial or deadly. How on earth could the police claim that cattle did not invade my property? My grounds men knew the drill and commenced the process of expelling them.
“Fortunately, I was then driven out and was able to lend a hand by vehicle manoeuvring. Both cattle and herdsmen were flushed out of my property.
Once they were outside the gates, I came down from the vehicle and beckoned the herdsmen to come over. At first, they pretended not to understand, then, as I approached, fled into the bush. We thereupon “arrested” the cows, confining them to the roadside, while I sent my groundsman, Taiye, to the police to come and take over. Since they took rather long in responding, I summoned a replacement and proceeded to the police station. On the way, we met a detachment, turned around, and together we returned to the scene of the crime. The police wanted to commence combing the bush for the fugitives but I stopped them – what was the point? Keep the cows, I advised, and the owner will show up. Of course, that owner eventually did.
“I thoroughly resent the police version, which suggests that the cows never invaded my home: the home is not just a building; it includes its grounds. And it was not a stray cow, or two or three. It was a herd – we have photos, so why the lie? It is so unnecessary, unprofessional and suspiciously compromised. The police suggest that I have nothing better to do than to go accosting cows on the public road – to what end?
“If the police demand proof, the next time such an invasion takes place, I warn that there will be no lack for cadaver affirmation and the police will be officially invited to join in the ensuing suya feast. So please, let us get serious!
“Getting serious means seeking with a sense of urgency, ways of terminating mayhem, impunity, and the homicidal culture being imposed on us through some near cultic business minority who just happen to trade in cattle. It means not giving up on peaceful solutions, but also being prepared for the worst. Those of my line of thought has been working on various ways of sensitizing the nation to the very real and imminent danger issuing from this cattle aberration.
Soyinka observed that the cattle and herdsmen menace challenges Nigeria as a cohesive entity and as communities of free individuals, committed to the dignity of existence.
