The Anglican Bishop of Akure Diocese, Rt. Reverend Simeon Borokini, has condemned plans by the Federal Government to establish RUGA settlements in all states of Nigeria, stating that if at all, the settlements should only be established in the Northern part of the country.
Recall that the Federal Government recently announced plans to establish RUGA settlements to quel farmers-herdsmen crises, but quickly suspended it after widespread opposition from Southern Nigerian states that feel uneasy about surrendering land for the project.
Rev. Borokini wondered why any South West governor would give what he described as South Westerner’s ancestral land to people he described as ‘strangers’.
Borokini who was speaking during the first session of the Akure Diocese’s 13th synod at St. Luke’s Anglican Church, Akure, said:
“I am not in support of the [RUGA settlement] suspension. I am advocating that it should be abolished.
“If they want to practise it, let them practise it in the northern part not in the South-West. I am not comfortable with that word, suspension. It should be abolished.
“If they want to practise it in Adamawa, Kano and other northern states, they should go ahead, but I won’t support practising it in the South West.
“Why should they give an expanse of land from our community to strangers? And we don’t know what they have in mind; they may have hidden agenda, which I don’t support.
“Why should they give preference to a particular tribe and a particular trade? Cattle rearing is a trade, and we have some of our farmers who are poultry keepers; why don’t they encourage them?
“We have some of our farmers also, they rear sheep and goats, why don’t they encourage them? Why is it only people rearing cows that are to be encouraged? What is special?”
Thank God Ruga is now a thing of the past.
Thank you Bishop for speaking up when others were quiet.