Mohamed Garba
In a renewed call for peace and development, Fulani leaders from all 13 local government areas of Nasarawa State have appealed to the government to revive abandoned nomadic schools across Nigeria, linking the lack of education to persistent conflicts between farmers and herders.
Speaking during a stakeholders’ engagement held in Lafia on Friday, the Nasarawa State Chairman of the Fulbe Development and Cultural Organization (FUDECO), Muhammad Habib Hussaini, said that the continued clashes in rural communities are largely fueled by ignorance and lack of enlightenment.
“We are calling on the government at all levels to revive and re-open nomadic schools because we see it as a solution to the clashes between herders and farmers,” Hussaini stated. “Most of the problems happening in our pastoralist communities can be traced to ignorance, so promoting nomadic education is very important.”
The engagement, themed “Consolidating the Outcomes of the IDRC-SPARC GES Research Findings on the Economic Empowerment of Pastoralist Women in Nasarawa State”, brought together traditional rulers, security agencies, academics, youth groups, and Fulani women.
Hussaini highlighted that educating pastoralist children would not only reduce tensions but also foster national unity. “We want children of pastoralists to be educated and enlightened. This will enable them to understand the dangers of engaging in any form of crisis in society,” he added.
The FUDECO chairman also gave updates on an ongoing empowerment initiative that has benefited over 250 pastoralist women in Nasarawa State. The women were trained in various vocational skills and supported with start-up capital to aid their financial independence. The project was funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Supporting Pastoralism and Agriculture in Recurrent and Protracted Crises (SPARC), with additional backing from UKAID.
“The aim is to promote the economic empowerment of pastoralist women,” Hussaini explained. “Our research evaluated the impact of these efforts, identified challenges, and provided policy recommendations.”
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Usman Ibrahim, a senior lecturer in sociology at the Federal University of Lafia and lead researcher for the initiative, stressed that most of the women involved lacked formal education. He said joblessness among women in rural areas is a key driver of insecurity.
“Over 70 per cent of pastoralist women had never received formal education,” Dr. Ibrahim said. “With skills and small-scale businesses, they can become self-reliant and are less likely to fall into criminal activities. That’s why this initiative is so critical.”
He called on the Federal and State Governments, as well as well-meaning Nigerians, to support such empowerment efforts to scale up impact across other regions.
The event concluded with a call for collaborative efforts to address issues affecting pastoralist communities, including poor access to education, health services, security, and economic inclusion.
Among attendees were representatives from security agencies, community leaders, religious figures, and Fulani youth groups. Many agreed that sustainable peace can only be achieved through inclusion, education, and empowerment.
