RANCHES AS BUSINESS IN EDO STATE

Governor Godwin Obaseki has not created ranches but ranches were created in Edo State since 1967. Dr Samuel Ogbemudia was former military and civilian governor of the defunct Midwest and Bendel State from September 1967-1975 and 1983. He established Agbede Cattle Ranch (which came ever before itinerant Fulani cattle herdsmen began clashing with farmers everywhere), he introduced Bufallo rearing for meat production and Agbede Mechanised Farm and Igarra Cattle ranch. Prof Ambrose Alli, former governor of old Bendel State established a ranch between Ubiaja and Ilushi in Esan South East local between 1979 and1983.

There is no doubt today that there are ranches in Edo State whether local or standard in Okada junction in Ovia South West, Okada in Ovia North East, Akoko Edo, Esan South East, Etsako West and across the 18 local governments of Edo State that are established by prominent Edo people. Modern ranching was, thus, supposed to be an improvement over traditional livestock management. Commercial ranching was also supposed to become the focus of agro-pastoral development that would meet the minimum of 25 grammes of mutton per cattle a day. When the British introduced commercial ranching in Nigeria, their aim was to boost the supply of milk, meat, butter, and hides to Europe and Anglophone countries of West Africa. Ranching was also supposed to transform the social and economic life of the Fulani. The policy on ranching continued after independence when the government of Nigeria tried to use ranching to resettle the nomadic Fulani

In Edo State investors come into the cattle-futures market and invest. They actually own animals. Cattle are the predominant agricultural product. It’s the way prominent Edo people make their money; it’s a very important part of our economy. Edo is blessed because we have millions of acres of grass pasture where the soil is ideal for growing grass. There is no temptation of ceding any land to the federal government for ranching because it started as a business since 1967. Private investors who have interest in cattle rearing have invested their personal money in ranching.

The federal government had recently unveiled a 10-year plan to establish ranches across the country, starting with Adamawa, Benue, Ebonyi, Edo, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Oyo, Plateau, Taraba and Zamfara States. The plan, which will gulp N179bn, was proposed to solve the lingering conflicts between farmers and Fulani herdsmen, a crisis that has led to the death and displacement of thousands of people. Inwalomhe Donald, Benin City