Olubadan warns herders against open grazing in Ibadan

Rashidi Ladoja, the Olubadan of Ibadanland, has warnedagainst open grazing in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital, describing the practiceas “illegal, prohibited, and unacceptable”. According to NAN, Olugbemiga Ayoade, the chief presssecretary (CPS) to the monarch, said in a statement that Ladoja spoke in Ibadanon Monday after a meeting with members of the traditional council and the IjayeFarm Settlers Association. The traditional ruler warned herders to immediately stopopen grazing in Ibadan, saying violators would be arrested and prosecuted. “Any person caught disobeying the Oyo state law that forbidsopen cattle grazing will be arrested and prosecuted in a court of law,” themonarch was quoted as saying. “We will not fold our arms and watch herdsmen kill farmers,attack their children, assault their wives, and destroy their farms, which aretheir means of livelihood.” Ladoja called on traditional titleholders to stay alert intheir domains and safeguard lives and property, warning that negligence couldattract sanctions from the palace. David Olatunji, chairman of the Ijaye Farm SettlersAssociation, said members have several attacks from herders. “Our members are being attacked, our children endangered,our wives assaulted, and our farmlands destroyed,” he said. Olatunji asked the Olubadan and Oyo state government torescue the association “from these destructive activities”. In 2021, governors of the south-west states banned opengrazing in the region due to tensions between herders and their hostcommunities.

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