Should Nigerians go vegan to tackle herdsmen crisis?
Whenever I heard the word 'veganism', the first thing that comes to my mind is those that exclude meat in their diets. Technically, veganism goes beyond that because some vegans go as far staying away from not just meat, but anything animal-related.
Those that adopt veganism lifestyle are of different types:
Ethical vegans adopt the vegetarian lifestyle in order to do away with any form of animal cruelty. Statistics have it that approximately 33.33% of the world's vegans adopt the lifestyle to avoid hurting animals in any way.
Environmental vegans adopt veganism lifestyle so as to contribute their quotas to saving the environment from destruction. It is generally known that livestock farming contributes more to greenhouse gases emission than automobiles in addition to deforestation and pollution of the environment by livestock droppings. Greenhouse gases are responsible for global warming and its destructive features on the planet while deforestation and pollution all contribute to a varying degree in the destruction of the planet.
Health vegans adopt the lifestyle mainly for their health benefits. Various medical research has reported on how red meat is inimical to human health and whatnot. It is believed that health represents the most important reason for adopting a vegan lifestyle after ethics.
- The last but not the least type of vegans are the religious vegans. This group adopted a vegetarian lifestyle based on their religious beliefs. I remember when my wife gave birth at the religious-based hospital and she was served a meal with egg - lol.
"What happened to the normal meat or fish? She asked".
I quickly shut her off and explained to her later how the establishment does not allow animal-based meals due to their spiritual beliefs. It was a tough few days for her.
A little background about the Nigerian problem
One major security issue that Nigeria has been facing for more than a decade now is the issue of herdsmen. The job of raising cattle for meat, milk and hide production in Nigeria seems to have been sectionalized to a particular tribe - the Fulani nomads.
The nomads are generally known to be wanderers, not entirely settling in one place as they keep looking for greener pastures for their herds. As the population of the country keeps rising, the demand for meat and cattle-related products increases, and this makes the rearing of cattle more profitable. Hence, the Fulani nomads flood into Nigerian in numbers along with their herds from neighboring Niger country.
The increase in the demand for meat and the associated increase in the number of Fulani herdsmen in the country started putting a lot of pressure on the available grazing lands for cattle. Global climate change also plays a huge role in the desertification of lands that could have otherwise served as grazing lands. Consequently, more and more of the herdsmen started moving down south to the heart of the country, destroying farms and arable lands in search of pastoral lands. This represented the beginning of hostility between Fulani herdsmen and farmers.
The hostility has caused huge losses to lives and properties with the Fulani herdsmen labeled as the fourth deadliest terror groups in the world at some point. According to particular research:
Records show that violent deaths as a result of clashes between herdsmen and farmers accounted for 68 percent of the total number of deaths across north-central Nigeria (786 of 1,150). This trend of fatal conflict has since spread to the eastern part of the country, with a total of 710 Nigerians killed by Fulani herdsmen over ten months in 2015-16.
source
A few weeks ago, the herdsmen still struck by attacking a village overnight, killing several of the villagers in cold blood. It is on record that Fulani herdsmen have killed more people than COVID-19 in Nigerian since the breakout of the pandemic in the country.
Going vegan the way forward?
I have always think about it, what if we stop eating meat and meat-related products as a nation? The answer should not be far fetched. A decline in demand will definitely lead to a decline in supply and when demand for a product is no longer available, the manufacturer of such product will have to close shop or look to diversify.
If not for the recent lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, Nigerians slaughter thousands of cows every weekend in the celebration of one event or another. These actions continually create demand for meat and put more pressure on the herdsmen to meet demands. As such, the violence to take over farmlands will keep increasing. Herdsmen can virtually be found at every nooks and cranny of Nigeria nowadays.
If we decide to go completely vegan, what do you think our own vegan group should be called?
Feel free to engage me in the comment section.
#POSH: https://twitter.com/gentlesaham/status/1262735523761790978?s=20
@gentleshaid Although this Herdsmen have caused alot of havoc in our society but how about we look at this way. If you are peeling a yam and the knife cuts your finger. We can't possibly throw away the yam. We need meet but we don't want the herdsmen.
I believe we can also rear our own Cow and produce our own meat. Although we all believe the Fulanis are the only set of people who can rear the cow but I don't believe so.
I share your belief but I think Nigerians are generally lazy, to be honest. Nobody wants to go through the toils of having to tender to animals or cultivate crops before they can eat. Virtually everyone wants a finished product. Just go to the market and buy it. A lazy mentality.
I think it will be far easier to convince people to boycott meat-eating than ask them to start tendering to their own animals. Perhaps we can adopt the two. If you wish to continue eating meat, grow your own livestock.
You are right ! Most people enjoy finish products, that's the reality on ground. Some even prefer fast food, they don't have time to buy, wash and cook.
I have my own small poultry and I pick a chicken when I need it. People should learn to work hard and make things happen. I seriously don't see anything bad in our government setting up Farm settlements at least in each state in the country and they should specialize in production of food crops and livestock animals.
The environment where I work, most of the youths want to travel to America just because they believe they can never make it here. They can't farm or do other jobs. They sing about America every time. They stay idle and task people for money to earn a living.
That's the reality among the Nigerian youth. Everyone dreams about relocating to Canada, US, etc. No one wants to contribute to fixing the problems of the country. We want ready made paradise, not create one. I love to keep livestock and practice small scale farming but I'm kind of restricted due to where I live. But as soon as I get the opportunity, of course I will be setting them up.
@gentleshaid that's a good one. We need to contribute our own quarter to the development of our dear Country. Though our leaders are not encouraging us at all but that shouldn't make us relent. God help us.
It seems that the inherent Nigerian conflict is not about eating meat,per se,but about land ownership and grazing rights.
Vegan is good - very good. Arguably not for everyone. I think trying to mandate anything for another is already a problem.
Yea, the problem is land ownership and grazing right which is indirectly fueled by the demand for meat and meat product. I am not an advocate of mandating veganism, of course. I was just trying to point it out to those that are looking to tackle the conflict indirectly, all they need to do is stop or reduce their demand for meat and their products. By doing so, they are contributing to the resolution of the conflict.
Wow, that's quite a death toll! Do you think many Nigerians would be happy turn to veganism given the choice, though? Could other meats replace beef for those who don't want to give it up? Perhaps a multi pronged approach could wok to lessen the demand for beef.
The post is just me rambling, perhaps to the Nigerians that care enough. Yes, there are options to replacing mutton but those cannot meet up with the demand for meat generally. I believe that a multi pronged approach would work but that is for anyone that care enough. Most can't even trace the problem to their consumption of meat.
They were interesting ramblings. 😊
Yes, when it comes down to it, we can only choose to do what we think will help and share our thoughts so that others might be able to choose a path that they think will help.
In Venezuela the same phenomenon is happening, the costs of meat have made people change their eating habits completely.
There are actually several alternatives to meat. It's good for the environment, it not any other thing.
Stop heating meet may be dangerous if not done properly (with a controlled diet). Do you think this could be put in place in Nigeria (I honestly don't know your country at all so that I can't answer that question).
What about reducing meat consumption to a level relevant for what our body needs, which is actually how I live?
I agree that meat contains some essential amino acids that cannot be obtained in any other food. These can be compensated for in some other ways. Example, I learnt that efforts are on the way in order to successfully culture meat in the lab :).
I don't think anyone can stop Nigerians from eating meat tbh, not the government, not anyone. If only people can be educated to potential health effects of meat (red meat, especially), perhaps the consumption can be brought to the minimum.
This is the path I would try to follow, if possible. I have visited South Africa many times and the situation seems to be quite similar. Meat lovers are around ;)
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