The Livestock Trojan Horse: It Didn’t Work In Edo-Delta In 1978, How Would Agrarian Benue Take It Now ?
The Oasis Reporters
March 25, 2025
The former state known as Bendel, now better known as Edo and Delta States respectively is in the South South, and when they are not mentioned in Crude Oil news, crop agriculture used to be their strongest forte.
History tells us that the region was the linchpin of Oil Palm production and export, rubber, timber, cassava and many other Agro products etc which brought earlier prosperity to the area even before colonial rule.
The people had scant regards for livestock farming as fish was part of their staple and mainstay.
Then in 1975, the Gen Yakubu Gowon was overthrown and Gen. Murtala Mohammed became the Head of State.
There were promotions for people like Chief Mafeni, who was the then Midwest State commissioner for Agriculture and Chief E.K. Clarke who was the Midwest State commissioner for Education.
The two gentlemen moved to Lagos as the Federal Commissioner for Agriculture (Chief Mafeni) while Chief E.K. Clarke became the Federal Commissioner for Information.
Suddenly as Federal Commissioner for Agriculture, Chief Mafeni became the face of forcing livestock farming into the Agrarian Bendel (previously called Midwest State by establishing a Buffalo ranch between Araya and Aviara which extended deep unto Uzere his home town in the present day Isoko South local government area of Delta State.
The Agrarian communities watched the scenario for a few years and before long, unknown thieves started breeching the ranch fences and the wide bodied Buffaloes that looked as hefty as cows started vanishing one after the other.
That ended the concept of livestock farming or ranching in the present day Delta State.
Several attempts have been made by the Federal government to introduce cattle farming into Benue State because of it’s lush green topography under several guises from Ruga, to ranching or peaceful livestock development and farming and this has constantly been rejected flatly by the people who are mostly agrarian by nature.
They believe that they can not cohabit with Cows who have often eaten up their crops and pushed many into penury and desperation. Conflicts have always escalated leading to massacres of human beings both on the side of the indigenous populations who are mainly Christians and animists and the herders who are seen as largely nomadic Muslims. The wars have been unending and yet the relentless zeal to turn the region into a livestock development center has never abated.
Whereas the arid regions of the Sahel has more than enough land to occupy the cows even if there is little or no water.
The solution is to drill boreholes and let the water gush out, and with that, the Sahellian region can become lush green with abundant water to help grass grow and there would be green grass for the cattle to chew. That’s a better solution than the potentially conflict fueling situation that has engulfed Benue for several decades now.
In an Independent newspaper report, Idi Mukhtar Maiha, Minister of Livestock Development has reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to fostering peace, economic growth, and sustainable livestock development in Benue State in particular, and Nigeria in general.
Speaking at the 1st Benue State Livestock Development Summit held in Makurdi the Benue state capital at the weekend, the Minister commended Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia for his foresight in establishing the Benue State Bureau for Livestock Development and appointing Dr. Aondoakaa Asambe as its Director-General.
Maiha stated that the creation of the Bureau aligns with President Bola Tinubu Renewed Hope Agenda, which recognises the immense yet largely untapped economic potential in Nigeria’s livestock sector.
He noted that the establishment of the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development is a strategic step toward wealth creation, job opportunities, and national economic transformation.
The mandate of the Ministry is to modernise the sector and create economic opportunities in the production and marketing of all farmable animals ranging from the bee to cattle, camels, and donkeys,” he said.
Reiterating the importance of data-driven policies, the Minister explained that the livestock sector currently contributes 9 percent to the GDP, valued at $32 billion, and has the potential to grow to $74 billion by 2035 through targeted investments in breeding, animal health management, feed production, and market expansion.
“The Ministry has digitised the grazing routes, and the 417 grazing reserves will be regrassed for pasture for settlement of pastoralists.
In his remarks, Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Iormem Alia,welcomed the Minister and expressed gratitude for the Federal Government’s support in repositioning Benue State as a leader in livestock production.
Alia noted that for decades, agriculture in Benue has been dominated by crop production, leaving livestock development largely neglected despite its potential to combat food insecurity, generate wealth, and boost the state’s GDP.
He reiterated his administration’s commitment to changing this narrative by making livestock development a priority, as reflected in the establishment of the Bureau for Livestock Development and Transboundary Animal Diseases Control.
“With 25,500 sq. km of arable land and immense livestock farming potential, Benue is ready to collaborate with the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development and private sector investors.
In 2025, we are adopting “Pasture as a Fodder Crop”, a strategic move to cultivate improved pasture that can be baled and sold to less-endowed regions with high livestock populations, particularly cattle and other ruminants,” the governor stated.
Governor Alia further listed several state-owned livestock facilities that require rehabilitation and modernisation, including the Ikyôgen Cattle Ranch and Resort, the Livestock Investigation and Breeding Centre in Raav, and the Makurdi International Cattle Market, among others, requesting the intervention of the Federal Government in rehabilitating the facilities.
He also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to the Prohibition of Open Grazing and Ranches Establishment Law 2017 (as amended), calling on the Federal Ministry of Livestock Development to lead the way in national legislative reforms that will promote ranching as the standard practice for livestock management in Nigeria.
Highlights of the summit include the inspection of Livestock production inputs such as feeds and animal health related products by the Minister.
The Minister also inspected a swine improvement centre at the Akperan Orshi College of Agriculture in Gboko, and the cattle breeding farm at RAAV in Gwer west Local Government Area of Benue state, promising that his Ministry will set aside adequate resources for the rehabilitation and upgrade of the facilities.
Additional reporting from Independent newspaper.
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