How Evicted Seriki Fulani wrote apology letter after herdsmen attacked Ogun community

The traditional ruler of Eggua of Yewa North Local Government in Ogun State, Oba Michael Adeleye Dosunmu, has said that the Seriki Fulani in the community, Adamu Olooru, wrote a letter of apology following attacks by killer Fulani herdsmen in 2015.

He said the letter was one of the several apologies made by the Fulani settlers in the community to show remorse for the atrocities perpetrated by their nomadic counterparts.

He however added that despite the apologies, the killing of people in the community and destruction of their farms did not stop.

Dosunmu told SaharaReporters on Monday through his spokesman, Otunba Adeyanju Adegbenro.

For instance, it was learnt that an apology letter signed by Olooru and dated 17th December, 2015, was written after the farm of Oba Dosunmu’s wife was destroyed by cattle.

The Seriki Fulani then wrote a letter of apology, taking responsibility for it.

But residents of the community described the letter as the typical way the Seriki Fulani used to cover up the atrocities of Fulani herdsmen each time there was an attack.

They claimed that the 2015 incident was an attack that was beyond the destruction of the farm.

Olooru’s letter read, “I, the Seriki Fulani of Eggua, Alhaji Adamu Olooru, hereby tender my apology for the damage of Kabiesi Onigua wife’s farm by my cow. Sir, I have agreed for (sic) the settlement between each other for the purpose comply with code of conduct given to me on these issues.

“Sir. I will be very happy if my apology is accepted.”

The traditional ruler said the destruction of farms and kidnapping and killing of residents have worsened since then.

SaharaReporters also sighted various documents showing the efforts the community had made towards resolving the issues, including letters of apology from the Fulani community, Save Our Souls letters, pictures of gruesome killings perpetrated by the suspected Fulani herders, from as far back as 2004.

Earlier in 2004, the Oba’s farm was destroyed by cattle taken there by herdsmen to graze.

Dosunmu, through his Otunba also said the crisis between farmers and herders began as far as back two decades ago.

He however lamented how it got worse as the years went by.

“There are Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa, Fulani and other tribes in Eggua and we live peacefully here because we are accommodating. I think that’s how it is in the entire country.

“But there is one chaos or the other whenever the Fulani herders move their cattle to our community.

“It has been a yearly affair, which always leads to tension in the community. What we experience here are killing of our people, raping of our wives and daughters and destruction of our farm crops.

“The saddening issue is that the Fulani settlers here that sell cows have apologised several times whenever those criminals attacked, but the problem has not been addressed.”