The Emir of Zazzau, Nuhu Bamali, has called on Nigerians to avoid generalizing and blaming the entire Fulani ethnic group for acts of banditry, killings, and abductions.
Speaking at a cultural event organized by the Fulani Development and Cultural Organisation (FUDECO) on October 12, Bamali emphasized that such accusations are contrary to the core values and culture of the Fulani people.
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The Emir cautioned that the actions of a few individuals should not define the whole tribe, saying, “Carrying an AK-47 is not part of the core values of a Fulani man. A Fulani man is expected to carry his stick and cutlass to cut grass for his animals, but definitely not an AK-47, nor to kill or maim people.”
He further stated that the tradition encourages peace and stressed that the Fulani people have made significant contributions to education. “Fulanis are very enlightened people, very well educated. The best educated people in this country, I believe, are the Fulanis; I am not being biased,” Bamali remarked.
Proud of his heritage, the Emir encouraged the Fulani to uphold their cultural values and counter negative stereotypes. He expressed optimism that forums like FUDECO, which gathered participants from across Nigeria and neighboring countries, could help correct misconceptions about the Fulani people.
“Our prayer is that all the nonsense going on about banditry and other things would stop. The bad eggs we have in every tribe in this country need to stop that rascality,” Bamali added.
