By Ovie Okpare
Uwheru, one of the 24 traditional kingdoms in Urhoboland in Delta State, has banned the sales and consumption of cow meat within and around the kingdom with immediate effect following incessant herdsmen attacks on farmers and residents of the kingdom.
No fewer than 86 farmers have been killed in the last 12 years in herdsmen related attacks in Uwheru communities of Ughelli North Local Government Area of the state.
The ban followed last week repeated attacks on the communities where no fewer than 11 persons have so far been confirmed dead in the area.
The decision takes effect from Saturday February 22, 2020.
The ban was imposed on Saturday at the meeting of the kingdom attended by prominent and key Uwheru kingdom sons and daughter, Prof. Patrick Muoboghare, a Delta State Commissioner for Higher Education told NIGER DELTA TODAY Online on Saturday.
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He said the communiqué banning the consumption of the cow meat will officially be released by the traditional ruler and President General of Uwheru Communities Kingdom on Monday.
The commissioner, who is an indigene of the kingdom, said the ban is a collective decision and would be strictly adhered to by Uwheru sons and daughters especially those at home.
“By this ban, nobody can bring cow meat to any of the communities that made up Uwheru Kingdom for any function, be it burial or any other celebration. You can’t kill our people and expect us to be eating cow meat when our people can’t go to farm. The ban takes effect immediately”, Prof Muoboghare said.
He said the kingdom also urged other Urhobo kingdoms to also promulgate such ban to protest the killings of Urhobo people by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
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Muoboghare also disclosed that children of farmers and members of the communities who lost their lives in herdsmen attack have been given immediate scholarship to pursue their education to university level.
He added that, “We also agreed that those who died will be buried by the entire kingdom not by their individual families and communities. They are our heroes. We have given full scholarships to children of those who died in Fulani herdsmen attacks.”
