Ruga is a clarion call to the Christian Association of Nigeria to come up with an economic blueprint that includes a livestock production plan

By Ayo Akinfe 

[1] We have been debating this Ruga matter for about a month now and there is a universal consensus that the plan was ill-thought out, irresponsible, divisive and economically illogical. Even the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association ofNigeria (Macban) has distanced itself from it, saying that as a body, it fails to see how any herdsman will benefit from the idea

[2] Looking at the concept from a commercial point of view, Ruga is sheer economics of the madhouse. There are about 20m head of cattle in Nigeria, compared with 305m in India, 232m in Brazil, 97m in China, 95m in the US, 54m in Argentina and 26m in Australia. None of the Ruga proponents have told us how their plan will increase numbers or quality or increase Nigeria's share of the global cattle market

[3] Our annual beef production is just about 400,000 tonnes, compared with 12m in the US, 10m tonnes ion Brazil, 7m tonnes in China, 4.5m tonnes in India, 3m tonnes in Argentina, 2m tonnes in Australia and 900,000 tonnes in South Africa. We consume everything we produce, exporting nothing and nobody championing Ruga has come up with one suggestion about how we create a surplus to give us access to international markets 

[4] Clearly there is a huge market here waiting to be tapped into and I am at a loss as to why the Christian Association of Nigeria is not at the vanguard of those looking to seize the opportunity with both hands. Across Europe, churches have been at the heart of their economic development, with the Catholic Church in particular being a major player over the centuries. Historically, the Catholic Church owned ships, was a major participant in the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade, owned plantations in the Americas and during the Industrial Revolution, owned factories, employing millions of people

[5] Also, companies founded by the Quaker religious order that went on to become major multinationals include Cadburys, Barclays Bank, Clarks Shoes, Friends Provident, Rowntree Llyods Bank and Nike. Quaker companies had a philosophy similar to that which guides Islamic finance, whereby you use capitalism to better humanity and not to enrich yourself personally. Today, that spirit has largely been lost in Europe but nothing stops our own Christian Association of Nigeria from taking over the baton and running with it

[6] I have long argued that Nigeria's wealthy pentecostal and evangelical pastorprueners need to merge their financial operations into one giant conglomerate called Man of God Plc. It should be a multinational floated on the Lagos, London and New York stock exchanges and be a major operator in sectors vital to the Nigerian economy like oil & gas, construction, manufacturing, automobile assembly, steel production, food processing, agriculture, aquaculture and animal husbandry

[7] Nigeria's Man of God Plc should be the bellweather of our economy, kind of like Tata Industries in India, Phillips in Holland, General Motors in the US and San Miguel in The Philippines. It should seek to employ at least 10m people nationwide and with regards to animal husbandry, this giant called Man of God Plc should come up with an economic blueprint to resolve the Fulani herdsmen saga

[8] Nothing stops Man of God Plc from owning 20 massive ranches across Nigeria with each being home to about 10m cattle. It should also have feed compounding plants on site, as well as meat processing factories and provide an array of ancillary services such as veterinary healthcare, packaging, adult education, primary healthcare and retailing 

[9] Given that Christian Association of Nigeria members have borne the brunt of herdsmen attacks, I think they have an obligation to come up with a solution to the problem. There is no law in Nigeria that says to be involved in cattle production or beef output, you must be a Fulani Muslim and there is nothing preventing Christian associations from investing in livestock production

[10] Going forward as a people, we need to find a way to come with economic solutions to out problems because the reality of our situation is that it is poverty that creates most of them. It is a lack of hope and opportunity that fuels religious and ethnic divisions and clashes and the antidote is to provide people with employment, hope and decent living standards. I charge the Christian Association of Nigeria with the task of changing the narrative by setting a precedent. Over to you our clergymen!