The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has opposed the plan by the Federal Government to set up an Amplified Modulation (AM) Radio Station for herdsmen.
The Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, had said in Abuja that the radio service would operate on frequency of 720KHz and would be strictly in Fulani language.
The group, in a statement yesterday by Yinka Odumakin (southwest), Prof Chigozie Ogbu (southeast), Senator Bassey Henshaw (south-south) and Dr Isuwa Dogo (Middle Belt), said the move smacked of hypocrisy.
According to them, setting up a radio station strictly for herdsmen is unconstitutional.
“Section 55 of the 1999 Constitution recognises English, Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo as Languages in which the official business of the National Assembly can be conducted.”
It queried if the government would also establish similar radio stations for other languages in the country, saying the action was totally insensitive.
“We therefore demand that the Federal Government should perish the thought of a Fulani radio sponsored by government if it cares in any form about the corporate existence of the country.
“Using the instrumentality of the Federal Government to set up a radio for Fulani herdsmen will throw a knife at the tiniest of the threads still holding Nigeria together as all illusions of an inclusive country would be removed and the rest of the country would conclude we are now under Fulani Government of Nigeria.”
