The Emir of Zazzau, Nuhu Bamali, has urged Nigerians to stop generalizing and blaming the entire Fulani ethnic group for acts of banditry, killings, and abductions.
He emphasized that such behavior is against the core values and culture of the Fulani people, cautioning that the misdeeds of a few “bad eggs” should not be used to label the whole tribe.
Speaking at a cultural event organized by the Fulani Development and Cultural Organisation (FUDECO) on October 12, Bamali addressed accusations linking Fulani herdsmen to violent activities.
He highlighted that Fulani tradition encourages peace, stating that a true Fulani man carries only a stick and a cutlass to care for his animals—not weapons like AK-47s.
“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,” the Emir said.
Bamali also spoke proudly of the Fulani’s contributions to education, asserting that they are among the best educated in the country. “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,” he stated.
He encouraged the Fulani to continue upholding their cultural values and remain proud of their heritage. “I am very, very proud to be a Fulani man. All my ancestors, left and right, were Fulanis. So there is no way I will not be proud of my heritage, my culture, and everything,” Bamali said.
The Emir stressed that events like the FUDECO forum, which gathered participants from across Nigeria and neighboring countries, were vital in correcting misconceptions about the Fulani people and promoting their true identity. He expressed hope that these discussions would help put an end to the negative stereotypes surrounding the community.
“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.