KB Asante: Voice From Afar column

Anis Haffar postulated in the Daily Graphic of January 18 that “Critical Thinking is the Heart, Spine and Soul of Education”.  He restricted his remark to “quality education”.  But I believe education without quality withers in the inner recesses of the mind and, therefore, his observation is germane to all true education.

We should constantly improve the education of the youth and the people.  But we should not allow reshaped old ideas to deflect us from the true path of education.

True education enjoins us to confront a problem with the questions “how?” and “when?” Few issues such as the “Fulani” problem erupted yesterday.  History which is an invaluable part of good education should help us appreciate its nature and assist in charting the way forward.  I was fortunate to have the value of history instilled in me by two great teachers: William Ofori Atta and Miguel Ribeiro.   I, therefore, always asked “how did it happen and what went on?”

Kwame Nkrumah warned me that any work he gave me was my “job”.  Therefore, I learnt to consult with those who knew and did my own research.  Nkrumah himself did just that.  At a meeting to consider raw material for the Bolgatanga corned beef factory, he proposed that the supply of cattle by the Fulani herdsmen should be somewhat formalised.

The Fulani would move their cattle into Ghanaian territory during the dry season in the north and withdraw when the weather improved.  They would, however, leave some cattle behind.  The cattle would be paid for and used in the factory to make corned beef.  Meanwhile President Nkrumah envisaged agricultural expansion to produce food crops, sheep and cattle.  I had to know something about N’dama cattle and specially bred sheep to withstand fly-borne diseases.  Regional cooperation was invoked to allow me to buy some of these sheep from Guinea.  They were supplied to improve our stock on the state farms.

Because of its size and resources the Cocoa Marketing Board was tasked with some aspects of agriculture.  I remember discussing appropriate “Wellington” boots for farm labourers who harvested shea-butter nuts which appeared to be a favourite of snakes.  Apparently the Cocoa Marketing Board is still involved in some aspects of agriculture as well as cattle and beef production.  The Cocoa Research Institute has published interesting articles on the subject.  I was aware of articles by Hill and others about cattle and the Fulani herdsmen in Ghana.  I am, therefore, particularly pleased to learn that some of our learned “young” scientists have published articles which throw light on the “Fulani Menace” and more importantly suggest how we can phase out the dominance of the Fulani and develop a cattle industry which will help provide our protein needs as well as support industries and much-needed jobs.

The authorities should certainly deal with the unsavoury aspects of the Fulani presence.  Robbery and rape should be rooted out ruthlessly.  But authority should be aware of the history of the migration of nomadic Fulani pastoralists centuries ago and the dominance of their system of management in Ghana today.

Are the Fulanis not indispensable when in most government institutions it is the Fulani man who effectively takes care of the herds?  Can we develop our system of animal agriculture by maintaining the extensive Fulani system of management or adopt a more intensive market-oriented system manned largely by Ghanaians? We should not only decry the behaviour of the Fulani and the shortcomings of their methods but take advantage of the situation to evolve a system which will provide Ghana’s needs as well as enhance economic development.