Rebranding the Fulani with scholars, skills and Da’awah against poverty and crime

By Dahiru Adamu (Madugun Akko)

The Fulani, as an ethnic race in Nigeria, have for too long been under siege. The actions of a few criminal elements among them have been used to label and criminalize the entire community, creating stereotypes that ignore the vast majority who are peaceful scholars, farmers, traders, and patriots. This unjust profiling has deepened mistrust, fueled conflict, and left many Fulbe youths without direction or voice. It is against this backdrop that the ASSOCIATION OF FULBE SCHOLARS AND INTELLECTUALS was formed, not to perpetuate a cycle of defense, but to shift the narrative through knowledge, character, and spiritual reform.

The Association is a not-for-profit and non-political body registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission. Its constitution makes a deliberate departure from the old model of only mediating farmer-herder clashes or responding to crisis. While Article 3(5) commits the Association to pursuing everlasting peaceful coexistence between farmer and herder communities, the core thrust is now internal renewal. The first and most emphasized objective is unifying a hitherto disparate intellectual and scholarly Fulbe community to speak with one voice, grounded in scholarship rather than sentiment.

Central to this new direction is religious enlightenment. Article 3(2) clearly states the intent to draw the general Fulbe community’s attention to deepening their spiritual pursuits through authentic creed and rituals such as prayer, fasting, zakat, and pilgrimage to Makkah, alongside exemplary emotional intelligence. Article 3(8) further hammers ad infinitum the importance of the pursuit of knowledge and education as the most useful tool for daily and future life. This is a conscious shift: from reacting to external accusations to building internal discipline, piety, and literacy so that Fulbe identity is defined by values, not violence.

The Association is also practical about empowerment. It commits to training Fulbe youths in useful skills and entrepreneurship, especially in modern techniques, horticulture, and animal husbandry. It will educate both nomadic and sedentary Fulbe on civic responsibility, including acquiring the National Voter’s Card and coming out to vote. It also focuses on enlightenment on religion, culture, and social wellbeing, and promotes love of peace in all life endeavors. These are deliberate steps to address poverty, illiteracy, and marginalization that often make communities vulnerable to manipulation.

In structure, the Association is built to last. It has elected Trustees, a Central Executive Council, clear meeting procedures, audited accounts, and a Common Seal. Income will come from lawful donations, grants, and member levies, and funds shall be applied solely to promoting its objectives. With this framework, the ASSOCIATION OF FULBE SCHOLARS AND INTELLECTUALS is moving Fulbe discourse away from crisis management to moral and intellectual leadership.

Dahiru Adamu (Madugun Akko) is a Public Affairs Analyst.