“Land grabbing is a form of colonialism, where the powerful exploit the vulnerable, leaving them in poverty and despair.” – Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS
As Nigeria marks another Democracy Day on June 12, we are reminded that the struggle for equality and justice continues. In Plateau State, land grabbing is a ticking time bomb, threatening the environment, local communities, and the economy. The British colonial government appropriated indigenous lands, displacing and disenfranchising communities. Today, corporations, individuals, and government projects continue this exploitation, fueling conflicts between communities, farmers, and herders. Even majority tribes conspire to grab land from their brothers, instead of being their keepers as biblical injunctions instruct.
Land grabbers use various tactics to chase away communities, including violence, forced displacement, illegal land grabbing, manipulation of land laws, divisive tactics, economic coercion, and cultural erasure. To defeat these enemies and protect ancestral lands, communities must stand together in unity and solidarity, document their land ownership and cultural heritage, advocate for policy changes, seek legal action, manage their lands, preserve their culture, and seek international support.
As we celebrate democracy, we must acknowledge the flaws in our system that perpetuate inequality and injustice. The time is now to address the issue of land grabbing and ensure that the resources of Plateau State benefit all its citizens, not just a privileged few. Let us rise up, take back our land, resources, and future. “A stitch in time saves nine.” Together, we can build a world where the earth’s resources benefit all, not just a privileged few.
“The struggle for justice is not a struggle for the faint of heart. It is a struggle for those who believe in the power of their own voices, even when the odds seem insurmountable.” – Desmond Tutu
On this Democracy Day, let us recommit to the fight against land grabbing and the struggle for a more just and equitable society, as Desmond Tutu so aptly said. United we stand, divided we fall. Joint hands and collective action are key to defeating land grabbers and preserving ancestral lands.
Ishaya Rangu, a political analysts, writes from Kwall District, Bassa Local Government Area, Plateau State