Former Executive Secretary of National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof Usman Yusuf, has described claims that the Fulani “own” Nigeria as a fallacy and “sentimental nonsense”.
He said that the erroneous narrative was being pushed by unscrupulous elements with a nefarious agenda.
According to him, Fulani people were in the minority in the federal civil service compared to Yoruba and Igbo people.
The Katsina-born professor added that Yoruba and Igbo people were also far richer than their Fulani counterparts.
Yusuf said that there was therefore no justification for claiming that the Fulani own or control Nigeria.
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“Which part of Nigeria do they own? Igbo people are richer than Fulani people; Yoruba people are also richer than Fulani people. There are more Igbo and Yoruba in federal civil service than Fulani.
“Does any Fulani own a bank? Does any Fulani own a media house? Does any Fulani own a hotel? All the hotels in Abuja and land are owned by the Igbo. Is Abuja Igbo land? Can Fulani own in the East what Igbo own in the North? No. If you have never been to the North, come and see the landed properties that the Igbo have, which the Fulani do not have and cannot have in Igbo land.
“Whoever that says Fulani man owns Nigeria, let him come and say how. Fulani man occupies Aso Rock, and so what? An Igbo man should come and occupy Aso Rock and give the Fulani all the material wealth he has in the North. That is nonsense.
“Igbo own all the hotels, they own banks, and Yoruba own the newspapers and banks. What do the Fulani own? It is just sentimental nonsense,” Yusuf told Saturday Sun.