Hakeem

The reason why some Arewa people are angry about The Herd movie is not because we are denying the reality of banditry, far from it. It is about the dangerous consequences of profiling an entire ethnic group and region that has already suffered immensely from years of insecurity. I watched the teaser on @NetflixNaija, and even though I haven’t watched the full movie yet, the one clear problem that stands out is stereotyping. In the teaser, Fulani herders are shown crossing the road with their cattle, while a newlywed couple inside a car and other travellers drive by, then suddenly the herdsmen pull out guns, start shooting indiscriminately and kidnap everyone. This single scene paints a picture that is actually facile as it is dangerously inaccurate. The truth is this, it is true and verifiable that some of the bandits terrorizing innocent people and our communities are Fulani. We have consistently and openly acknowledged that, called them out, condemned their atrocities and demanded that authorities deal with them mercilessly. Yet the overwhelming majority of Fulani herders are innocent and also among the very victims that have suffered the most from these terrorists. Many have lost their cattle, their livelihoods and their families. So producing a movie to profile them all as armed kidnappers only reinforces a harmful stereotype that fuels suspicion, resentment and even violence against innocent people. Film and media carry immense influence, they shape global perceptions and frame narratives, especially about communities that are poorly understood outside their regions. Instead of the producers of The Herd helping the world understand the complexity of Nigeria’s insecurity, the movie falls into the trap of blanket judgment. When such an international movie, portrays a one-dimensional story, millions of viewers around the world walk away believing that every Fulani herder is a terrorist and that is how stigma is created. That is how innocent people become targets of discrimination and harassment. Before producing a film that touches on such a sensitive and complex national issue, the producers should have done intensive field work by engaging stakeholders, security experts, victims, researchers and even representatives of pastoralist groups to help them capture the full picture of the situation. I believe @AliNuhu’s Nigerian Film Corporation should have given proper guidance to prevent such damaging portrayals. In the end, all we are saying is simple, tell the story. Condemn the criminals. Call out the terrorists. But do not cast a shadow of suspicion over millions of innocent herders who have nothing to do with these atrocities. Our country is dealing with a complex security challenge and the last thing we need is media content that deepens stereotypes and fuels more division. The producers should have known better.