The White Fulani
That is their English name. In animal breeding nomenclature and among the Fulani, they are called Búnájì (also called Daneji, Yakanaji, etc). They constitute half the population of cows in Nigeria. Their bulls are the most expensive, their meat the sweetest.
While the hefty Bokolo dominates the Northwest, red Abore the Sahelian Northeast, Bunaji are the masters among Fulanis of Sub-sahelian savanna, from Adamawa to Niger and down to the confluence of the Benue and Niger rivers and, now, beyond.
They are essentially meat cows and milk less than the Bokolo and the Abore. However, the Bunaji are more resilient to hunger and disease in the tsetse-fly belt. Over the years, I have found that except for a selected few, the Frisian x Bunaji cross yields far less milk than the same cross with Bokolo.
The bright white colour is maintained by herders over the ages by selection. They particularly eliminate black bulls (b’aleri) and even heifers that are unfortunate to be born in their herds. Many times, they are subjects of superstition. In some less fanatical herds, the mixed colour (sód’aye) and the yellow mutant (ólè) are tolerated.
And Fulani rarely mix different breeds in the same herd. In Nigeria, herds are usually of Bunaji, Bokolo, Abore, Zebu or Muturu exclusively. Where they are mixed in liberal herds like mine, a subtle segregation is seen even at grazing. But as it is with humans, the bulls do not give a damn, and neither would the cow resist him, once she is on heat. Both will welcome each other and cling together until the will of nature is fulfilled.
The bright white colour of the Bunaji gives you a picture of a white river in motion any time they are on their seasonal migration across the savanna. The best of such breathtaking scenery in my life was on a large tributary of Benue in Awe, Nasarawa State, when Governor Ortom, in his excellency, gave the Fulani an ultimatum to vacate in 2017.
During that harmattan season, the large empty river was painted white by Bunaji cows. Hundreds of exiled herds attended the unfortunate summit, all of them white, with nowhere to graze, stranded, except when guided back into Benue State by the stealthy ingenuity of their shepherd at night or driven by his courage during the day.
Last Friday, as I rushed for my 10am lecture at the Faculty of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, this bright white paint of nature caught my attention just after Zaranda town where some herds of migrating Bunaji had encamped for a night or two, looking relaxed in an atmosphere of freedom away from any hostility. It was so beholding a sight that I felt compelled to stop and take their memorable picture which I hereby share with my esteemed readers.
Lastly, I took a deep breath and bid them farewell, saying, Allah rena lawol.
Dr. Aliyu U. Tilde
11 July 2021
