Abstract

Pastoral communities are among people of West Africa who according to major sources originated from somewhere around Senegambia region. They are popularly known as cattle herders and their major occupation and economic dependent is raising and rearing of cattle; that is why they value their cattle more than anything. They could do anything to protect and enhance their survival. They imbibe the habit of roaming about and transhuman movement that could take them to very far area not because of anything but to get available water and feeds for their animals. Pastoralists (Fulani) attend markets occasionally, they took market as an important avenue where they meet with each other, friends and colleagues, exchange greetings, share information on various issues with regard to the development of their herds. They also used it to disseminate information and distribute kola nuts with regard to solemnizing of some people’s marriage; passing information of demise of somebody, etc. Thus, they consider patronising of markets very important and reached to the extent that none of them want to be absent. But recently things have changed where they found themselves in danger and threat especially with the surge of cattle rustling and armed-banditry in many parts of West Africa which led to the killing of may pastoralists and their cattle, and rustling large number of them. This resulted for them in reducing going to markets due to fear of attack and this also affected raising of cattle to the extent that many lost their cattle or sold them lavishly so as to escape from being attack or rustling their animals. The paper intends to study and highlight the significance of market to pastoral communities in West Africa, impact of the market to their lives, economic value of cattle to them and the challenges they face and their cattle in many parts of West Africa.