Nigeria, in the last few years has been grappling with escalating conflict affecting our common existence as a people. A concern that has prompted Bishop Sunday Ndukwo Onuoha, President, Voice Africa, in partnership with the Global Peace Foundation (GPF), to organize a most needed *inclusive and security dialogue retreat* to unbundle the barriers to peace and security in Nigeria.
It is said that “a boat does not know who the leader is. When it turns over, everyone gets wet”. “The heinous acts of barbarism, corruption, violent extremism, and the rise of ethnic militia groups that is enveloping our dear country, whether propelled by ethnicity, religious intolerance or sheer bigotry, will only lead to a meltdown (that will engulf all of us), unless some influential stakeholders and leaders with moral authority deliberately promote dialogue, national cohesion and hope,” according to the President Vision Africa, Bishop Dr. Sunday Onuoha.
As we renew our commitment to peace, by breaking down barriers between communities, religions and region, I sincerely hope this will ultimately improve dialogue, transparency and peaceful coexistence for us, and our children, because this is our home!“We are human only through the humanity of others; for no one is ultimately self-sufficient”.
THE IDEOLOGICAL BARRIERS TO PEACE AND SECURITY IN NIGERIA.
On the 19th Day of October, an Inclusive Security Dialogue Retreat was held at the Airlie Conference Center, hosted by the Global Peace Foundation (GPF) in collaboration with Vision Africa (VA) where key leaders unbundled the barriers to peace and security in Nigeria, and agreed to a joint declaration; to collaborate in addressing the escalating conflict affecting our common existence, and engender social cohesion, sustainable peace and security of lives and property.
The dialogue followed an initial dialogue meeting on the 18th October, and a series of meetings with select members of the Congress in Washington DC days later. Sadly, there exists a wide gulf of trust Deficit amongst the many divides that make up our dear country. Very few are trusted around dialogue tables; so-called influencers have betrayed the young, that now they thumb their noses at the heritage we once held so dear, and they stand against traditional institutions that give us the unique identities we pride ourselves by.
Deliberate steps must be taken to close the gap between the aggrieved and the leaders by identifying trusted, objective and reliable moderators who must coordinate the discordant tunes into a harmonious melody that will bring about peace and reconciliation.
“A hungry man is an angry man” is a popular street proverb in Nigeria – but in it lies the core of the many agitations, militancy and pockets of security crises we are faced with in this country today. People are hungry, and in such stark reality, the young, and indeed anyone, will hop on any chariot that promises better, even when they are not sure what the ‘better’ will mean – because HOPE is sustaining. Hope that things may get easier if they do something about it. Hope that maybe if they rouse attention, someone somewhere will pay attention to their plight.
‘There is anger, and hunger in the land!’
I fear for a country that will have to grapple with these untamed energies in the next 5 to 10 years. And that fear comes from the fact that these able-bodied young men are veritable tools in the hands of agitators and non-state actors. What is the value of life to a young man who sees no future in the horizon and no light at the end of the long-dark tunnel? He/she will sell his soul to the devil for any level of gratification or self-worth. It’s a ticking time-bomb, and no one knows when or where it will go off.
There are many more societal influencers, men and women of unquestionable character, that have the capacity to come up with the expected results, while articulating the needs of the aggrieved. Who also have the capacity to bring government and the opposition to a discussion. Once these people are at the table, dialogue must begin immediately; we must identify and connect with them.
EFFORTS BY SELECT STAKEHOLDERS
A Global Peace Foundation/Vision Africa collaboration;“An inclusive, open dialogue, bridging the gap across ideological, political, ethnic, religious and cultural divides” was conceptualized by the Global Peace Foundation and Vision Africa, as a strategy to understand the conflict dynamics in Nigeria, as we all look out at the horizon to chart a path to peace and integral security in our nation.The simple objective was to honestly and transparently come to the dialogue table or ‘conversation room’, irrespective of political leanings or ideologies – focusing first, on our common humanity. The purpose of the retreat was to bring stakeholders together to address critical issues and seek lasting solutions to the grave challenges facing Nigeria, beginning from an affirmation of transcendent truths that define our common humanity.
As Nigeria, and indeed Nigerians face an existential challenge, an intentional pool of key influencers, political leaders, regional leaders and leaders of separatist/agitating/self-determination groups; and high-level religious and civil society leaders convened, to address the conditions that foster unrest and radicalism globally – poverty, unemployment, social dislocation, cultural polarization, and a large demographic of disaffected and alienated Nigerian youths.
With these efforts, there’s hope for an increased understanding of the root causes of conflict and violence affecting us, increased positive relationship between the Nigerian government and various agitating groups across the country, and a refocus on the importance of universal principles and shared values as the glue for social cohesion and sustainable peace.
The stakeholders highlighted the high prevalence of insecurity in Nigeria as driven largely by social Injustice and a failed economy; hence fueling continued agitation by the country’s young alienated generation.“Hunger and starvation in the Land will get worse as continued violence and insecurity makes our farms unsafe for families whose basic sustenance is dependent on their yields from the farm.“Neglect of oil exploration communities and minorities will only deepen the threat to our security and unity. Underdevelopment and isolation cannot remain the strategy else they will be uncomfortable to remain with the concept of Nigeria“The role of religious leaders and pulpit managers (traditional, Christian, Islam) in our moral rearmament and collective reengineering is urgently needed to salvage our nation.“National Development without a focus on Youths and the education sector, and an intentional intergenerational collaboration between the elite and the youths, may not augur well for our security. Neither will the organized movement of street children and the disabled from one part of the country to another. We postpone dooms day if it is ignored.“National Reconciliation Conference, that allows the principles of fairness, equity and justice; with an immediate consideration of legitimate agitations, and a collective effort to de-escalate the conflict and violence across the nation can no longer be ignored.“The 1999 Constitution is Oligo-military in nature and does not represent our collective interests; it needs to be re-negotiated by national ethics. A constitutional review process, enabling peace and social cohesion is necessary. Government shall therefore provide an environment where a new Constitution from the representatives of the people by the people and for the people would emerge.”
SOLUTIONS PROFERD BY THE STAKEHOLDERS
“We emphatically call for the cessation of incitement, misrepresentation and distortion of the image of the other and of the neighbor. Instead, we must draw upon our religious traditions, and our understanding of what is best for our people“Government must act sincerely as an unbiased arbiter to address insecurity headlong as the high prevalence of violent crisis, kidnapping, and fatal attacks in Nigeria are driven largely by social Injustice and a failed economy.“The Church, the Mosque, and traditional worshippers must as a matter of morality, step up to the responsibility of contributing to the collective reengineering and moral rearmament urgently needed to salvage our nation, in fulfilling their roles as religious leaders and pulpit managers.“Government, as a matter of urgency must convene a national reconciliatory conference where we can all address the underlying issues of our challenges and hateful statements/agenda that successive governments have ignored to address; this convening should be organized in order to quell the mistrust-fueled agitations and crisis before the entity called Nigeria collapses.“The 1999 Constitution does not embody the principles of justice, fairness and equality, on which every democracy is founded. Thus, it does not fully protect the rights and interests of Nigeria’s diverse constituencies. We call on the Government to begin a process of constitutional review, amend and rework the constitution, drawing on our previous constitutions, amongst other things, to synchronize/harmonize the laudable principles they embody. This will ensure, not one-off solutions, but lasting change.“Government at all levels must revisit and show sincere effort at understanding the core issues of dissidence and self-determination in Nigeria, rather than incarceration, bullets and counter-attacks as government response to agitations and unrest“The dialogue revealed that even in our divergence, there exists an area of convergence; we therefore commit to keeping the conversation room open for further dialogue so as to address and resolve the common challenge that is deepening this divide.”
