Sir: This piece stemmed from two separate but similar sources. First is the recent human and peacebuilding efforts of Warri, Delta State based human rights and advocacy organisation, the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ).

An effort that has again proved beyond reasonable doubt that NGOs  are viable platforms for pursuing peace, truth, and the decentralised creation and distribution of ideas; in the same way, that government is a decentralised body for the promotion and protection of the people’s life chances and platform for development that the government must partner with.
 
The second focuses on the age-long notion that the interrelatedness of equity, justice, peace and development are among the most presently discussed topics on the surface of the earth. The reason for this unending debate stems from the time-honoured belief that without equity and justice, there will be no peace. And without peace, no society, group or nation should contemplate development.

Sustainable development gained global prominence via the United Nations introduction, adoption and pursuit of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) which lasted between the year 2000 and 2015, and was, among other intentions, aimed at eradicating extreme poverty and hunger as well as achieving universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing child mortality, improving maternal health, among others.

Majority of the countries including Nigeria performed below average. And, it was this reality and other related concerns that conjoined to bring about 2030 sustainable agenda – a United Nations initiative and successor programme to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) – with a collection of 17 global goals formulated among other aims to promote and cater for people, peace, planet, and poverty. 

Therefore, the recent launch by CEPEJ-Africa of a multi-stakeholder peacebuilding dialogue to de-escalate recurring tensions among ethnic groups in Warri, Delta State, calls for peaceful coexistence among Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobos in Warri federal constituency.

In attendance at the peacebuilding dialogue held at King George Hall, Warri South Local Government Area was a wide spectrum of stakeholders, comprising community leaders, security agencies, market traders, civil society organisations and representatives of the various ethnic nationalities resident across Warri Federal Constituency of Delta State.

Communities represented included Okere Urhobo Kingdom communities, Itsekiri communities, Agbarha-Warri Kingdom communities and Ogbe-Ijoh Warri Kingdom communities, among others. Representatives of the Igbo, Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, Kogi-Igala and Isoko communities residing in Delta State were equally present.

The session, which focused on “restoring the glory of Warri, rebuilding trust, promoting unity and preventing conflict through sustained engagement,” also had in attendance security and civil society leaders.

Addressing the gathering, the CEPEJ National Coordinator, Comrade Sheriff Mulade, PhD, noted that “the peace initiative aligns with CEPEJ’s sustained advocacy for durable peace and stability in Warri and neighbouring areas.

It is imperative to state that in our contemporary society, there are two major triggers of war: Conflict investors and conflict beneficiaries. Hence, eliminating conflicts becomes a difficult challenge. However, we can do everything possible to de-escalate and make it unattractive.’’
 
Jerome-Mario Utomi, a media specialist, wrote from Lagos.