Foundation trains leaders as conflict mediators

In a bid to end communal clashes and foster peace in warring communities in Cross River State, Foundation for Partnership Initiatives in the Niger Delta (PIND) has trained over 20 traditional rulers and youth leaders as positive influencers/conflict mediators.

The peace actors christened ‘Prevent Council,’ an initiative of PIND, were drawn from communities known as hotspots for communal and boundary disputes.
Speaking during the programme with the theme, ‘Capacity Strengthening for Prevent Councils in Cross River State’, Executive Director/Managing Trustee of PIND, Tunji Idowu, who was represented by Dr Chukwudi Njoku, said that in 2022, the foundation established and inaugurated Prevent Councils in Cross River, Akwa Ibom and Delta as pilot states.

He said the pilot states were used to experiment on how local institutions and stakeholders, including traditional rulers, can be ambassadors for peacebuilding and conflict mitigation in their domains.

He said since the inauguration of the initiative in 2022, members have been working as positive influencers and conflict mediators within their respective states and communities, to settle communal land and boundary disputes issues.

Idowu further stated, “Given the successes achieved and the need for sustainability, we are expanding the Prevent Councils to communities and local governments that we did not hitherto cover, which are also hotspots of communal conflicts. In September 2024, we are also going to inaugurate Prevent Councils in Abia, Edo, and Ondo States. These further buttress our commitment to a peaceful and economically viable Niger Delta region.

“To effectively deliver its enormous task, the Prevent Council will work in collaboration with the Partners for Peace (P4P) Network and other stakeholders at the state, local and community levels. The Prevent Councils would form an integral part of the response mechanisms of PIND’s Early Warning and Early Response (EWER) system,” he maintained.

In his presentation, tagged: ‘Conflict Trends and Dynamics in the Niger Delta’, PIND Consultant, Prof. Raphael Offiong, opined that the primary objective of the Council was to foster and maintain social harmony and peaceful coexistence in society and ensure inclusivity for all in communities.

Speaking earlier, the Paramount Ruler of Abi Local Government Area of the state, HRM Ovai Edward Osim, who doubles as Chairman of Cross River State Traditional Rulers’ Council, commended PIND for the initiative, noting that it would go a long way in addressing conflicts in communities.

He added, “There is nothing as important as peace; if you don’t have peace in what you’re doing, you will not feel fine. I want to encourage us to apply this knowledge and privilege in our homes and communities to reduce violence in the state.”  The highlight of the event was the inauguration of new members of the Council.