German envoy tasks Benue communities on peace 

German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther, has charged the Bonta and Okwute communities of Benue State to live in peace.

She made the appeal at the ‘Konshisha-Oju Natural Resource Peace Agreement’ signing ceremony organised by the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (CHD), yesterday, in Makurdi.

The envoy, who was represented by the Head, Political Section of the Embassy Matthias Dold, cited competition over land and resources due to the burgeoning population and faulty borders by colonialists as some of the causes of conflicts in communities.

According to her, the factors that give rise to communal conflicts notwithstanding, peace is possible if both sides are committed to it.

Ambassador Gunther also lauded women, who, she said, she observed from experience, achieve more enduring peace when they were involved in any peace process.

The Och’Idoma, HRH Odogbo Elaigwu, pointed out, in his speech, that killing people and destroying properties in the community amounted to nothing. “Nobody,” he said, “can give you peace until you decide to live in peace,”

Similarly, the Tor Tiv, HRM Ortese Ayatse, noted that conflicts would always continue to be with humans, adding that its management makes the difference. He noted that if the concerned parties “are prepared to sit together and discuss, there should be no crisis.”

Brokered by HD, the agreement in the Tiv-speaking Konshisha Local Council and the Igede-speaking Oju Local Council, covers the free movement of people in the two councils, open access to markets and amicable resolution of issues over boundaries from colonial era maps that have resulted in friction.

The two communities also agreed on the sharing of water, farmland, forests and other resources.

Governor Hyacinth Alia thanked both parties for their resolve to live in harmony.
The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Sam Ode, charged the Bonta and Okwute communities to sustain the peace, as his government is committed to resettling Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), which will be possible only when there is peace.