• Main News
  • About Us
  • Contact
Premium Times Opinion
Saturday, August 13, 2022
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight
No Result
View All Result
Premium Times Opinion
Home Columns

The Urgency of Peace Building In Nigeria, By Jibrin Ibrahim

by Premium Times
July 6, 2018
Reading Time: 6 mins read
0

Given the scale and depth of insecurity and break down of inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations, we need to focus our attention on building effective institutions, with emphasis on peace building. There is urgency in the institutionalisation of conflict management, resolution and peace building mechanisms in the country.


“I love my country I no go lie/Na inside am I go live and die.” – Wole Soyinka

Nigeria is in a very difficult situation due to the sharp rise in the volume and spread of conflicts across the country. Last week, Amnesty International (AI) released a distressing report on the senseless killings currently going on and lamented that so far, at least 1813 people have been killed between January till date, across 17 states in the country. This death toll almost doubles that of the entire 2017 count. The violence is not really new, although the numbers and intensity have increased. Indeed, since the 1990s, violent conflicts have been growing and deepening in Nigeria. The sources include the militancy in the Niger Delta, the Boko Haram insurgency and the growing clashes between constituted authorities and the Shiite Islamic Movement in Nigeria, as well as the Igbo secessionist movements. There have also been numerous communal clashes in various States in the country. The most serious violence with the most serious threat to national cohesion has been the deepening and widening attacks and killings between farmers and herders, which have been compounded with growing criminality and cattle rustling. In addition, kidnapping for ransom has become widespread and no one feels safe today.

The violence and destruction are not the most serious problems affecting our country today. Nigerians are even more concerned about the lack of accountability. The killings are done with impunity and the State has failed in its primary responsibility to hold murderers to account. It is this element of impunity that is most distressing to citizens. The Nigerian state is clearly failing in meeting its constitutional obligations of providing security for citizens. I believe that there is a consensus that things cannot continue like this and government must address the security situation, with the objective of securing significant improvement.

As people see atrocities multiplying and no one is being held accountable, we cannot blame them for thinking that the State is complicit in allowing the violence to continue unabated. Conspiracy theories have been emerging, spreading narratives of Jihad and conquest to seize land by the president’s so-called ethnic group, the Fulani. I say so-called because the president is not ethnically Fulani, even if he presents himself as such. The irony is that when you speak to the Fulani pastoralists, they say that the president is allowing the youth of farming communities to kill them at will because he does not want to create the impression that he is providing them special protection.

The winners today are those who want Nigeria to continue along the path of self-destruction. They are pushing in that direction by mixing the reality of true killings and destruction with fake news and pictures. In other words, they are aggravating and exacerbating an already bad situation to make it worse and fan the embers of discord. They are succeeding because President Buhari’s government has not been showing sufficient concern at the on-going destruction and above all, the security agencies are not carrying out their security provisioning and law enforcement duties with the efficacy that Nigerians expect. The president is simply watching them and no one understands why the leadership of security agencies are left in office in spite of their inability to carry out their responsibilities. The aloofness of President Buhari has become a real problem and we cannot make progress until he engages with the growing insecurity directly, shows more concern and empathy and above all responds and acts more decisively.

…we must all strive to build peace because there is a serious risk today that the country could glide towards civil war again if preventive measures are not taken. Such an outcome would be catastrophic for West Africa, and indeed for Africa because of the huge population of the country and the possible gigantic scale of the humanitarian crisis…


Government must act but ordinary citizens who want to build Nigeria must also act too. We must begin to reassure ourselves that with 200 million people, one half Christian and the other half Muslim, it’s impossible for one to destroy the other. We must become less gullible and question the conspiracy theories circulating today. We must remind ourselves that although we have been playing ethnic politics since the colonial era, the exercise of ethnic supremacy has not held sway in our country. We should always remind ourselves that at the epicentre of the current crisis that confronts the Nigerian state is bad governance and not bad tribes and religions. Bad governance manifests itself in the form of corruption, exclusion and state capture by the elites of all ethnic and religious groups, which have led to increased poverty, unemployment and deprivation of citizens, thereby creating conditions and incentives for violence in the country. The entrenchment of a violent political culture that is engineered and sustained by the political class, further heightens these factors.

Above all, we must all strive to build peace because there is a serious risk today that the country could glide towards civil war again if preventive measures are not taken. Such an outcome would be catastrophic for West Africa, and indeed for Africa because of the huge population of the country and the possible gigantic scale of the humanitarian crisis that could be generated. The majority of Nigerians have nowhere to run to, while the elite who cause the problems would be in Europe and America enjoying the loot they stole from the Nigerian people.

Given the scale and depth of insecurity and break down of inter-ethnic and inter-religious relations, we need to focus our attention on building effective institutions, with emphasis on peace building. There is urgency in the institutionalisation of conflict management, resolution and peace building mechanisms in the country. There are many institutions in the university system, defence establishments and civil society that engage in peace building in Nigeria. The formal institution charged with the responsibility is the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) established in 2000 in response to the rising incidents of conflicts across the country. It’s a policy think tank whose mandate covers research and interventions towards strengthening Nigeria’s response capacity in the promotion of peace, conflict prevention, management and resolution. The IPCR, however, is placed in a ridiculous institutional location; it is under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as if it is external diplomacy that will make the peace in Nigeria. The IPCR should be placed where it belongs in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and empowered to do its work.

As citizens, we all have a responsibility to rebuild Nigeria. One of the reasons conflicts have spread is that we have allowed community level peace building mechanisms that have been instrumental for harmony and cohesion to disappear. Government has a vital role in peace building but traditional, community and religious leaders, as well…


All states in the country should also establish peace building institutions. So far, only two states have embarked on the path of establishing specialised state level peace building institutions. They are Kaduna and Plateau States. The idea of states establishing conflict resolution agencies is extremely useful as conflicts spread in the nooks and corners of the country; a process that is stretching the capacity of the federal government to understand and respond adequately. Such state institutions could play the important role of preparing regular conflict assessment reports for the State and engaging in conflict monitoring and mitigation activities in all local governments. They should be developed as the intellectual base and practitioner resource centre for conflict management and peace building. States should see themselves as having the responsibility of promoting the culture of harmonious co-existence among the diverse ethnic and religious groups in their spaces.

At this time, it is important that peace building should be routinised and made more effective. We should strive to get out of the practice that whenever there is a breakdown of the peace, the first response is to deploy security forces to restore law and order. Rather, the federal and state governments should become proactive and intervene before there is the breakdown of law and order and prevent the conflicts from breaking out in the first place. We have had dozens, if not hundreds of reports of commissions of inquiry on various conflicts examining remote and immediate causes but we do not use the recommendations to prevent the recurrence of the conflicts, so the vicious cycles continue.

As citizens, we all have a responsibility to rebuild Nigeria. One of the reasons conflicts have spread is that we have allowed community level peace building mechanisms that have been instrumental for harmony and cohesion to disappear. Government has a vital role in peace building but traditional, community and religious leaders, as well as other organised groups within the communities, also have a vital role to play. We all need to dig into our history and culture to discover the mechanisms we have used in the past to prevent the escalation of conflicts and conserve cohesion. There is no doubt in my mind that the escalation of violent conflicts between pastoralist and farmer communities is linked to this breakdown of traditional conflict prevention mechanisms. Let’s all rise to the collective challenge of playing positive roles in rebuilding Nigeria.

A professor of Political Science and development consultant/expert, Jibrin Ibrahim is a Senior Fellow of the Centre for Democracy and Development, and Chair of the Editorial Board of PREMIUM TIMES.

Share this:

  • Tweet
  • Email
  • Print
  • More
  • Pocket
  • Share on Tumblr

Related

Previous Post

Mallam Adamu Ciroma (1934-2018): When the Specified Time Arrives, By Murtadha Gusau

Next Post

Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz: A Great Leader of Islam And Role Model To All, By Murtadha Gusau

Related Posts

Trust and Confidence Building As Conditions of Good Governance, By Uddin Ifeanyi
Columns

The Policy Implications of 2021’s Low Growth Projections, By Uddin Ifeanyi

February 1, 2021
Akinwunmi Adesina: Africa’s Spotless Son, By Wole Olaoye
Columns

Iron Woman of Berlin, By Wole Olaoye

January 31, 2021
Rethinking Heroism and the Nigerian Civil Service, By Festus Adedayo
Columns

Aliko Dangote’s Costly Mess of the Libido, By Festus Adedayo

January 31, 2021
Why Lai Mohammed Must Be Fired Immediately, By Femi Aribisala
Article of Faith

Is God Invisible?, By Femi Aribisala

January 31, 2021
Religion As Africa’s Trojan Horse, By Osmund Agbo
Columns

South-East Governors: Preparing For a Post-oil and Restructured Nigeria, By Osmund Agbo

January 30, 2021
People Deserve The Coach They Hire, By Owei Lakemfa
Columns

Again, Entombed Humans Triumph Over Death, By Owei Lakemfa

January 30, 2021
Next Post
The Characteristics of A Just Leader, By Murtadha Gusau

Umar Ibn Abdul Aziz: A Great Leader of Islam And Role Model To All, By Murtadha Gusau

Hadiza Bala-Usman and the War Against Corruption At Nigeria’s Ports, By Adeeko Ademola

Hadiza Bala-Usman and the War Against Corruption At Nigeria’s Ports, By Adeeko Ademola

Editorial

  • EDITORIAL: The Urgency of Tackling Nigeria’s Second Wave of COVID-19

    EDITORIAL: The Urgency of Tackling Nigeria’s Second Wave of COVID-19

  • EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

    EDITORIAL: Unearthing the Cogent Lessons In the NESG-CBN Economic Policy Imbroglio

  • EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

    EDITORIAL: COVID-19: Calling On Nigeria’s Billionaires and Religious Leaders To Step Up

  • EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

    EDITORIAL: Bichi Must Go; Buhari Must Halt Slide Into Despotism

  • EDITORIAL: The Flaws In Governor Emefiele’s Five-Year Plan For Central Bank of Nigeria

    EDITORIAL: The Flaws In Governor Emefiele’s Five-Year Plan For Central Bank of Nigeria

Subscribe to our Opinion articles via email

Enter your email address to get notifications of new opinion articles as they are published.

Join 526,543 other subscribers

Most Popular

  • The Bad Consequences and Dangers of Adultery and Fornication (Zina) In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    The Bad Consequences and Dangers of Adultery and Fornication (Zina) In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
  • Showing Gratitude To Allah For His Bounties, Blessings and Favours, By Murtadha Gusau
    Showing Gratitude To Allah For His Bounties, Blessings and Favours, By Murtadha Gusau
  • Islam and the Conditions For Marrying More Than One Wife, By Murtadha Gusau
    Islam and the Conditions For Marrying More Than One Wife, By Murtadha Gusau
  • You Will Be Held Responsible On What Happened To Your Children!, By Murtadha Gusau
    You Will Be Held Responsible On What Happened To Your Children!, By Murtadha Gusau
  • World Teachers Day and The Position of Teachers In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    World Teachers Day and The Position of Teachers In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
  • The Women Prohibited For Men To Marry In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    The Women Prohibited For Men To Marry In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
  • The Qualities of a Good Leader In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau
    The Qualities of a Good Leader In Islam, By Murtadha Gusau

Like us on Facebook

Like us on Facebook

Podcasts

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

  • Main News
  • About Us
  • Contact

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Democracy and Governance
    • Bámidélé Upfront
    • Jibrin Ibrahim
    • Okey Ndibe
  • Economy
    • Ifeanyi Uddin
  • Issues of the Day
    • Adeolu Ademoyo
    • Aribisala on Tuesday
    • Dele Agekameh
    • Pius Adesanmi
  • Politics
    • Ebeneezer Obadare
    • Femi Fani-Kayode
    • Garba Shehu
    • Hannatu Musawa
    • Zainab Suleiman Okino
  • Guest Columns
  • Faith
    • Article of Faith
    • Sunday Ogidigbo
    • Friday Sermon
    • Elevated Sight

© 2022 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.
 

Loading Comments...