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Preamble
A one-day community dialogue meeting with Traditional and Religious leaders in Nasarawa State was organised on the 1st June 2021 in Nasarawa Luxury Hotel, Lafia Nasarawa State.
The meeting which had in attendance of Traditional Leaders, Jamaatu Nasril Islam (JNI), FOMWAN, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and WOWICAN from the state level and all thirteen LGAs of Nasarawa State aimed to promote trust, diversity, tolerance, build social cohesion and strengthen capacities to resolve disputes and conflict, while promoting inter-religious and inter-ethnic interaction.
At the end of the meeting which was organised by Global Peace development in partnership with ActionAid Nigeria and Beacon Youth Initiative, in pursuance of the System and Structure Strengthening Approach against Radicalisation to Violent Extremism (SARVE II) Project with funding from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), participants observed that:
Observations
1 The 1979 and 1999 constitution do not recognise the role of traditional institution in surveillance and security of their community.
2 Dislodgement of traditional rulers’ role in surveillance and security by the government
3 Recognising the role of non- indigenous ethnic groups by ascribing them with a title aim to promote cohesion and harmony.
4 Low community participation in surveillance and security to respond to security challenges.
5 Lack of budget provision to traditional leaders for security surveillance.
6 inadequate recognition of vigilante role by the government in contribution to peace and security
7 Adoption of self- centred lifestyle than communal lifestyle relationship which hindered communal cohesion to address insecurity and respond to early warning.
8 No evidence reports of traditional rulers participating in banditry, kidnapping or insecurity in Nasarawa State.
9 Politicisation in the appointment of the role of traditional leaders, which usually are not given based on merit.
To this end, they recommended that:
1 Traditional rulers to be recognised and have clear mandate and responsibility in the constitution of Nigeria.
2 Traditional and Religious leaders to support awareness campaigns on peaceful co-existence among different faith groups towards creating a regular platform for religious dialogue and mutual understanding that can bring together different faiths and brainstorm on developmental strides to foster peaceful co-existence in the state.
3 Traditional leaders and Religious leaders should be the agents of peace promotion, facilitate tolerance, and promote diversity among all ethnic and religious groups.
4 Traditional and Religious leaders are tasked to sensitize and promote knowledge to address illiteracy and ignorance about teachings of Islam and Christianity to facilitate good moral values among the religious groups.
5 Traditional and Religious leaders should be worthy of emulation and embodiment of conduct among the populace as they are admonished to be great mediators and promoters of peace not hatred.
6 The head of Nasarawa state traditional council to submit memo seeking the legislation of traditional rulers’ role in the constitution as regard to security.
7 Due to inadequate security manpower in the state, government to support vigilante group for surveillance and security.
8 Traditional rulers to embrace and accommodate all religious group in their community without being biased.
9 Traditional leaders should imbibe ethics of equity accountability and justice in their leadership style.
10 Traditional leaders to device adopt old style counter security strategy by registering incoming and outgoing strangers in their community.
11 Traditional and Religious Leaders should come up with mechanisms on they could respond to early warning and early response.
Singed
1. His Royal Highness, Anthony Madaki , District head of Ningo, Akwanga – Nasarawa State
2. His Royal Highness, Ibrahim A Usman – District Head of Wambai (Wamban Keffi) – Nasarawa State
3. Very Rev Obed Musa, State Secretary, Christian Association of Nigeria, Nasarawa State Branch
4. Dr Imam Muhammed Ali, State Secretary, JNI, Nasarawa State
5. Ebruke Esike, Executive Directed, Global Peace Development
6. Emmanuel Okolo, Executive Director, Beacon Youth Initiative
