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By Madu Obi
The Conflict Research Network West Africa (CORN), a Nongovernmental Organization, has asked policymakers, especially state and federal governments, to work with state and local peace building actors to address conflict and insecurity in the South East geopolitical zone.
The group gave the charge during the launch of the research report on, ‘Policy Levers for Peace: Sub-National and Local Peace building Mechanisms in Nigeria’ and stakeholder dialogue in the South East at The Institute For Peace Security And Development Studies at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Anambra State.
The research, which was supported by the United States Institute of Peace (USIP), focused on analysing peace actors and institutions across Nigeria.
In his opening remarks at the event, the director of CORN, Dr. Tarila Marclint Ebiede said the study was motivated by the need to signpost the increasing roles and impact of peace building institutions in formal and informal peace processes in communities experiencing conflicts across the country.
He noted that the report and stakeholder dialogue had earlier been launched in Abuja and in the study locations across the six geopolitical zones of the country.
He also explained that the organization is collaborating with think tanks, researchers and institutions across the country to deepen research and advocacy on peace and conflict resolution.
Presenting findings of the study, Dr. Chukwuma Okoli of the Federal University, Lafia, said the study was based on secondary and primary data drawn from 220 interviews and 44 focus group discussions conducted across the study locations.
Okoli said: "The study shows that there are four main factors that can enable peace building institutions to work for peace as shown by the Anambra case study which highlighted four factors that include legitimacy, resources, neutrality and fairness.
Thus, communities with strong peace building institutions are able to resolve communal conflicts before they escalate to violence.
The absence of peace building institutions and actors with these factors is why some communities have been experiencing perennial conflicts and why some conflicts have remained unresolved in the region."
After the report presentation, Prof. Chidozie Nwafor commended the study and noted that he would like to do a joinder on how to scale up such study using experimental design.
The Director, Institute For Peace Security And Development Studies (IPSDS), Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, Prof. C. Jaja Nwanegbo thanked CORN West Africa for choosing the Institute as a location for the dissemination and stakeholder dialogue.
He said that the Institute will ensure that the dialogue leads to actionable strategies for implementing the recommendations of the report.
Other participants at the event include security agencies, members of various informal peace building institutions, student groups, the media and internationally renowned security experts, including Dr. Saheed Owonikoko of Modibbo Adama University, Yola.
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