Emmanuel Awari-Jalingo
The Bishop of Crown of Life Bible Church, House of David Inc. Bishop Innocent Ribiruka Solomon has advocated for the need for communities to live in peace to build mutual benefits.
He stated this while delivering a lecture at a workshop in Karim, Karim Lamido LGA of Taraba State organized by CENTER FOR PEACE LEADERSHIP & GOOD GOVERNANCE, Jalingo.
The veteran peacemaker emphasised the need to get away from exclusivity and ethnic chauvinism in order to build sustainable peace in communities, nations and societies at large.
“We must eschew discriminatory tendencies and the marginalization of others the way we organize ourselves in communities in order to build modern and progressive societies for the common good.
In his paper title: “Understanding Conflict Resolution Mechanisms, Bishop Innocent Solomon pointed out different ways of approaching conflict resolution which is aimed at terminating conflicts, which includes, Assertiveness, Accomodation, Collaboration, Domination, Problem solving, Compromise, Dialogue, Negotiations, Alternative Dispute Resolution, and Traditional approach.
According to him, the attitude of Violent Flights, Confrontation and domination do not encourage conflict resolution and Transformation in our multi -ethnic, multi -religious environment and societies that we live in today.
He advocated for Dialogue, Accommodation, Collaboration, Problem -Solving and Compromise (Give & Take spirit) etc as the best approaches in conflict resolution.
“We must deliberately encourage positive engagements, constructive interactions and collective approach to problem solving in communities.
Participants were called upon to learn and imbibe the spirit of dialogue, negotiations, bargaining and compromise in dealing with hard issues in their communities in order to enthrone enduring peace that will guarantee sustainable development and overall progress.
In retrospect, the Bishop stressed that the devastating history of incessant violent conflicts with regrettable consequences that we live with today in Karim Lamido LGA would have been avoided if strategic, concerted, sustained efforts were put in place, applying all necessary mechanism of conflict resolution, including the encouragement of community based inter -ethnic associations among communities.
He commended the participants for their resolve to end the era of violent conflicts in Karim Lamido LGA in order to allow room for the desired development and progress, flourishing of relations amongst the various ethnic groups and for peace and prosperity to permanently take her course in the area.
He expressed appreciation, commendation and solidarity to Governor Agbu Kefas who is poised to move Taraba forward through pragmatic and visionary leadership.
“Taraba State Conflict Management Commission in view of the numerous challenges of unresolved conflicts in the state that have become a cloak in the wheel of progress of the state – he said.