Tag: Peace
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Imo Peace Accord
Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Mr Ali the Commissioner of Police and the Deputy Gov. Prince Madumere during the signing of Peace Accord for peaceful elections in the state. -
Advocating for peace through performance
Jelili Atiku, an international renowned Nigerian multimedia artist organised a performance titled Kill Not this Country (Manifesto II) against the actions of Boko Haram. It was held recently in Ejigbo, Lagos state.
The performance was based on the activities of Boko Haram. Since 2009, Boko Haram, a terrorist group that has been creating horror, terror and amplified-pervasive fears of protracted violence by bombing, maiming, killing and abducting ordinary citizens of the country.
This terrifying group which have claimed numerous lives and injuries, paralysis and chronic pains, emotional distress and acute stress, fright and dread, horror and panic, anxiety, anger, and have created so much panicking in the act of Nigerian citizens.
The event was pungent in a way as Jelili queried the rationale behind the Boko Haram insurgency. By using imageries such as gas-mask, compilation of letters to Boko Haram, cart filled with skulls and others visual forms Jelili created “body image accounts” of the ugly experience which Nigerians are currently undergoing.
Through drawing, installation sculpture, photography, video and performance (live art); he strives to help viewers understand the world and expanding their understanding and experiences, so that they can activate and renew their lives and environments.
Prior to the enactment of the performance, Jelili Atiku requested for participation of the public all over the world through sending a personal letter address to the members of Boko Haram imploring them to stop the killings, the maiming and the terrorization of the people. He also asked people for plastic skulls in order to indicate lives that have lost for no reasons, which real make the performance look more realistic to the audience.
One of the outstanding achievements of the performance was the pushing of the skull-cart with inscription Show Me Boko Haram on the streets of Ejigbo and distributing the letters to Boko Haram booklet.
There was no doubt that the performance was a campaign against the obnoxious actions of Boko Haram; and it became ‘bodily knowledge’ by which the people (audience)” become aware and possess an immediate knowledge of the realities of Boko Haram. Thus, there was a kind of involuntary and receptive anticipatory mobilisation of the body in relation to the action of Boko Haram.
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‘Let peace reign in Oyo’
The governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, has called for peace among governorship candidates.
He urged parties that attended last week’s parley with the police to ensure absolute compliance with the accord signed and called for extension of the same to governorship candidates.
By allowing governorship candidates to sign a peace pact, Makinde opined that it would ensure peaceful conduct of politicians and their supporters, adding that it will ultimately promote a peaceful and conducive environment that can guarantee free, fair credible elections.
He also reiterated his call for an unbiased investigation by the police into the last week’s violence at Odinjo in Ibadan South-East Local Government Area.
“The police findings should be made public and whoever is responsible should be punished. With 16 years of uninterrupted democracy, we should be seen to have moved away from certain tendencies.”
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Parties sign peace accord in Kebbi
The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG), Zone 10, Alhaji Bala Hassan, has read the riot act to political parties to steer away from violence. He has also made the parties to sign a peace accord.
Hassan warned that the police will take necessary measures within the armbit of the law to deal with trouble makers during the general elections to ensure that a harmonious and conducive atmosphere prevails during and after the exercise.
The new Commissioner of Police, Danladi Mshelbwala said that it was imperative that the peace accord should be replicated at the state level.
He urged politicians to refrain from campaigns that will promote ethno-religious sentiments.
Mshelbwala also warned them against making any public statement and pronouncement that could spark-off violence and speeches ,which have the capacity to incite any form of violence before, during and after the 2015 elections.
“Refrain from any act of thuggery ,destruction of bill boards , tearing of posters , injuries to persons , vandalization and burning of valuable property, provocative utterances and oppose all acts of electoral violence, whether perpetuated by your followers or opponents,” he added.
The police boss also advised them to channel their grievances to the appropriate law enforcement agents and desist from taking the law into their hands.
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Respect peace pacts, Owelle warns politicians
S the March 28 and April 11, 2015 elections draw closer, more Nigerians have expressed concern over the mounting tension largely traced to divisive utterances and character assassination.
One of the concerned Nigerians who cautioned against this trend this week is Frank M. Owelle, the Group Chairman/CEO of Total Aluminium Systems Limited (manufacturers of Longspan Aluminium Roofing Sheets in Nigeria).
Owelle advised political parties and their members to be more progressive in their utterances and respect the peace pact they entered into at various levels in the interest of Nigeria.
The advice was given in a statement where the international businessman said he was pained at the continued gush of intemperate language by politicians in their quest to win the forth-coming general election, warning that unless politicians retrace their steps, the country risked being plunged into a state of anarchy.
According to Owelle, while Nigerians expected mature politicking in the light of the various peace accords signed at different levels, politicians have continued to heat up the polity with their utterances.
He also expressed the belief that the postponement of the elections has enabled the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to address some of the challenges that could have impaired the elections.
Advising parties and politicians, he said: “It has become very necessary for anybody who has the interest of Nigeria at heart to raise the alarm that the way things are going could land the country in trouble if we do not immediately apply caution. I want to appeal to politicians and all the political parties to be more patriotic and progressive in their utterances,” Owelle said.
According to him, “I am of the opinion that every political ambition should be geared towards nation building and service to humanity. It saddens my heart therefore, to see the shenanigans going on, all in the name of trying to grab power.
“I want to challenge the leadership of all the political parties to ensure that their members, no matter how highly placed, do not work at cross purposes with them when it comes to promotion of peace and unity in the country,” he added.
Owelle also condemned the level of violence being recorded so far, saying that killing fellow Nigerians in a bid to win an election does not help the Nigeria project.
He said: “We have heard of burning of party secretariats, burning of campaign buses and materials of some parties, and sporadic shootings at campaign rallies. Some billboards belonging to opponents have also been reportedly destroyed across the country, and the worst of them all was the attack in some places of the President’s campaign convoy. I said the worst because, although Goodluck Jonathan is the candidate of a party, he is the incumbent president and must be accorded all courtesies of that office.
“The brewing violence must be condemned by all well-meaning people of this country. I wholly believe in a statement credited to President Jonathan that his ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. This should be the mindset of every politician or political operator in the country. I urge all parties to respect the peace pacts signed at various levels,” he said.
On the postponement of the elections and INEC’s efforts at conducting a credible general election, Owelle said: “My advice is that every citizen of this country should cooperate with Professor Attahiru Jega to ensure that we have a successful election. We must also believe in the ability of the military to make the country conducive, security wise, for the smooth conduct of the general election on March 28 and April 11, 2015. I am convinced that INEC is now more prepared than before to deliver on the critical assignment of giving Nigerians credible elections, notwithstanding the challenges it may be facing. But they need the cooperation of everybody.”
He also said,”2015 general election is very important to every Nigerian. We all know that transiting from one administration to another through a general election is not only tasking but very dicey in terms of material and human resources involved. It is much more cumbersome in a country like ours where every Tom and Harry wants to be in government.”
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Haba, Mama Peace!
Thisreport about our own ‘Mama Peace,’ First Lady Patience Jonathan better turn out not to be true. Even as the presidency or the office of the First Lady is yet to come out and refute the allegations against her, many Nigerians are wishing she didn’t say those things.
It was widely reported that while speaking on Tuesday during the PDP women presidential campaign rally, held in Kogi State, the First Lady not only declared that General Muhammadu Buhari is unfit and too old to be the Nigeria’s president, but also described the man who is old enough to be her father as “Old man wey no get brain, him brain don die pata pata.” (A brain dead old man!)
She made the statement, according to reports, after she had in her usual manner, entertained the women gathered to listen to her with laughable statements like “Wetin him dey find again? Him dey drag with him pikin mate,” in Pidgin English.
But should this turn out to be true, Ripples overheard people saying somebody not only needs to call on Mr. President to reign-in Madam, but also that Mama Peace herself would have to be reminded that she is supposed to be a role model to millions of women. Definitely, abusing the elderly is not part of our virtues as Africans.
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That peace may reign
It was Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the greatest American activists of all times, who said: “I refuse to accept that mankind is so tragically bound to the starless midnight of racism and war that the bright daybreak of peace and brotherhood can never become a reality… I believe that unarmed truth and unconditional love will have the final word.”
In making this assertion, one would not be wrong to assume that the late Martin Luther King dreamt about the many hostilities that countries, especially developing ones like Nigeria, would face when they get to the crossroad of decision making. Hence, his belief that brotherhood is achievable, no matter the level of deterioration of societal values.
There is acrimony all over the world. The United States and Russia are engaged in a cold war over the crisis in Ukraine. There is the war against insurgency in Nigeria to which billions of state resources have been committed. In soccer, there is an ongoing war against racism. For instance, English Football Federation has introduced a strong sanction to whip football clubs and players into line.
In politics, there is always war of words between opposing political parties. As the nation waits for the elections, there have been acrimony and war of words between politicians. While some see it as healthy, others see it as an invitation to the destabilisation. Off course, peace is not the absence of war but relative peace is achievable through respect and brotherhood.
Being independent-minded, humans have freewill to make choices from what they want and by their philosophies. Therefore, people have rights to make their choice of all the candidates seeking elective positions in the coming general elections.
But, it is appalling to see that politicians try to make these God-given rights of the people difficult by inducement and violence. While some resort to violence to gain political relevance, others buy votes by taking advantage of prevalence economic situation in the country.
It can be said that no election has generated fear and tension as the coming general elections. The situation is further worsened by the prediction of a foreign agency that the outcome of the election could divide the country.
Already, drumbeats of war are in the air. Before the elections, several people have been killed and scores injured. The political atmosphere is tensed.
Since the amalgamation of the Nigeria, the nation has passed through crisis, including a ruinous civil war in 1967, and yet, it is still surviving. But the significance of this election has made pundits to predict breakup.
With some foreseeing war, many people are beginning to raise concern for peace and stability of the country. Many southern traders in the North, who travelled home for the Christmas, have refused to return because of violent outcome that may follow the election.
We have had group of ex-Niger Delta militants who have threatened war should President Goodluck Jonathan loses the election. There are other similar elements in the North, who are threatening to foment trouble should the election goes against their wishes.
Apart from the areas where the Boko Haram insurgency has continued to thrive, there are some place in the North that are naturally hostile and violence-prone. In the Southern part, we also have such places where electoral violence is a culture.
In all of these, the peace of the country and its people is being threatened as the polls draw close. Corps members, in particular, are most likely at risk because they will be used as ad-hoc staff to conduct the election.
The violence visited on Corps members after 2011 general elections is still fresh in our memory. I could remember the apprehension that gripped the family when my brother, who was then a Corps member in the North, narrated to us how he escaped when political thugs snatched ballot box at the polling unit he was a presiding officer. If he had tried to stop them, the story would definitely have been different today.
Obliging to serve one’s fatherland in any part of the country should not be a death sentence. Over the years, people had argued that the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) should not post Corps members to areas outside their region. While this call may be good as a result of the volatility of various communities, but by living with other people and learning their culture strengthen unity.
As we eagerly await the election, parents are worried as to the safety of their children in places far away from home. This is not supposed to be so. Nigeria is our country and we should be able to live in any part without fear.
Peace is a necessary ingredient for the continuous coexistence of the country. And for peace to reign, the life of every citizen must be protected at all cost.
So, in the face of challenges, the fact remains that Nigerians can choose to surmount these challenges by toeing the part of peace and mutual respect.
Like Prof Charles Soludo noted in his recent article to the Minister of Finance, this is not the time to keep quiet, Nigerians must play their part to ensure a lasting solution to our current challenges by lending their voices and playing their roles positively in their little corners, whether in position of authority or not so as to ensure a better legacy for the generations yet unborn for. Albert Einstein said: “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”
Philip, is a Corps member, NYSC JALINGO
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Okrika attack: ‘Abide by peace pact’
The Rivers State Directorate of the National Orientation Agency (NOA) has urged the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership to abide by the tenets of the peace accord their candidates signed.
The NOA was reacting to the attack on APC at its Okrika rally last Tuesday.
NOA’s State Acting Director Oliver Wolugbom cautioned politicians against making inflammatory statements.
Wolugbom, who described the incident “as a sad reflection of the level of political intolerance in the society”, added that people should be allowed to go about their campaigns without molestation.
The NOA director, who spoke at the weekend in Port Harcourt, the state capital, described the perpetrators of the violence as enemies of the state.
He said politicians and their supporters should allow peace to reign before, during and after the general elections.
Wolugbom hailed Inspector General of Police (IGP) Suleiman Abba for setting up a panel to investigate the incident.
The NOA director said the outcome of the investigation should be made public, adding that the culprits should be brought to justice to forestall a recurrence.
He said the NOA, through its local government and zonal offices, had begun a series of enlightenment campaigns to educate the electorate on the need for peace and to ensure that they collect their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
Wolugbom noted that since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had said the PVCs guarantee eligible voters the right to vote, those without them would not vote.
He urged INEC to ensure that eligible and registered voters get their PVCs before the elections.
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Let peace be still in truth
If anything, ongoing extraordinary military combat with Boko Haram is most pleasing. Raiding Sambisa forest and liberating some communities from the insurgents is a hope that peace can still reign in the long-beleaguered North East part of the country.
This is being accomplished in a season many millions of Nigerians, with or without their INEC PVC are on the stand to be used to decide the fate of the two main candidates who had put themselves up for election as leader of the nation where politics, instead of being on the welfare of the under-privileged, has been more on triviality.
Were the assured abolishment of terrorism from Nigeria eventually become wholly attained within the prolonged six weeks of polls, no genuine citizen who truly loves the country will not glorify the Almighty God for His grace of fighting against the adversaries. It shall then become illustrious that whenever and whatever those in leadership become serious and determined to perform, can be achieved. After all, what seemingly meant nothing to the nation’s leadership in the last six years is what is now being settled vastly in just six weeks by the same military forces.
If electoral aspiration will ultimately make Nigeria to move forward, in deed and in truth, let it be so the way the people wants. But when frantic moves are in distraction and in criminality, whatever is claimed to be accomplished will become ineffectual and worthless. In other words, if truly Nigeria needs peace, it must be pursued in sincerity and openness.
In refined countries, the likes of Fayose, Obanikoro, Omisore, Adesiyan and the army chieftain who merged as rigging team in Ekiti State last year’s governorship election would have resigned or even fled. But here in Nigeria, they are still walking tall and acting as if what is being revealed through factual audio recording is rational and tolerable. To show that we might not take delivery of freedom and peace from these manners of people who can turn their fellow countrymen to slaves, an Obanikoro who many know as a political ruffian is even being recommended for restoration as minister. Not to talk of Fayose who is an undoubted brazen liar and a messy electoral criminal whose stomach infrastructure sense is already being endorsed and followed by the Jonathan campaign organization now sharing rice to people, house-to-house, in Lagos and bribing people across the country with public funds.
In mid-January, it was momentous in pretense when the presidential candidates and party leaders in a meeting spearheaded by former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Chief Emeka Anyaoku and former United Nations’ boss, Kofi Annan, committed themselves in harmony to abide by the rule of secure, fair and non-violent election. With the presence of international personalities and diplomatic executives, the political actors openly agreed in inscription and tied themselves to act of valuable performance by signing pact for peaceful election as if that will encourage good people to vote for their fading party.
Even last week, President Goodluck Jonathan who has been running helter-skelter to churches of all sorts, seized the opportunity of the beginning of Lent of non-Pentecostal churches to call on all political leaders in the country, Christians and non-Christians alike, to “rededicate themselves to the commitment they have made to peaceful, non-violent campaigns and elections, and do their utmost best to ensure that their supporters across the country uphold that commitment.” According to his statement through his media aide, he said that in the spirit of that commitment, all those seeking political office in the coming elections are urged to “eschew hate speech, incitement to violence, divisiveness and the malicious denigration of opponents.”
What a fastidious expressions as if the presidency is ignorant of the reality in the land. Indeed, politics need not be of violence in a civilized society of sincere leadership. It should be to convince voters of viable agenda that will be fulfilled. PDP’s television adverts are hardly of policy but more of abuse and denouncement of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), not sensing that such cruelty and malice keep adding more support to him who they are supposed to be aligned with in peace.
The same last week, at the governorship campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State, there was violent disruption when several explosions rocked the Okrika National School Field venue of the event. A policeman lost his life in the shooting while several attendants at the rally, including a television journalist sustained gunshot injuries. APC governorship candidate, Dr. Dakuku Peterside escaped being hit by grace.
It was as if Okrika, the home base of Dame (in)Patience Jonathan is a place where no other party than the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) must campaign. It was also as if thugs and hooligans are appointed by those desperate that Jonathan must remain president as long as ballot boxes are not allowed to decide the will of the people.
Isn’t it disgusting that the President who is working against the terrorists killing innocent Nigerians in the North East will not see anything wrong while there is killing of Nigerians too in the South-South environ of his wife? What sense in not condemning a president wife’s people unleashing terror on her own people just because they belong to another party? Similar chaotic attacks have returned in Ekiti state under Fayose and the authority sees nothing wrong in him. The majority APC House of Assembly members are still being hunted so that the illegal assembly PDP scanty members can remain imposed on the people. This is also the same man who used the military and security forces to arrest and block those who are not on his side, just to win election – at all costs!
Is Mr. President in actuality devoted to genuine peace for the nation? Is Boko Haram to be demolished in six weeks for the sake of peace? Or could it be that voters will now begin to see President Jonathan who cared less for the abducted Chibok girls in more than 10 months now as the leader fighting continuing good battles for them? Should those speaking peace be empowering the South-South ex-militants with the nation’s resources and ammunitions so that they can manifest their promised wars if Jonathan is not voted for? Is seeking peace sensible by using the military forces who should be in Sambisa forest as plots to work the same way it worked in Ekiti State election?
Political violence has been knocking Nigeria and Nigerians down. When the undeniable freest and fairest June 12, 1993 election was annulled by the Ibrahim Babangida regime, there was a consignment of violence in the South-West. After years of military administrative afflictions and melancholies, those who stole authority decided to shift power and they thought it should be in the hand of the politically defrauded Basorun MKO Abiola’s people; and this why they gave the presidency to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, chosen by themselves and not his people. Again, when militant violence escalated in the Niger Delta, the reigning political power tolerably chose to pacify them by eventually giving it to Goodluck Jonathan after the passage of his northern predecessor. It was not that a clueless Jonathan, even though with a Ph.D, is the best that must be used for the betterment of the nation when power was to move to South-South.
Why must there be war if people decide to vote right for a change for better governance? Must the massive corruption demolishing the nation still be sustained so that those stealing the wealth of the people would not be probed?
Are we really ready to build a nation where peace and justice will reign? Are Nigerians, including the military, primed to stand for free and fairplay in this year’s general elections? Must we allow political conflict to emerge out of intra and inter-party bad bloods?
Nothing can be rewarded to the nation if there is a systemic breakdown with the collapse of righteous election through unworthy self-centered calamity.
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Minister urges monarchs on peace
Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Senator Bala Mohammed has said that the coming elections should not be a do-or-die affair.
Mohammed said this when he convened a stakeholders forum of all traditional rulers, ethnic, district and village heads in the FCT where he urged them to co-operate with the government to ensure rancour-free elections in the Territory.
The crucial meeting was attended by 85 District Heads and 365 Village Heads in the FCT.
The minister also called on traditional rulers, district and village heads to instruct their people to collect their permanent voter’s cards (PVC). He also urged them to mobilise their subjects and collect the PVCs to enable them to fully participate in the forthcoming elections.
A statement issued by the Assistant Director/Chief Press Secretary to the FCT Minister, Mohammad Sule reads: “These elections are not do-or-die affair. President Goodluck Jonathan has achieved enough to deserve re-election and thus, their support would be crucial in this direction.”
On the strides of his administration, the Minister said the reforms carried out by his Administration have reduced its wage bill by over N1 billion.
Mohammed revealed that his Administration met a monthly wage bill of over N4 billion but was able to reduce it to about N3.5 billion.
The minister revealed that the money has been ploughed back to other developmental projects to fast-track infrastructural development in the entire 8,000 square kilometers of the Federal Capital Territory.
“The government of President Goodluck Jonathan has brought about equitable application of public funds, which is 60 per cent and 40 per cent going for capital and recurrent expenditures respectively,” Mohammed said.
He emphasised that the Jonathan Administration has done wonderfully well for the entire residents of the Federal Capital Territory, especially the natives that have gotten fair share of the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.
The minister urged the traditional rulers to continue their support to President Jonathan because his government has provided diverse opportunities for the ordinary people.
He noted that the FCT comprises 78 Districts with nine sector centres; while previous governments had developed 11 districts, President Jonathan’s Administration has also developed 11 districts through the Land Swap initiative with payment of compensation to land owners.