2 minute read
Reducing Conflict, Fostering Peace, and Stability
Our communities are better at conflict resolution.
PIND engaged me as a consultant to set up the Prevent Council in Cross River State. The project aims to establish traditional rulers as positive influences and conflict mediators within their communities by empowering them with the requisite skills to respond to conflict drivers. This is done in collaboration with relevant stakeholders at the state, local, and community levels in five communities where the project will take place: Yakurr, Obubra, Biase, Ikom, and Odukpani. However, based on my experience as a conflict mediator and being native to the area, I understood the issues. I pushed for the addition of one more community. My overall goal was to save lives, as I knew that the region desperately needed a peacebuilding intervention in this form. At our introductory visits to the kings and chiefs of these communities, we were warmly welcomed, and the project was received as a long overdue initiative. The traditional leaders cooperated with us, and we trained them on peacebuilding, conflict sensitivity and management, and PIND’s early warning-early response (EWER) system. Early feedback we have received from them shows they are applying the knowledge acquired. The traditional leaders recognized the skills they have received as it has worked well in resolving communal disputes without input from the local government. I want to thank PIND for what they have done, for giving us more hope in Cross River, and for creating an enabling environment for the Prevent Council.
