Young peacebuilders rewriting Kaduna, Plateau story of division – NGO
By Sumaila Ogbaje
The Country Director, Search for Common Ground Nigeria, Mr Karno Ouattara, says young peacebuilders are rewriting stories of division in Kaduna and Plateau through Joint Initiative for Strategic Religious Action (JISRA).
Ouattara stated this at the JISRA Closeout organised by Search, a non-governmental organisation and its partners, in Abuja.
He said the project had left behind lasting legacies, and had shown that peace was possible when communities choose dialogue over division.
According to him, in Plateau and Kaduna, barriers have been broken, trust restored and collaboration flourished.
Implemented since 2021 in Plateau and Kaduna states with the support of the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ouattara said the JISRA project had brought together Search, the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) and the Dialogue, Reconciliation and Peace Centre (DREP).
According to him, the initiative empowered youths, trained women, and created platforms where Christian and Muslim leaders jointly tackled challenges that once divided them.
“Highlights of the programme include training hundreds of youths in media literacy to counter hate speech, supporting women as influential voices for reconciliation, and establishing community peace committees to drive sustainable, home-grown solutions.
“The closeout celebration is bringing together government officials, donor agencies, faith leaders, civil society actors, women and youths to reflect on achievements and chart pathways for sustaining the gains,” he said.
Suchet Musa, Project Manager for the JISRA at Search for Common Ground Nigeria, says the five-year programme has successfully brought divided communities together and could be expanded to other states.
Musa said the initiative had received positive feedback for bridging divides between Christians and Muslims in crisis-prone communities.
“We have seen communities where Christians and Muslims who never lived together because of past crises now come together and carry out activities jointly,” she said.
Also, Julie Churchill, Global Project Support at Search, reaffirmed the commitment of the organisation to promoting dialogue and reducing tensions among communities in Nigeria under JISRA.
Churchill said the organisation has been helping local partners drive grassroots peacebuilding.
She said her recent visit to Kaduna provided first-hand experience of how communities that had been part of the project for five years were now building friendships across faiths, thereby fostering safety and unity.
The Agwom Takad, Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna, Tobias Wada, has commended the impact of JISRA in fostering peace in his community, urging government at all levels to sustain such efforts.
Wada said the programme, implemented by Search for Common Ground Nigeria and its partners, had helped his community overcome religious mistrust and embrace peaceful coexistence.
“Religion, whether Christianity or Islam, is about peace. Unfortunately, some people manipulate religion for selfish interests.
“We appreciate the implementers who came to us, knocking and asking us to live in peace with one another,” he said.
On the drivers of religious disharmony, the traditional ruler identified selfishness as the major factor, warning against stigmatising citizens on the basis of their faith.
“Why should I be a victim because I was born a Christian or a Muslim? Both religions teach peace, and without peace, there can be no development or progress,” he said.
A member of Plateau State House of Assembly, Joseph Bukar, praised JISRA for uniting communities and promoting dialogue, stressing that peace and security cannot be left to government alone.
Bukar said the programme had helped communities in Plateau to put heads together to reason rather than pick arms and go to war.
“I think JISRA and her partners have done remarkably well in bringing people together, engaging and sensitising them.
“Like the traditional ruler said, we still have a long way to go, but we have reached a certain level,” he said.
The legislator stressed that peacebuilding required a collective effort beyond government institutions.
“Peace and security is everybody’s business. If you leave it to the federal and state governments alone, it will not be sufficient,” he said.
On the persistent insecurity in Plateau, he noted that state and federal security agencies had always responded but called for a shift in strategy.
“We have suffered religious crises, communal clashes, and now criminal attacks for decades. The sad reality is that lives are still being lost.
“Communities must wake up, adopt these interfaith strategies, and work with youth and religious leaders to reduce the issues to a minimal level,” he said. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yakubu Uba
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