NDDC Re-commits To Peace, Conflict Resolution In Niger Delta

The managing director of the Niger Delta development Commission, NDDC, Samuel Ogbuku has received accolade for promoting peace and stability in Nigeria’s oil bearing areas, the Niger Delta.

The remark was made by the commission Acting Director, Department of Conflict Resolution, DCR, Goddy Ogedegbe Ayewumi during a retreat held for some personnel of the interventionist agency in Lagos.

Ayewumi affirmed the commitment of NDDC personnel to promoting communal harmony and peaceful coexistence across the communities which he said are necessary for development in the Niger Delta.

The retreat aimed to equip the personnels on their role as Dispute and Conflict Resolution advocates and personnel, and the need to promote peaceful coexistence, oneness and unity among the States under the NDDC.

Samuel Ogbuku, the Managing Director of NDDC represented by the Special Assistant Legal, Ochu Chukwuma and 30 other personnel of Department of Conflict Resolution, DCR, and other strategic stakeholders of the commission led by the Acting Director, Goddy Ogedegbe Ayewumi attended Capacity building Retreat on Communal Dispute and Peaceful Resolution.

The Retreat with the theme Communal Dispute in the Niger Delta Region: The role of NDDC Staff in promoting peaceful resolution was facilitated by Development Projects, PEDEP, which  featured presentations on sub themes: “Peace as a Multi-Stakeholder Enterprise”, facilitated by Jide Ojo of OJA Development Consult; “Communication and Interpersonal Conflict Management-Interpersonal Self Awareness: A Power Perspective” by Professor Abigail Odozi Ogwezzy, Director, Institute Of Continuing Education (ICE), University Of Lagos University of Lagos.

Other sub themes that were treated at the Retreat include, “The Niger Delta and the Imperative of Multi-Track Diplomacy’ by Dr. Tunde Akanni of the Department of Mass Communication, Lagos State University (LASU) and “Goal Setting Agenda for Conflict Management and Dispute Resolution at the Community level” by Osaze Lanre Nosaze, Director, Projectworks of Xtrimedia and Francis Abayomi, Director, PEDEP.

PEDEP Director, Francis Abayomi in his opening remarks reiterated the imperative of requisite knowledge and skills for personnel charge with responsibilities of implementing in intervention mandate of the NDDC.

He also commended the commission for prioritizing capacity building for personnel of the Department of Dispute and Conflict Resolution which elaborately speaks to the proactiveness of the current leadership of the NDDC.

While declaring the retreat open, the representative of the MD/CEO and the Special Assistant Legal, Mr. Ochu Chukwuma urged personnel of the DCR and the strategic NDDC staff at the retreat to make effective use of additional knowledge and skills acquired to consolidate on the peace process across communities in the Niger Delta region.

At the Retreat which was an interactive session, witnessed a robust and exhaustive interactions and engagement process, broadened the horizon of the participants on what DCR entails.

As part of the Capacity building retreat with the theme: “Communal Disputes in the Nigeria Delta Region-the Role of NDDC staff in promoting peaceful resolution”, participants were taken on a tour of the yet to be commissioned Yoruba Museum (JK Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History) conducted by the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture).

The magnificently rich and captivating facility is located at Onikan, opposite the national museum, Onikan Stadium, Lagos. The structure houses one of the oldest swimming pools in West Africa, a library, lounges and many historical slave trade and precolonial facilities.

The tour helped the participants to appreciate the influence of cultural beliefs and tradition. More importantly, the tour provides deep insights into how knowledge of the history, beliefs and tradition of communities can help prevent and or resolve communal disputes in order to facilitate an effective developmental drive to the different parts of the Niger Delta.

The visit also encouraged unity and collaboration between the NDDC and the Lagos State government in the development of culture and tourism in Nigeria, analysts say.

At the end of the Retreat, a Communique was issued that in bringing into play DCR, one needs to enhance its understanding of some otherwise complicated issues, by so doing, it will lead to enhanced transparency with regards to public conduct or transactions.

Participants also agreed that diversity and differences in ethnic, social and economic backgrounds may necessitates divergent opinions on issues and therefore requires conscious efforts to foster better understanding amongst communities.

It was agreed that imperative of inclusive engagement which must reflect diversity of gender-based concerns and primary interest of people with disability (PWDs) in the community should be considered at all times.

Sustenance of peace in the community is the responsibility of all stakeholders. It is incumbent on all stakeholders to strive to make attainment of peaceful coexistence a reality and an Unflinching commitment of DCR personnel to peace building process even when it appears inconvenient, is imperative and may require the use of personal facilities like telephones and airtime and data when situation demands.

In the course of building and sustaining peace, it is pertinent to appreciate that justice is a recurrent denominator. Justice must therefore be seen to be served always otherwise whatever peaceful situation is presumed to have been attained may not endure.

Communication sustains domestic relationships and thus equally germane for sustaining relevance as NDDC personnel as peace actors in the community.

Cordial relationship with the community through regular interface and functional communication channels is desirable and should be accorded priority.

The participants recommended that DCR personnel should be sensitive and proactive with regards to conflict situations and core issues in disputes as they may pertain to individuals and communities.

It also added that DCR personnel should demonstrate a fair understanding and tolerance for diversity along social, ethnic, religious and economic divides in engaging with communities as badly managed biases may undermine otherwise fair intentions and engagement with communities.

They stressed that DCR personnel should not only be always proactive but should be accessible in engaging with issues underpinning disputes in the community.

Part of the communique reads: “The DCR should not only endeavor to advocate for fairness and justice as condition for peace but be committed to stakeholder mapping that must be done periodically for purposes of SWOT analysis (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat) to unlock potential benefits as much as challenges and for timely conflict management and to deescalate disputes that may lead to violence.

“The DCR in partnership with the corporate communications department of NDDC should collaborate with media experts and strategic NGOs to sustain public awareness and promote accurate narratives about the NDDC and the situation in the Niger Delta.

“DCR personnel should be diversity conscious and be sensitive to gender concerns and the needs of marginalised groups and individuals for effective peacebuilding efforts in the community.

“DCR personnel as drivers of development must understand the ways of life and historical beliefs of the communities / people who are direct beneficiaries of development”.

Abayomi on behalf of PEDEP appreciated the NDDC for the initiative and expresses delights for partnering with the DCR in facilitating the retreat.