By Dr. Babatunde Tiamiyu
“Community conflict is inevitable when you work with diverse groups of people who have different needs, interests and perspectives” this was the statement made by the state Commandant Dr Michael Adaralewa during a lecture to commemorate this year International day of peace celebration organized by the Peace and Conflicts Resolution Unit of NSCDC Oyo state command held at the State Command Headquarters old Nitel building, Agodi Ibadan today.
Without peaceful coexistence there would not be any significant development in the community, State and the nation at large. Yoruba, Hausa and Igbo we are all children of the same mother, he stated further.
Meanwhile, the head of Peace and Conflicts Resolution Unit of the Command Assistant Commandant Toriola Olanrewaju made it known that peace involves understanding each other and working together to find solutions to problems. He stated further that the unit have settled over 250 cases from marital issues, land disputes, breach of agreement, chieftaincy dispute and market disputes just to mention a few with the help of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
According to the guest speaker Comrade Abiodun Bangboye from Campaign for democratic and workers right (CDWR) expressed the need for everyone to live in peace, talk peace and display peace in everywhere we find ourselves as a peaceful environment helps to build a developed nation.
One of the visions of Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi OFR, MNI for the corps to be cautious about their roles in maintaining peace and conflict resolution in the country at large.
This year event of International Peace day have the representative of all Ethnic groups, Religious bodies and the stakeholders, some are Eze Indigbo in the State, His Royal Highness EZE Dr Alex Anozie Eze Indigbo of Ibadan land, Alhaji Adeleke Lukman, representative of Aare Mogaji Ibadanland, HRH, Lamidi Aliu Balogun the Ohinoyi of Ibira Ibadanland, Alhaji Kabiru Sarki(representative of Seriki shasha), Alhaji Chief Bolanle, Ibadan Mogaji Omoteji, Reverend father Jerome Ajakaye director Justice development and peace commission Ibadan, landlord chairmen association and other stakeholders on peace.
International Peace Day (IPD) is observed all over the world every 21st of September yearly. The UN secretary Antonio Guiberres declared this as a day devoted to strengthen the idea of peace through observing 24 hours of NON-VIOLENCE.
The state Commandant Dr Michael Adaralewa stated “let us give peace a chance, let there be cessation of enmity, hatred, violence, war, kidnapping, murder, armed robbery and all vices in our community and let them be replaced with law and order, love, unity, security, dialogue, patience and development”.
