A Non-Governmental organization, Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, based in Abuja, has launched its office in Makurdi, the Benue State capital, with a resolve to establish a sustainable and peaceful Benue society.
Delivering his speech, the Executive Director of the NGO, Mr. Rafiu Lawal, described the launching of the office in Benue State as the organization’s contribution toward finding solutions to the current security challenges in the state. He said the organization is focused on peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and creating entrepreneurship opportunities through training to enhance the capacity of women, whom he stressed are the most vulnerable.
Mr. Lawal stressed that the theme “strengthening local leadership in women, peace, security, and peace in conflict settings” aims at peacebuilding and empowerment of women, youth, and other members of the Benue public. He said it is also a tool for conflict and post-conflict resolution mechanisms in the state. He described Benue as a strategic state in Nigeria’s food security architecture, culminating in today’s launching of the state office. He appealed to other Non-Governmental organizations in the state for their cooperation with the foundation to achieve the desired peace in the state.
According to him, “There can be no development without peace.” He said the foundation is not out to compete with existing NGOs in the state but is out to collaborate for the overall success and good of the people of the state.
Mr. Lawal expressed gratitude to His Excellency, the Governor of Benue State, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia, whom he described as a true father for giving him the opportunity to establish his office in the state. He promised to live up to the expectation of his administration by achieving sustainable peace, which is the cardinal vision and mission of the foundation.
Commenting on the occasion, the Executive Director of the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), Abuja, Dr. Joseph Ochogwu, commended the Building Blocks Foundation for taking a bold step by launching its office in Benue State. He urged it to collaborate with existing NGOs in the state to ensure the restoration of peace. He said conflict resolution is not a one-man or one-day affair and assured the foundation of the total support of the Institute in providing access to funding and collaborations that can sustain the project. He stressed that problems that have existed for over a century cannot be resolved within a year.
Dr. Ochogwu described the Sankara Axis and Benue State in general, which has a long history of communal crisis and now banditry, kidnapping, terrorism, and other criminal activities, as having a negative impact on the state’s food security architecture. He said this requires transitional and sustainable processes where herdsmen and farmers resolve their problems amicably, as in the past, while advocating for ranching as the best option.
Dr. Ochogwu stressed that this requires the proactive response of security agencies to do the hard components of conflict resolution by taking out criminal elements to create a peaceful and harmonious relationship between farmers and herders. He said creating more opportunities for enlightenment toward ranching with effective legislation is critical to the holistic management of farmer-herder conflicts.
According to him, “We need to be smarter because if we did not deal with the rogue actors in transnational organized crimes and illicit mining actors, they may take advantage and create more havoc in our communities. What we have now is the criminalization of the herders-farmers relations that is creating negative impressions in Nigeria.”
He described the presence of the Building Blocks Foundation in the state as a timely project that is part of President Bola Tinubu’s Renew Hope Agenda for national food security. According to him, “Conflict is local, peace is also local. Therefore, if Building Blocks Foundation is achieving its program objectives, both Benue and the federal government will also be achieving their collective goals because every strata of governance is working for the good of the people.”
Also in his address, the representative of Ter Makurdi, Zaki Solomon Ajor, pledged the support of the traditional council to ensure the success of the project. He appealed for the extension of the project, stressing that “if you have peace, you have everything.”
Others who spoke during the occasion included the representative of the Director-General of the Benue State Budget and Economic Planning Commission, Mr. Anthony Abu Akor; the representative of the Federal Ministry of Youth Development, Mrs. Vivian Iorzua; the representative of BENGONET, Mr. Daniel Aondoseer; among other dignitaries.
Highlights of the occasion included the opening of the Building Blocks Foundation office complex and a group photograph with members of NGOs in the state
