Conflict In The Middlebelt Region Of Nigeria: Engendering Peace In Agila Community
Intervention by United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Implemented by Women Environmental Programme (WEP)
I Published by Women Environmental Programme (WEP) Abuja Nigeria www.wepnigeria.net © WEP 2009
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Ii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The Engendering of Peace in Agila Community project of Benue State Nigeria would forever be remembered, during the short time, which the WEP Team had the opportunity and privilege of working with community groups and individuals, meeting and interacting with the traditional leadership of Agila land, prominent sons and daughters of Agila, the Chairman of Ado LGA whose commitment and support was spot-on, the Benue State Government representatives and His Royal Highness Och'Idoma Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, to whom we would like to express our deepest appreciation.
A special thanks to the Human Rights and Governance Unit of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), who apart from supporting the project financially, their attitude, commitment and substance to the whole project implementation convincingly conveyed a spirit of success and excitement towards the whole process. Of particular mention are Dr. Abiodun Onadipe, Mr. Mathew Alao and Professor Sam Egwu.
A special thanks to the Benue State Government team; of particular mention is the Surveyor General of Benue State, Zacharias T. Ade, who sacrificed everything towards the success of the project. Our thanks goes to the Permanent Secretary Internal Affairs, Advisors on Security Matters, Conflict Resolution and International Cooperation to the Governor, Benue State, whose contributions to the process are immeasurable.
We would like to profoundly thank our Directors, especially Prof. David I. Ker (OON) and Mr. Yakubu Aliyu whose time and commitment brought about tremendous success in the project. We acknowledge the tremendous work done by: George Akor, Raphael Ikyaabo, Juliana Agema, Anne-Marie Abaagu, Sule Ojomini, Benjamin Baba, Elizabeth Jeiyol, Mne Kurudu, Rose Ojabo, Frank Yawon and Priscilla Achakpa. The Women for Peace in Agila Land, the youths, media practitioners, Hon. Rose Ameh, Mr. Gowon Obande and indeed too many numerous personalities to mention but to whom we are very grateful for their commitment to the success of the project.
We appreciate the tremendous knowledge and work of our team of facilitators and resource persons, namely: Mr. A Igoche, Mrs. Betty Bassey, Mr. John Tsuwa, Mrs. Grace Atim and Mrs. Elizabeth Jeiyol.
Iii ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Finally, this report is dedicated to all members of the community development groups who, despite the pains they had gone through during the violent conflict in their community, dedicated their time and efforts towards the peace process.
Blessed are those that embrace peace For they shall be called sons and daughters of God Gospel of St. Mathew 5: 9
Iv PREFACE
"In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act" George Orwell
There are always two sides to a story factions (classified as the Royals and they say; perhaps there are more Non-royals) together. According to than two sides. In a conflict, truth is the traditional leaders and others in always the first casualty and prior to the communities, since the eruption that innocence is killed. People often of the conflict in 1997, only Women have their own axes to grind. And it Environmental Programme (WEP) is inevitably the poor and the has really been able to bring the two vulnerable that bear the brunt of the factions together for peace talks pain and suffering as a consequence despite interventions by others, both of conflicts. state and non-state actors.
Some of the key challenges faced by The numerous governments' the post-military Nigerian states are judicial inquiry reports are yet to be that of the debacle of ethno- released and the recommendations communal conflicts which has led to they contain are unknown and thus the loss of precious lives and cannot be implemented. properties, creating a humanitarian This report provides an assessment p r o b l e m l e a d i n g t o f o r c e d of the conflict situation in the north migration, displacement of people central region of Nigeria, but focuses and dwindling social and economic o n e n g e n d e r i n g p e a c e a n d activities. Strengthening Community Based Early Warning and Conflict The interstate conflict between the Monitoring Mechanism in Central Ngbo of Ebonyi state and Agila States with the spotlight on the Agila people of Benue state dates back to Community. the 17th Century, while the intra- ethnic conflict in Agila has long It specifically examines the existed but erupted in 1997 intraethnic conflicts between the destroying properties worth of Agila people and interstate conflict millions and loss of lives and since between the Agila and Ngbo t h e n , t h o u g h s u c c e s s i v e communities of Benue and Ebonyi governments both military and States. Though the main focus of the civilian have intervened, they have project was on strengthening not been able to resolve the conflict community-based early warning nor have they been able to bring the a n d c o n f l i c t m o n i t o r i n g
V PREFACE mechanisms, in the course of the especially the youth, by supporting project implementation peace activities that are detrimental to processes were also undertaken. development instead of investing in projects that would bring about Structures have been erected community development and towards the monitoring of the early enhance livelihoods and standards warning signals as well as the of living. transformation of the conflict into peace processes but it is worth For all those interested in peace stating that no matter what peace processes across the country and structures and processes are put in indeed in the north central states, place or whatever the intervention of this report will serve as a reference other external actors, it is only the material to researchers, students, Agila people's independent choice N G O s , g o v e r n m e n t a n d (as opposed to the intervention of international agencies as well as external forces) that truly matters higher institutions of learning. and would bring peace in the community. They must choose and We shall continue to contribute to decide what is best for them in terms the Nigeria's development agenda of stopping those whose source of especially in the area of human livelihoods depends on the conflicts rights and governance and therefore (conflict entrepreneurs) and those call on all in the promotion and elites (urban elites rural conflict support for peaceful co-existence. sponsors) whose families do not and would not reside in the community Priscilla M. Achakpa but who take pleasure in destroying Women Environmental Programme the lives of innocent people,
Vi ABBREVIATIONS & ACRONYMS
ADR Alternative Dispute Resolution CAC Corporate Affairs Commission CAN Christian Association of Nigeria CBOs Community Based Organisations CDAs Community Development Associations CLTS Community Led Total Sanitation CSOs Civil Society Organisations CWO Catholic Women Organisation EU European Union EXCO Executive FBOs Faith Based Organisations FCT Federal Capital Territory FEWER Forum on Early Warning and Early Response FGDs Focus Group Discussions Hon. Honourable HRC Human Rights Centre HRH His Royal Highness IEC Information, Educative & Communicative Materials IPCR Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution JDPC Justice Development and Peace Commission Km Kilometre LGA Local Government Area NBC National Boundary Commission NGOs Non-Governmental Organisations No. Number PICs Project Implementation Committees PR Public Relations TMG Transition Monitoring Group ToR Terms of Reference UNAED United Nations Assistance for Democracy UNDP United Nations Development Programme UN United Nations UNRISD United Nations Research Institute for Social Development WANEP West Africa Network for Peace Building WEP Women Environmental Programme WES Water and Sanitation
Vii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The Strengthening of Community documented materials, in-depth Based Early Warning and Conflict interviews with representatives of Monitoring Mechanism in Central the conflicting parties through States intervention in Agila individual and focus-group Community was two-fold: It was discussions: targeting community based on the fact that conflict in leaders, women and youth groups, whatsoever dimension impacts government officials, civil society negatively on socio-economic and groups and religious groups p o l i t i c a l s t a b i l i t y t h e r e b y working with the parties. The project aggravating poverty and hampering team from WEP led the processes national development. with support of the local project implementation committees. The The second stems from the first, that workshops added value to the growth and development cannot be mapping exercise as it improved the realised without a secure and stable quality of data and gave new environment in which every citizen insights into the mindsets of the is a stakeholder and participates parties. fully in the process of governance. In this sense, the project targeted The findings revealed that the women and youths who were impact of the conflict in Agila Land h i t h e r t o n o t i n c l u d e d i n were multifaceted and had a dual developmental processes to be dimension nature: a protracted empowered so that they will be in inter-ethnic conflict and bitter land the forefront of creating the enabling dispute with Ngbo, a neighbouring environment for peaceful co- community in Ebonyi which shares existence, for monitoring early boundary with Agila in Benue State; warning signs and conducting and thus an intra-ethnic conflict research. Peace-building demands among the community members the sustained involvement and classified as the Royals versus the support of critical stakeholders. This non-Royals (chieftaincy) dispute. is with the realisation that While each of the communities and development and peace-building parties involved argue convincingly are integral parts of the social, and trade innuendoes and counter political and economic realities in accusations on each other, the Nigeria. resultant consequence of the bitter and often bloody clashes has had The methodology processes adverse effect on the collective well- involved a critical assessment of the being and socio-economic stability c o n f l i c t t h r o u g h r e v i e w o f of the parties involved as well as engendering an atmosphere of
Viii EXECUTIVE SUMMARY mistrust, suspicion and tension. meetings/activities, even where peace discussions/processes are Economically, Before the Nigerian taking place, though they bear the civil war in the 1960s, subsistence brunt of the conflicts. Socially, like agriculture was the dominant any other society affected by conflict, economic activity of the informal 95% of the Agila community that sector in Agila community, thus have been abducted or killed in the ensuring regular supply of local violent conflict are women. This has foodstuff to town dwellers. This pre- serious repercussions on the lives of war informal economic activity in women socially and in their Agila community generated the reproductive activities. Many of the much needed income for the young people in Agila community women, and also provided a sure have taken to drugs and political way to economic self-reliance for the thuggery as those who are to help women in particular. The small- have taken advantage of the striking scale businesses also provided poverty that has engulfed the services to the generality of the community and would rather people and Agila community in sponsor the killings and maiming of general. However, the post Nigeria others in the name of royals versus civil war presented a situation where non-royals leadership tussle and the the Agila people could not return to lack of information and interaction their original farming land due to among the community members has fear of attack and coupled with the a great impact psychologically and intra-ethnic conflict in 1997, the socially disconnected from each economic activities of Agila Land other. has remain at a standstill in view of the fact that they do not even have a Challenges market place for trading. Politically, The implementation of the project As far as politics is concerned in was not without some challenges as Agila community, an insignificant in the case of the mapping exercise number of people are gladiatorial. most of the cases studied are historic The urban elites (godfathers) decide processes and most of the key who becomes, for instance, the local individuals and actors involved in government chairman and all other the processes have since died and related political positions whether these events are interpreted through they are capable of handling the a historical lens informed by positions and bringing about change contemporary developments. and development to the community or not. Women, for instance, do not Recommendations have a say in any political • The project recommended that
Ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY since Agila is a fractured community • Mobilising stakeholders' which has been experiencing both involvement in the process in Agila intra and inter conflict security is of paramount importance. The complexity, having to reconcile with activities of development partners the Ngbo boundary disputes and the and international organizations as various principal actors in the intra well as NGOs and faith based conflict (Royals vs. Non-royals) is in groups have played key roles in the best interest of the community highlighting the conflict in Agila. towards development and nation building. • These critical stakeholders in the peace and development process • At the same time, the leadership should continue with their activities of the acting Otse Agila, Chief and see that women and the youth Michael Agbese, and indeed the are moved to higher levels for whole community must be sensitive meaningful contribution for to the external (urban-rural conflict national development through sponsors) connections with the various empowerment strategies. community politics in Agila. • Related to this is the role of the Benue State Government. The report • The traditional practices which a l s o r e c o m m e n d s t h a t t h e accord women less social status have government should, through to be carefully examined and various programmes, provide the reviewed in favour of women and enabling environment for socio- their status. economic development.
X TABLE OF CONTENTS
Acknowledgement Preface Abbreviations & Acronyms Executive Summary
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND 1.0 Overview of Conflict Situation in North Central States 1.1 Conflict Situation in Benue State 1.2 Responses to Conflicts in Benue State a. State Response to Violent Conflicts b. Non-governmental Organizations Response to Conflicts
CHAPTER 2: TERMS OF REFERENCE AND PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION METHODOLOGY 2.1Terms of Reference a. Justification b. Target Beneficiaries c. Project Objectives
2.2 Women Environmental Programme Experience in Peace Building 2.3 Project Implementation Methodology
CHAPTER 3: PERSPECTIVES ON VIOLENT CONFLICTS
CHAPTER 4: HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF VIOLENTS CONFLICTS IN AGILA LAND 4.0 Preliminary Remarks 4.1 Geographical Location of Conflict Area 4.2 Benue-Ebonyi Interstate Boundary Dispute: Historical Context 4.3 Historical Context of the Agila Intra-Ethnic Conflict 4.4 Leadership of Late Chief Philip Agbese 4.5 Immediate Cause of the 1997 Crisis: The Attack on the Bridal Train
CHAPTER 5: CONFLICT MITIGATION AND PEACE-BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN AGILA: THE ROLE OF STATE & NON-STATE ACTORS
CHAPTER 6 THE IMPACT OF THE AGILA CONFLICT ON DEVELOPMENT 6.1 Economic Impact 6.2 Political Impact
XI TABLE OF CONTENTS
6.3 Social Impact 6.4 Psychological Impact
CHAPTER 7: SETTING UP EARLY WARNING MECHANISM IN AGILA COMMUNITY 7.1 Defining Early Warning Systems 7.2 The Role of the Media in Early Warning Systems in Agila 7.3 Formation of Networks by Women & Youths: Precursors to Early Warning Mechanism in Agila 7.4 Training Workshop on Monitoring of Early Warning Signs, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), Advocacy & Negotiation Skills 7.5 Training on Peace Network Formation
CHAPTER 8: THE FINDINGS, CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED 8.1 Report Findings 8.2 Challenges & Lesson Learned
CHAPTER 9: RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
ANNEXES Bibliography Glossary Summary of Project Activities Terms of Reference/ Guide for Discussions & interviews Archival Documents
XIi MAPS
MAP OF NIGERIA
MAP OF BENUE STATE
MAP OF ADO LGA
XiIi CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
1.0 Overview of Conflict agrarian occupation and peasantry Situation in North Central with states like Taraba, Adamawa and Bauchi in the North East; and States Enugu and Ebonyi to the South East. The region comprises the following Conflicts of varying magnitudes states: Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, have posed enormous challenges to Kwara, Kogi, Plateau and the the peace and stability of the north Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of central region of Nigeria. Nigeria Nigeria, which prior to the division faces significant challenges to its of Nigeria into six geo-political development efforts in the form of zones was part of the political sporadic eruptions of violence in Northern Nigeria. Though the various parts of the country, such as region can be regarded as a multi the Niger Delta and the central ethnic one, the major ethnic groups States. These episodes of violence include Beroms, Tivs, Jukuns, over resources and identity Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba, Igalas, expressed in Nigeria is common to Igbiras and Idomas. The search for m a n y d e v e l o p i n g s o c i e t i e s identity and the disenchantment of undergoing rapid change and may the minority groups in the North led be linked to the fact that the to the move for a Middle Belt development process inevitably identity since the early 1960s, shortly causes conflicts, as significant after the country's independence. resources and relations between groups and sectors are redefined, The rich and diversified natural a n d n e w p o w e r e q u a t i o n s endowment of North Central states established. has made it a major centre of attraction for migrants from other The North Central region of Nigeria geo-political zones of Nigeria. This has over the years witnessed large situation, in addition to the uneven influx of people from other geo- distribution of the population political zones due to the abundance within the zone, has contributed to a of fertile land in the region. States in high level of migration in search of this region share similarities and larger parcels of land for farming peculiarities such as ethnic groups, and grazing. The fast growing
1 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND population in the region, their the region is the Tiv/Jukun conflict continuous movement, and the in the Benue/Taraba axis. seeming low level of development of the zone has all combined to In recent years, the Federal quicken the pace of competition for Government of Nigeria has brought resources including land, ethnic significant resources to bear on rivalry, and agitation for political addressing violent internal conflicts, offices among other issues. As a including a strong recognition on result, the peace for which the region the part of federal authorities that was once commended has gradually these conflicts could threaten given way to a plethora of violent Nigeria's cohesion and stability if conflicts. Conflicts in the zone left unaddressed. Federal and state revolve around several issues governments have been working including boundary disputes, closely with civil society to support a e t h n i c i t y , p e r c e i v e d number of peace-making efforts in marginalization, delineation of these conflict flashpoints. However, political constituencies, ownership deep-seated mistrust of government and control of farmlands and intervention by local actors, as well fishponds, religion and chieftaincy. as persistent divisions among the latter has hampered these efforts. The prevalent pattern of conflict challenges in the region over the While a number of laudable efforts years include: (a) inter- and intra- have been launched at the local level communal conflicts; (b) ethno- to mediate an end to the protracted religious conflicts; (c) emergence of inter-ethnic and inter-religious youth militia; and (d) conflicts violence, these efforts have yet to between pastoralists and farmers. coalesce into an architecture for sustained management and Conflicts in this zone have a long mitigation of perennial disputes history, but there has been an over land, resources, digene/settler escalation and intensification of issues, political representation, and these conflicts in recent years. States participation, and local rights that such as Plateau, which were known manifest as violent. for their relative serenity, now find themselves among the worst 1.1 Conflict Situation in conflict-affected areas in the country Benue State compounded by indigene/non- indigene conflicts, land ownership, Benue State, with its capital at and other identity conflicts. One Makurdi, is one of the States that other notable protracted conflict in
2 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY belongs to North Central region. It improve the living standards of the was created on February 3rd 1976 people. The main thrust of these from the old Benue-Plateau Sate and efforts is the opening of rural roads, was named after the River Benue, provision of potable water, rural the second largest river in the electrification and the establishment country and the State's most of cottage industries in the rural prominent geographical feature. It areas to arrest the perennial shares boundary with five other population drifts to the urban States namely Nasarawa to the centres. (Benue State Website) north, Taraba to the east, Cross River and Enugu/Ebonyi to the south and Like most states in Nigeria, Benue Kogi to the west. Idoma and Tiv State has had its fair share of violent languages are predominantly conflicts and tensions often resulting spoken in the state that has a in the displacement of people and population of 4.22 million according communities, wanton destruction of to the 2006 national census. lives and property, human rights abuses and a climate of insecurity Benue State possesses a rich and and mutual distrust and suspicion. diverse cultural heritage and has Each conflict is unique in its origin been described as the Foodbasket of and character, but underlying Nigeria given its rich agricultural denominators are manifested in resources such as potatoes, cassava, land space and boundary squabbles, soya beans, guinea corn, flax, yams indigene vs. settler palaver, and beniseed. Benue State has 23 chieftaincy tussles and disputed local government LGA; fourteen in jurisdictions, competition to access the Tiv-speaking areas and nine in scarce political and economic the Idoma-speaking areas. The resources, and population growths. Idoma LGAs are Agatu, Apa, Ado, In the context of Benue, the Ogbadibo, Ohimini, Okpokwu, and prevalent pattern of conflict Otukpo (Obi and Oju are Igede challenges in recent times are inter- speaking) while the Tiv dominated and intra-communal in nature, and LGAs are Buruku, Gboko, Guma, some even have direct bearing on Gwer East, Gwer West, Katsina-Ala, neighbouring states. Those conflicts K o n s h i s h a , K w a n d e , L o g o , that are of interstate nature include; Makurdi, Tarka, Ukum, Ushongu Benue-Nasarawa (between the Tiv and Vandeikya. Benue is said to be and the Alagos) largely a rural state and given this (a) Benue-Taraba (between the Tiv fact, priority attention has always and the Jukun) been given to rural development as a (b) Benue-Cross River (between deliberate government strategy to the Tiv/Igede and the Beter)
3 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND
(c) Benue-Ebonyi (between the provision, the capacity of the Agila and the Ngbo) Nigerian State to address the numerous security threats within its Whereas conflicts indentified within borders is weak owing inter alia to a communities in Benue State include poor policy framework with regard the Following: to peace building, conflict resolution (a) U s h o n g u v s . K o n s h i s h a and provision of security as well as communities (ethnic, among the the inadequacies of the major Tiv) security organs and the ineffective (b) U s h o n g u v s . G b o k o conflict management methods communities employed by the State. (c) K w a n d e v s . U s h o n g u communities No comprehensive security, conflict (d) Nyiev vs. Uyough communities management/resolution or peace- in Kwande LGA building policy has ever been (e) Apa (intra-ethnic, among the developed by successive Nigerian Idoma) governments in spite of the (f) Ado (intra-ethnic, the Royal vs. frequency and intensity of inter- and Non-Royal lineages of Agila) intra-group conflict in the country. (g) Egba vs. Ologba Fishing Pond Likewise no policies have been Dispute, in Agatu LGA formulated to guide the nature, (h) The Tiv and Jukun in Guma LGA scope or form of state intervention in (i) The Ishorov vs. the Kusuv, and internal conflict situations. Though the Etulo vs. the Mbagen the state has established the Institute c o m m u n i t i e s i n B u r u k u for Peace and Conflict Resolution LGA (IPCR), this institution is not (j) Tiv vs. the Igede (inter-ethnic) adequately funded and empowered communities in Konshisha LGA to carry out its role of researching and responding to conflict situations 1.2 Responses to Conflicts in in the country. State responses to Benue State s e r i o u s a r m e d c o n f l i c t a r e consequently inadequate, reactive, The 1999 Constitution of the Federal heavy-handed and uninformed by Republic of Nigeria states that '… the peace promoting principles. security and welfare of the people shall Furthermore, the conception of be the primary purpose of government… national security as interpreted by and that…national integration shall be successive governments is wholly actively encouraged [by the State]'. restricted to the protection of the Notwithstanding this constitutional political interests of the incumbent
4 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY government to the exclusion of the are sometimes considered peace and welfare of the citizens. biased in favour of certain groups and most of the reports I. State Response to Violent are not made public. Conflicts d. S o c i a l e n l i g h t e n m e n t campaigns by government on a. Deployment of security forces the need for citizens and groups to conflict areas for peace in the conflict to stop hostilities k e e p i n g , h o w e v e r t h e and embrace peace and be corruption, inefficiency and tolerant instead. orientation of the Nigeria police e. The Institute for Peace and and security personnel have Conflict Resolution (IPCR) was severely compromised the established in February 2000 as ability of the police force to fulfil a research centre, a think-tank its primary function of and an agency to strengthen maintaining public peace and Nigeria's capacity for the protecting lives and property of promotion of peace, conflict Nigerians. Chronic under- prevention, management and funding has created ill-trained, resolution. Based on its primary ill-equipped and demoralised mandate, the institute is one of s e c u r i t y a g e n c i e s a n d the institutional strategies the operatives. government of Nigeria has b. Relief responses, which involve employed in dealing with the immediate and short-term conflicts in the country provision of relief items to victims of violence, after which ii. Non-Governmental no further steps are taken in Responses to Conflicts o r d e r t o r e s t o r e p e a c e completely or even, address the (a) Political responses: The underlying causes of the responses of traditional and conflict. religious leaders in the management c. T h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t o f and transformation of the conflicts commissions and panels of through their interaction with the enquiry on the conflict from a communities. Some traditional political standpoint. With this leaders belong to the state and local there is usually a problem of governments' security councils and r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e they are called to support state contending sides in the conflict efforts in nipping conflicts in the on such panels while the reports bud when these occur. The
5 INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND challenge with this response has i n t e r n a t i o n a l r e l i e f a n d always been that these leaders development organizations. Not themselves are often parties in the only are the NGOs themselves conflicts. Thus in a situation where extremely diverse, but the array of some of them have lost the respect of activities these organizations the people, their role in the process engage in is very broad and varied. can be minimal. Experience has shown that in Nigeria NGOs are involved in basic (b) NGOs responses: NGOs have services in humanitarian camps, been involved in all aspects of trauma counselling for victims, conflict resolution minor resource providing food or medical services, disputes to violent multi-national facilitating dialogue between ethnic wars. The NGOs involved are warring factions, and conducting extremely diverse and include r e s e a r c h i n p e a c e - b u i l d i n g anything from small grassroots processes. women's organizations to huge
Walk for peace, during one of the training sessions in Makurdi
6 CHAPTER 2
TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND METHODOLOGY
2.1 Terms of Reference Warning and Conflict Monitoring Mechanism in Central States Women Environmental Programme intervention in Agila Community (WEP) was contracted in July 2009 was two-fold: It was based on the by the United Nations Development fact that conflict in whatsoever Programme (UNDP) in Nigeria to dimension impacts negatively on on their behalf implement a project socio-economic and political geared at Strengthening Community stability thereby aggravating Based Early Warning and Conflict poverty and hampering national Monitoring Mechanism in Central d e v e l o p m e n t . T h e s e c o n d S t a t e s . B u i l d i n g o n t h e justification stems from the first: implementing partner's strategic growth and development cannot be focus and skills/strength on the realised without a secure and stable management of peace and conflicts environment in which every citizen for sustainable development, WEP is a stakeholder and participates responded to the Call for Bids for fully in the process of governance. In this project. The main objective was this sense, women and youths who to develop and test a pilot conflict were hitherto not included in early warning system as well as a developmental processes were rapid-response mechanism in Agila targeted and empowered to be in the Community, a district in Ado Local forefront of creating the enabling Government Area on the Southern environment for peaceful co- fringes of Benue State. existence, for monitoring early warning signs and conducting Agila shares a contentious border research. Peace-building demands with the neighbouring community the sustained involvement and of Ngbo in Ebonyi state, which had support of critical stakeholders. This resulted to violent clashes and is with the realisation that heightened insecurity for the people development and peace-building in the area for many decades. are integral parts of the social, political and economic realities in a. Justification for the Project Nigeria. T h e j u s t i f i c a t i o n f o r t h e Strengthening Community Based Early b. Target beneficiaries
7 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND METHODOLOGY
The project's unique contribution to crisis response support in the sustained management and situations of outbreak of mitigation of perennial inter- and hostilities; intra-community disputes over Creating a platform for research resources and citizenship issues, into the remote causes of the and chieftaincy disputes was violent conflicts prevalent in the concentrated in the local context of region and to identify possible Agila Community and its environs. solutions, and; The key point of the intervention Identifying and enhancing the was to explore the complexities of traditional and alternative the conflict in the view of building a dispute resolution capabilities of structure and platform that connects m e m b e r s o f t h e v a r i o u s women and youths for peace- communities. building and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as well as mitigate the mistrust, decisions and 2.2 Women Environmental acrimony on the part of local actors, Programme (WEP) Experience which has before now hampered in Peace Building peace-building efforts. C. Objectives of the Project WEP's intervention was anchored WEP's involvement in the peace on the objectives of UNDP's building activities in Nigeria dates Governance and Human Rights back to 2001. Since then, WEP has programme specifications, foremost accumulated valuable experience in of which is supporting the identified the area of conflict mapping and community (in this case Agila) to research in the North Central region, effectively utilize skills and tools to and has regularly published its rapidly respond to conflict in their findings. WEP had also successfully locality. In specific terms, among the worked with the youth and women objectives of the WEP's intervention in Benue state with the support of included the following: various international and local partners and has over the years built B u i l d i n g e a r l y w a r n i n g , credibility for itself in this area. For monitoring and advocacy i n s t a n c e , t h r o u g h W E P ' s network of women and youth intervention in Benue State, the Network of Youth against Violence and organizations to continually Electoral Malpractice now registered monitor and intervene for with the Corporate Affairs peaceful and harmonious Commission (CAC) as Global Youth relations; Foundation in Makurdi was formed in Provision of early warning and
8 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
2003. In addition, through the youths from the Niger-Delta region support of Irish Aid, WEP worked to share their experiences of peace extensively with women groups in building initiatives and what lessons twelve (12) local government areas could be learnt with their of Benue State leading to the counterparts in Benue State. formation of a network of women called Benue Women Political WEP intervened in the outbreak of Motivation Group. This group has the violent conflicts in Plateau State been very active and operates in 2004 by the mapping the conflict independently. and conducting a needs assessment and stakeholder's forum which led Between 2001-2002 during the to a publication titled The Smoldering violent conflict between the Jukuns Peace on the Plateau: Mapping Conflict and Tiv from Taraba and Benue and Prospects for Lasting Peace in states on the one hand and the Plateau State. WEP also conducted a Aragos and Tiv from Nasarawa and rapid assessment of violent conflicts Benue States on the other, thousands in Nigeria called 'Hot Spot Nigeria' of people were displaced in several which was used as a discussion camps in Benue State, WEP was paper by the German government involved in the peace-building when it hosted over 30 Nigerians in initiatives and negotiations between Berlin in 2004. the NGOs in Taraba and Benue One aspect of WEP's Strategic Plan States, as well as the management of for 2008-2012 focuses on peace the internally displaced persons b u i l d i n g a n d c o n f l i c t (IDPs). transformation. WEP through this plan intends to intervene in the During the same period the United North Central region of Nigeria and Nations Assistance for Democracy erect structures targeting women (UNAED) through the Transition and youths upon which long lasting M o n i t o r i n g G r o u p ( T M G ) and sustainable peace will be built. supported WEP to implement a project on curbing the ills of electoral violence targeted at youths in the 2.3 Project Implementation build up to the 2003 general elections Methodology in Benue and Taraba States. A similar action was again supported The methodology employed during by Centre for Development and the Strengthening Community Based Democracy (CDD) in the build up to E a r l y W a r n i n g a n d C o n f l i c t the 2007 general elections, targeting Monitoring Mechanism in Central specifically youth and bringing States started with the mapping of
9 TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR PROJECT IMPLEMENTATION AND METHODOLOGY conflict exercise in Agila land to exercises. However, it provided fully understand the situation on opportunity to initiate a peace ground and generally to follow process between the factions accepted standard procedures of the through rebuilding relationships, project. The process involved a reconciliation, compromise and critical assessment of the conflict consensus at all levels. This was with through review of documented the aim of not only uniting the materials, in-depth interviews with factions to be able to confront in a representatives of the conflicting more proactive and positive way the parties through individual and Agila-Ngbo boundary dispute, but focus-group discussions: targeting also in ensuring fertile ground for community leaders, women and development of the community. youth groups, government officials, civil society groups and religious The guide adopted by WEP stressed groups working with the parties. o p e n - e n d e d q u e s t i o n s a n d The project team from WEP led the participant-based data as the path to processes with support of the local specifying conflict processes. This project implementation committees. approach is particularly useful for intervention agents and students The results and findings of the wishing to study a particular mapping exercise was synthesized conflict, and possibly find fertile and related to the structures and grounds for management and principles that govern constructive mediation. We employed an peace-building efforts. The mapping approach that valued primary was followed by an information- information from the parties sharing interactive workshop where involved, both within Ado Local representatives of the parties Government Area and from a much collectively reviewed critical aspects larger context. The process involved of the report and brainstormed on gathering relevant documents the way forward. relating to the conflict; conducting meetings, interviews and focus The workshop added value to the group discussions with relevant mapping exercise as it improved the government authorities and quality of data and gave new institutions on the one hand, and insights into the mindsets of the traditional and community leaders, parties. The workshop's technical prominent indigenes of the s t r u c t u r e w a s b a s i c a l l y a community, women and youths on presentation of findings made the other. A mapping guide was during the conflict mapping prepared as a useful model to
10 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY generate information about the building (WANEP, Ghana) as well dynamics of any specific conflict. as FEWER's early warning and response methodologies. The team also reviewed available literature on the area as well as To build the participants' capacity to reports of commissions of inquiry, understand the issues, concepts and and the unpublished submissions sources related to the subject, the and positions of the various actors in trainings combined a participatory the conflict to be able to identify the m e t h o d o l o g y o f c o n c e p t driving motivation of each clarification, case studies, real-life community as well as the veracity or experiences in different contexts and otherwise of their claims. situations on the part of both participants and trainers. The Following the mapping exercise, Project Team worked in tandem three (3) different sets of workshops with the resource persons to develop were organised for the direct actors: the content of the agenda for all the an information sharing workshop trainings which was designed to and two training workshops. Each of cover these and the overall aim of the these workshops had expert t r a i n i n g s . C e n t r a l t o t h e resource persons to facilitate the understanding of these was a sessions. One of the training persistent awareness of the linkages workshops had a training manual developed between the sessions, adopted for the purpose. This small group assignments for the training manual on developing entire duration of the trainings, and capacity for conflict analysis and recap sessions the next day to early response was prepared with ascertain level of comprehension of the support of the Conflict previous sessions. During the Management Capacity Building workshops, participants were Project of the UN Department of randomly assigned to small groups Economic and Social Affairs, to measure their comprehension of Division for Public Administration the sessions or review the details of and Development Management. some of the sessions before The training framework presented reconvening in a plenary to discuss in this manual is mostly based on the t h e t o p i c s / i s s u e s u n d e r West Africa Network for Peace- consideration.
11 CHAPTER 3
PERSPECTIVES ON VIOLENT CONFLICTS
The available literature confirms precipitate the outbreak of conflicts. that there are conflicts in all parts of Structural factors are the deeply Nigeria, and that these conflicts are rooted, underlying causes of conflict on the increase. Anifwose (1982), that may not always develop into Okoye (1998), Otite and Albert violence. Mobilizing factors are (1999), Osaghae et al (2001), Olowu more immediate to the conflict and (Ed) (2001) and Albert (2001). Alubo often involve the actions of elites (2006), there are also studies on most and/or masses. Thus, prevention of the major long-standing conflicts efforts must use a multi-pronged in Nigeria. See Bibliography for approach, addressing multiple further details. factors in a coordinated fashion, and emphasizing previously neglected Several theories have been used to economic factors. Prevention must explain the causes of conflict. The also target underlying structural first involves four factors that causes with long-term approaches appear repeatedly as prominent and mobilizing factors with short- causes of conflict: Insecurity, term prevention effortsthe latter inequality, private incentives, and focused on the role played by local perceptions (Gardner, 2002). These actors, particularly the elite. factors often work in tandem: E c o n o m i c i n e q u a l i t i e s m a y In Benue as in many other conflict exacerbate security concerns, and prone areas in Nigeria, elites have perceptions fuel incentives to and continue to play a central role in initiate or support conflict. fuelling conflicts. They are often Increasingly emphasized in the motivated by opportunities for literature is the role played by private accumulation and use economic factors such as economic shared ethnic/clannish ties and inequalities or the economic discrimination primarily for their incentives of sub-national actors. own achievement of power. In some The second involves two factors that cases, ethnicity and ideology have interact with each other across time- been used as instruments by leaders -structural causes and mobilizing to pursue political goals. Those who f a c t o r s - - t h a t m o r e d i r e c t l y choose to follow leaders may have
12 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY direct incentives for economic or mobilizing actions alone are other benefits if they are widely sufficient explanations, but rather distributed. Leaders become less both are necessary to describe the important in the path to conflict incidence of violent conflict. The when the potential advantages will challenge, therefore, is developing be conferred directly on group and implementing strategies that members; conversely, followers are include institutionally uniting long- most likely to support elites when and short-term strategies; defining they lack alternative sources of and articulating the mandate for income. prevention, especially long-term; d e a l i n g w i t h r e c a l c i t r a n t Additionally, others who profit communities, often both the crux of from conflict (e.g., business structural problems, as well as the opportunists or criminals) may conduit for prevention efforts; and prefer continued conflict to understanding the incentives resolution, thus erecting obstacles driving local leaders and followers t o , o r s p o i l i n g s e t t l e m e n t . to mobilize. Prevention or resolution of conflict must address private incentives of Literature on the conflict between leaders and followers in order to be the Ngbo and Agila community of effective, as well as remove potential Benue and Ebonyi States is scanty. spoilers from the equation. The final However, there is a large and report of the Carnegie Commission evolving literature on conflicts in on Preventing Deadly Conflict Nigeria and in its North Central (1997) emphasizes that conflict region specifically. Materials for arises from deliberate political literature review have been drawn decisions; leaders can be persuaded from libraries and archives in or coerced to use peaceful means of Nigeria and abroad, academic and conflict resolution and followers' other resources available on the incentives to fall prey to violent Internet, and local publications arguments can be averted by purchased and borrowed in the alleviating the basis for grievances. course of the project.
From the preceding review, conflict Almost every academic discipline emerges from a combination of has its theoretical approach of u n d e r l y i n g i n s e c u r i t y a n d understanding conflicts economists inequality, colored by perceptions are focused on game-theory and and acted upon by individuals with decision-making, psychologist private incentives. Thus, neither explore interpersonal conflicts, underlying conditions nor human sociologists take status and class
13 PERSPECTIVES ON VIOLENT CONFLICTS conflicts as the focal point, while Ottawa (1999) said some shift has political science is centered on intra- been witnessed now. He declared national and international conflicts. that for after a long time of being Therefore, to review the conflict treated as some kind of pariahs' literature as a whole is an almost ethnic identities and ethnic impossible task. However, our nationalism have gained strength review will mainly be concentrated and even a degree of legitimacy in on intra-national conflict of the recent years. To him, alongside the Nigerian state, within the North interpretation of ethnic passions, Central region of the country. ethnic hatred, ethnic cleansing and genocide, ethnic dynamics could It should be noted that conflict also be viewed as struggles by the literature in general describes dominated and oppressed groups conflict's dynamic-circle as basically for greater autonomy and for the composed of tension, escalation, de- protection of their rights. escalation and settlement phase. That is the classical model of a Wallerstein (1979) asserts that ethnic conflict-dynamic. However, it is consciousness and conflict occur very important to bear in mind that when groups feel threatened with these four basic phases neither do loss of previously acquired follow necessarily upon each other privilege, or conversely feel that it is after certain period of time, nor does an opportune moment politically to each conflict passes through all overcome a longstanding denial of phases in its development. privilege. He said, the mechanisms and machinations through which At the present time, there is plethora these groups advance their aims is of views on the nature and cases of what causes ethnic tensions and ethnic conflicts in Nigeria. Several conflicts. To him, the present complex crises are currently manifestation of ethnicity in Nigeria manifesting themselves in inter and is an elite and class phenomenon intra ethnic forms. These conflicts where one community's elites feel stem in part from the success of excluded by another from control of modernization, which have economic and political power. They equipped ethnic communities with then indoctrinate members of their new political resources and ethnicity to believe that this is a aspirations. This literature review conspiracy by a whole community partly looks at some writers' against another, which should be opinions concerning the ethnic violently resisted. conflict issue. Nnoli (1995) asserts that ethnicity
14 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY hold individual together, gives providing security. them internal cohesion, encourages them to provide natural security for The United Nations Research each other and promotes their sense Institute for Social Development of identity and direction. To him, (UNRISD) stated in 1995 that ethnicity offers a personal solution ethnicity is a resilient paradigm to the problems of exploitation, used in explaining the nature of oppressions, deprivation and conflict in Nigeria. In UNRISD alienation. Furthermore, he notes, in Report, it is held that Nigeria as a the context of an interventionist political society comprises many state, the ruling class use the state to ethnic groups, which rub shoulders build up their business enterprises. with each other, so there is bound to The struggle of the ethnic factions of be conflict. The central assumption these classes for state patronage in of this viewpoint is that ethnicity has the process of embourgeoisement the potential to transcend other generates and promotes ethnicity. loyalties and obligations and become the sole basis of identity. Ibrahim (1995) says a major This may lead to conflict when contributory factor to ethnic peoples' multiple identities are conflicts is the undemocratic nature narrowed down to a single focus, of governance. He says many and social division become deeper African regimes and rulers have and more rigid. The submission of repressed sections of the people, and the UNRISD Report is that, ethnicity by implication, ignored their is a deeply emotional basis of aspirations. Some have employed mobilization that not merely d i v i d e - a n d - r u l e m e t h o d i n distinguishes one group from the governance, and created more other, but also dehumanizes the ethno-religious divisions than the other group. colonialists ever did. To him, once degenerated regimes find their Agbu (2000) believes poverty alone legitimacy put in question, because can provide inducement for such they no longer care for the majority conflicts. He says we all know the of the people, or protect the public economic conditions of most people good, and fail to protect or defend in Nigeria. We have seen whole the people's rights, they tend to groups impoverished. Unless such identify the process of repression. groups are empowered adequately He believes when governance and deliberately, strife may never decays, the people retreat into end on the continent of Africa and in sectarian enclaves, which are seen as Nigeria by extension.
15 PERSPECTIVES ON VIOLENT CONFLICTS
instrument of group domination From our point of view, the ethnic and where the channel for situation in Nigeria acknowledges articulating demands is closed. the heterogeneity of ethnic groups in These form ranges from riot to terms of culture and languages that secession and civil wars (which have are endemic in diverse origin and been experienced in most part of the history. Ethnic conflicts erupt when continent of Africa notably Congo, the claims of one party to land and Nigeria, Liberia, Sudan, Ethiopia, territory become incompatible with Rwanda and Cameroon). While the desire of others to satisfy their Non-violent conflict includes own basic interest and needs within a r t i c u l a t i o n o f c h a n g e s o f the same physical territory. The d i s c r i m i n a t i o n , n e g l e c t o r consequences of the ethnic conflicts, domination, demands for redress whether in Nigeria or elsewhere, through the press, ethnic leaders, have important implications for political parties, law courts, and nation building and societal other civil methods of articulating cohesion. No country can afford the demand (Osaghae, 1992). luxury of allowing ethnic conflict free rein or ignoring it. Every Ethnic conflict entails a clash of multiethnic state has tried to devise cultures. It pits against each other ways of coping with conflicts. people whose values are in conflict, Failure to resolve conflicts over who want different things, and who access to commonly valued scare do not understand each other. resources, and over divergent Ethnic conflict is brought about by perceptions of socio-political modernization. Modernization situations, has the high potential of makes people want the same things, d e g e n e r a t i n g i n t o w a n t o n not different things, and this sets up destruction of lives and property. a great scramble for resources. Ethnic conflict is the result of In analysing the conflict in Agila economic competition between land, our facts shall be based on the ethnically differentiated segments theoretical framework of the of the working class or ethnically Conflict Theory. d i f f e r e n t i a t e d t r a d e r s a n d customers. Elite competition and the Ethnic conflict may take several actions of ethnic entrepreneurs forms, which can be classified, as drive ethnic conflict. Elites violent and non-violent. Violent manipulate ethnic identities in their ethnic conflicts usually erupt in quest for power, and they construct places where the government is an ethnic conflict. Ethnic conflict is
16 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY produced by the insecurity that them is size, resource endowment, emerges when an actor is unsure of education and access to state power the intentions of another actor and and resources, are highly developed the two are already mutually hostile and fractionalized indigenous (Horowitz, 1998). bourgeoisie, make her ethnic situation perhaps the most Nigeria with a large number of complicated in Africa (Osaghae, ethnic groups, inequalities among 1994).
Elites manipulate ethnic identities in their quest for power, and they construct ethnic conflict
Group photograph of participants at training on ADR & negotiation skills
17 CHAPTER 4
HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS IN AGILA LAND
4.0 Preliminary Remarks antecedents; for instance, the boundary issue (which now is an To put the conflict situation in Ado interstate matter between the states Local Government Area, specifically of Benue and Ebonyi) dates back to in Agila, into right perspective, it is the colonial period. The intra-ethnic necessary to indicate the dual crisis among the Agila however, is dimension of the nature of conflict fairly recent in comparison. within this area. The mapping exercise carried out revealed: (a) a Third, it is also imperative to note protracted inter-ethnic conflict and that the discovery of the intra-ethnic bitter boundary dispute between the element of the conflict in Agila was Agila people in Benue State (of the an unintended result of the current Idoma ethnic stock) with the Ngbo intervention. Within the scope of the people (of Igbo extraction), a Terms of Reference (ToR), the neighbouring community in Ebonyi specific purpose of the action was to State; and (b) an intra-ethnic conflict develop and test a pilot conflict early among the Agila people, on the warning system, as well as a rapid- dominance of one group and the r e s p o n s e m e c h a n i s m w i t h right of ascension to the traditional particular emphasis on the Agila- chieftaincy position, with roots in Ngbo debacle. clan-lineages that has bifurcated the community along royalty and non- A careful analysis of the conflict royalty lines. Both have had revealed to the WEP Project Team d e v a s t a t i n g e f f e c t s o n t h e that for any meaningful and communities with lingering sustained intervention for conflict bitterness and animosity, thus with management and transformation to the high possibility of resumed be achieved within the area in hostilities in despite the calm that relation to the boundary dispute, it currently persists between the Agila was necessary for coordinated focus and Ngbo peoples, and among the and action at resolving the intra- Agila themselves. ethnic element of the conflict relating to the Agila people. Secondly, it is important to note that Findings revealed a link between the both dimensions of the conflict in boundary dispute and the polarity Agila are rooted in historical in Agila in Benue vis-à-vis the Ngbo
18 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY in Ebonyi. Thus the aim of the Ngbo is synonymous with the project as implemented by WEP people who live in a borderline went beyond the development and community in Ohaukwu LGA of testing of a pilot early warning Ebonyi State, south-eastern Nigeria. s y s t e m / a r a p i d - r e s p o n s e Ohaukwu's headquarters is the mechanism. It also attempted to see town of Ezzamgbo. It has an area of to what extent the process of 517 km² and a population of 196, 337 transparent dialogue could be according to the 2006 census figures. facilitated among the Agila people, as well as trust among the parties 4.2 Benue-Ebonyi Interstate involved (between the Agila people Boundary Dispute: Historical themselves, and between the Agila Context and the Ngbo. The inter-ethnic conflict between the 4.1 Geographical Location of Agila and the Ngbo has its source in Conflict Area disputed boundary/border-lines. Boundaries and border-lines were Agila is officially recognised as a one purely a colonial construction for of the nine major districts in present the administrative purposes among day Ado Local Government Area of other considerations of demarcation Benue State. Ado LGA has a of communities, regions and population of over 400,000 people nations, an exercise, which spanned and is situated in the south-south the better part of the end of the 19th fringe of the Benue border with Century to the dawn of Nigeria's Ebonyi State. It is bounded to the Independence from the British. The north by Otukpo LGA, on the east colonially constructed boundaries and west by Oju and Opokwu LGAs within Nigeria are contained in the respectively. Agila is a sleepy and 1936 boundary description and the seemingly quiet community. It is Definition of the Countries located about 26 kilometres from Proclamation of 1954. Parameters Igumale, the administrative such as water courses and distances, h e a d q u a r t e r s o f t h e l o c a l physical features, existing farm government area. The community is boundary and meridian turning largely an agrarian one, with vast points were used. Whether the arable land for agricultural system employed by the British was purposes. The vegetation is thick arbitrary, ambiguous or lack with huge trees and wild life for precision is another discourse game. Like much of the larger part of entirely and not within the scope of Ado, the Agila people are basically this report; the fact is that the farmers. exercise was aimed at clear
19 HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS IN AGILA LAND demarcations and was evidently serve as a buffer zone between the done. It is also a fact that present day Agila and the Ngbo. The colonial conflicts across Nigeria arising from masters noticing the stabilisation boundary disputes are due to (rate of migration/unit time being evident gaps in the exercise. constant) decided to establish the Another vital point in the equation Agila Forest Reserve Ordinance of was the actions of successive 1959 in the Northern Nigerian governments of 'radical re- Gazette. The southern portions of engineering' i.e. the creation of more the boundary of this Forest Reserve states and local governments coincided with the boundary without well grounded principles. A between the southern and northern theoretical explanation highlights provinces which metamorphosed the increased number of internal from the southern/northern boundary crises as products and protectorates established by colonial logical consequences of the administrators. dynamics of state building process. According to the national boundary At present the Benue/Ebonyi commission, many of the boundary Interstate Boundary stretches from conflicts across Nigeria are tied to the tripartite Benue/Ebonyi/Enugu issues of land squeeze, competition Interstate boundary point marked over access to resources, and by two boundary pillars on the disputed jurisdiction of certain Agila/Nkalaha/Eha path near traditional rulers and chiefs. Osudu in Agila to the Benue/Cross River/Ebonyi Interstate tripartite There exists a conflict on land point along the Oyongo/Anyim boundary between Benue and River. It forms part of the Legal Ebonyi State (Benue/ Ebonyi Notice No. 126 of 1954 describing interstate boundary). This conflict the boundary between the old dates back to the 1930s when the northern and southern protectorates district re-organisation in the Kabba, of Nigeria. The Legal Notice 126 of Munchi and Muri provinces was 1954 defined this boundary making reportedly stabilized. With the Agila Forest Reserve Ordinance particular reference to the boundary as a check document against conflict between the Agila and the anybody contesting the area on all Ngbo, it is a historical certainty that the four subsectors of the boundary. the colonial authorities of Northern Nigeria demarcated this boundary, This boundary sector has witnessed traced it severally with beacons and a lot of Igbo migration into the then set up the Agila Forest Reserve present-day Benue State. The by the 1959 Ordinance No. 75 to affected local government areas
20 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY where massive migration from the many casualties and uncountable neighbouring states into Benue State loss of lives. The series of crisis in are; Ado and Oju with their Ishelu, 2004-2007 reached epic proportions Ohaukwu, Izzi LGAs, in Ebonyi with devastating results for each of State. The boundary stretches over a the communities. In January 2008, distance of about 130km and is some skirmishes were reported. heavily dissected by the rivers and streams with no good roads linking According to information gathered the border communities. The border in the field, peaceful coexistence corridor is left undeveloped. The between the communities was area is a rich agricultural land and disrupted by the 1967 Civil War, this has attracted many Ezza, Izzi, because the presently disputed area Ngbo and Ishieke people of Ebonyi witnessed clashes between the State origin to Benue State. The Biafra secessionists and the Nigerian migration started long ago and has regular armies. It was reported that resulted in Benue State losing huge while the Agila moved far from their chunks of her farmland to Ebonyi homesteads for safety, the Ngbo State at the advent of colonial came to farm on the land vacated by administration. The colonial the Agila. At the return of the Agila administration set up this boundary, at the end of the war in 1970 they adjusted it several times to favour were shocked by the level of the the Ibo immigration and finally set devastation of the Forest Reserve the boundary in the 1930s. This and wrote a petition to the boundary is known to the border authorities of the East Central and communities and is being respected Benue/Plateau States. It is difficult by them with the exception of the to ascertain the validity of this claim. Agila/Ngbo segment. Here the The views of some Ngbo persons we Forest Reserve has been destroyed spoke to during the project seem to and the area is farmed. point to the possibility that the Series of clashes have been present Agila settlement was part witnessed between the Ngbo and and parcel of the then Abakaliki their Agila neighbours with the area province. They were workers of the remaining a lingering war theatre. Eastern Region's prisons and paid Shortly before independence in 1959 their taxes to Abakaliki authorities. the Agila people in the Northern The Ngbo and Agila shared in the Province resisted the encroachment past the same markets and were of the Ngbo from the Eastern Group taking treatment in the same of provinces upon their land. The hospitals. resistance of the Agila resulted into The enmity between the two
21 HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS IN AGILA LAND c o m m u n i t i e s b e c a m e m o r e boundary in 2001. In addition were pronounced with the hasty and the efforts of Church leaders in 2005 rough boundary demarcation done and 2006, and the stationing of by the colonizers without the mobile police security units at Agila involvement of the affected local and Ngbo since 2005 crisis. authorities and communities. After the demarcation between the North Professional field work started and the East, the Agila were given sometime in 1999 with the use of the the opportunity to choose to either Agila Forest Reserve ordinance to stay in the North or in the East. They checkmate the protests brewing opted for the North because of over the use of names of rivers like political interest and language Okpinya, Idaka etc. But the work a f f i n i t y . B u t s t i l l t h e t w o was frustrated by one of the communities were farming side by communities. Field tracing again side. started from 2006 to 2007 and this time the whole boundary was R e s p o n s e s f r o m s u c c e s s i v e traced/identified. Cartographic government authorities in both production proved that the states have been by way of ensuring boundary was plotable and so could the presence of security forces along be traced on the ground. It was, the disputed borders as well as other however, discovered that one of the professional measures to delineate communities had broken the pillars the borderlines. Some of the recent constructed by the colonial practical attempts included the surveyors during the early setting up of a new buffer zone by delimitation. In 2008, more precisely the Ado and Ohaukwu local 16th September, the documentation government councils. Earlier on started at Oju/Ebonyi sub-sector there were efforts at field tracing and and completed within 1½ months. provisional demarcation of the boundary between 1986 and 2001. In The Ezzi/Ado sub-sector was met 1997 specifically, an attempt was with resistance and when the Ado made at tracing the boundary of local government had provided all Agila Forest reserve. These efforts the needed logistics for the Joint were subsequently intensified with Technical Team in the location joint meeting of officials of the including police protection, as the National Boundary Commission, Ezzi local council could not meet the Federal Surveys and the two States requirement of the Team. The Team governments held in 2000 which changed direction to Ishelu local undertook field tracing and council and completed the work at provisional demarcation of this Ishelu/Ado sub-sector but could not
22 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY start at Agila/Ngbo due to the Idoma Native Authority) and resistance received from the Ngbo Odokem. The Benue State claims people (Ado/Ohaukwu) subsector). agree with the Legal Notice descriptions. Apart from the Ngbos, The field tracing and provisional the Ezazas, Izzi and Ishieke living demarcation of this boundary was inside Benue State did not deny carried out in 2000/2001 and the being on Benue land and the people report is before the National making the claims are usually B o u n d a r y C o m m i s s i o n f o r leaders coming from outside the consideration. During this exercise, immediate border region. there was only one point that the border communities agreed upon 4.3 Historical Context of the between Agila and Nkalaha at Agila Intra-Ethnic Conflict Odiputu crossing and this agrees with the Legal Notice No. 126 of The origins of the intra-ethnic 1954 description. conflict among the Agila people lies basically in one fundamental issue: There are two pillars marking the unofficial social stratification in Benue/Ebonyi/Enugu Interstate terms of superiority of one over the tripartite point, acceptable to Benue other and the direct correlation with and Enugu States, Ebonyi State who occupies the chieftaincy throne. community of Nkalaha disagreed The perceptions of marginalisation, and showed a point too arbitrary agitation for change in the though they farm and respect this on traditional political system, the the ground till now. leadership style of the then Otse Agila, among other remote factors, Benue and Ebonyi States border snowballed into serious feud and communities showed a point at the killings in 1997. The immediate confluence of rivers Oyongo and cause of the violent conflict of March Abe as the tripartite Benue/Cross 1997 was an attack by one of the River/Ebonyi point, but the point groups on a bridal train. was rejected by Cross River State and also it does not agree with the Agila society is unique in a way. On Legal Notice description. Ebonyi one hand it is based on rigid social State border communities made stratification. On the other hand it claims during the exercise trying to could selectively be flexible. The put all Ebonyi indigenes settled in Project Team found that the society Benue into Ebonyi State. Thus the is patrilineal and to a limited extent Ezzas in Agila were to be carved into matrilineal in some aspects of their Ebonyi State as well as Odoke, traditional, social and political Inikiri Icheri, Nwedoga (with the systems. In Agila District unlike the
23 HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS IN AGILA LAND other 22 districts in Idoma land, it is chiefdom. None of the oral possible to inherit property and historians was able to state the time office from one's maternal lineage frame when the Onwa and Osudu under certain prescribed conditions kindred produced the Otse Okpe and situations. For example one can and the Otse Ome as one time ascend to the throne of Otse Agila if district heads of Agila. But he is a female descendant, and can according to a book The Idoma on prescribed oath, renounce Nationality 1600 1900 by Prof. E.O completely his patrilineal lineage Erim of the University of Calabar, and opt for his matrilineal lineage in the post of District Head of Agila accordance with the prescribed rites had rotated between the Osiroko of passage. and Efofu since 1715 until today. Agila is made up of twelve units. In the course of the mapping They are Ogbilolo, Osudu, Efoha, exercise the Team found that there Anmeta, Otokilo-Anidu, Akpoge, was confusion as to the meaning of Okpatobom, Onogwu, Okpakor, the following words: (a) clan (b) Onwa, Efofu and Osiroko. For kindred, and (c) lineage. Although it administrative convenience, these out of the scope of this project to go clans are sub-divided into two major into great lengths on sociological blocks known as Akpoge and and anthropological findings on Ogbilolo. The Akpoge block is Agila, the correct meaning of these made up of Onwa, Okpakor, words particularly by the emergent Akpoge, Okpatobom, Onogwu, political and cultural elite would Otokilo-Anidu and Osiroko. The have helped matters in reducing Ogbilolo block on the other hand tension and controversy. For consists of Ogbilolo, Osudu, Efoha, example the Team made the Anmeta and Efofu. following discoveries: The Team also found out that since (a) That Agila is just one clan; between 1715 and 1745 when the m a i n r u l i n g h o u s e s w e r e (b) The District before 1976 with established, only two lineages the which the Idoma Area Traditional Osiroko and Efofu -- have been Council is not a federated District occupying the seat of Otse Agila in like Onyeagede; Agatu and Otukpa rotation. However, according to oral with many clans and Clan heads. (c) All the other 12 units in the tradition, one Otse Ome and Otse present day Agila starting from Okpe from Onwa and Osudu, Osiroko, Efofu, Onwa, Osudu, presently regarded as non-royal Ogbilolo, Akpoge, etc. are kindred kindred respectively, had at one and not clans and within these time or the other ruled Agila
24 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY kindred there are lineages. mainly the non-royal group. This was spearheaded mainly by the The Team also found that the issue Akpoge Ogbilolo political elite of Royalty and Non-Royalty has group. The agitation was for a existed in Agila as far back as the 18th change in the Agila social and Century. Nobody among the traditional authority system. present-day Agila people knows Under the umbrella of an elite when the tradition of Royal or the pressure group called Akpoge- custom of Royal culture started in Ogbilolo Union, the non-royals Agila. It appears to be an accident of demanded for a change with their birth. All Agila people were born eye on the District Headship of into the system. None of them chose Agila, and the abolition of the what he is or was at birth. It is, existing social structure of Royal however, on record that one family and Non-Royal in Agila so that the acquired royalty by renouncing non-royal group can qualify for the their partilinieal lineage of Ogbilolo District Head of Agila. The Royals for their matrilineal lineage of argued that such change was not Osiroko and became the District f e a s i b l e , u n w a r r a n t e d a n d Head of Agila. contrary to the tradition and The Idoma Nationality 1600-1900 has custom of Agila people. treated in great detail the issue of The Royals traced their origin to Royalty and Non-Royalty in Apa, Idah back to their present Chapter 5 under the heading th location. According to them all “Idoma Political Units in the 19 other Idoma people in the 22 century.” The Team found that the Districts in Idoma land do so. The issue of Royalty is not peculiar to claim was that the Non-royals are Agila District alone. All the 22 of female descendant of Ogwa's districts in Idoma land have ruling children and that are of Benin not families and commoner (a term of Apa Kingdom, and that their which evokes annoyance and royalty is founded on custom and anger in the person it is directed to) tradition of Agila people. The Non- kindred, or Royal and Non-Royal royals claim that they had at one f a m i l i e s . time in the history of Agila been In recent times in Agila, and Otse Agila by the persons of Otse s p e c i f i c a l l y b e f o r e t h e Ome from Osudu and Otse Okpe enthronement of the then Chief of from Onwa and that these two Agila, late Chief Philip Onazi persons were in fact the first Agbese, there began agitation from traditional rulers of Agila.
25 HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS IN AGILA LAND
4.4 Leadership of Late Chief partiality and an autocratic style of Philip Agbese leadership.
Agila came out of the Civil war It is important to state here that completely devastated following its during the team's literature review occupation by the warring troops. and field studies conducted most of The town was in complete ruins. The these allegations were not proved Agila people became refugees beyond reasonable doubt by Chief taking temporary shelters elsewhere Agbese's accusers. Some point to the in Idoma land and beyond. The fact that some of the accusers had situation of “no peace no war” still some personal grievances against persisted when Chief Philip Onazi the chief on issues that had no Agbese became the District Head of bearing on his role as District Head. that turbulent region. It was evident 4.5 Immediate Cause of the that it was his bravery and gallantry as a war-leader in his community 1997 Crisis: The Attack on the during the Nigerian Civil War that Bridal Train endeared him to the Agila There are two versions of what community, both among Royals and actually transpired that fateful day. Non-royals. So when the post of On the 28th of March 1997 a marriage District Head became vacant he had ceremony took place at Efoha an edge over his rivals. After he was kindred between one Ikwebe Eje appointed District Head, communal and Mercy Adoche, a Non-royal disturbances between his people, couple. There was a procession the Agila and the Ngbo broke out. accompanying the bridal train. In Tackling the problems and changes this procession was a local musical brought all sorts of allegations and band known as Okanga and a song counter allegations against the group, singing a song the Royals person of the Chief and his style of regarded as provocative and leadership caused discomfort insulting. Based on the uneasy calm among his people, particularly the in the town as well as other factors, non-royal group and to a lesser the situation was not ripe for extent the royals too. He was merrymaking social gathering. The accused of many wrong doings song sang in Idoma on that day, was including the sale of Agila land, regared as provocative and a mismanagement of relief funds and declaration of war. It ran thus: Oche materials, unilateral conferment of lonye ibi, Oche lonye bo'oma;Ogbodo traditional titles to non-Agila botu o'donye gogo, meaning indigenes, particularly the Igbos, “Kingship is sweet, kingship is as
26 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY sweet as salt. Anyone who is prevented him because he did not offended can come forward and want trouble to start at Ai-Unazi, challenge us to a duel”. The non- which was becoming notorious for royals sang the song from the non- such acts. Oko Ochai then quickly royal area of Efoha through to the went to Ikpilogwu and waited for royal area in Ikpilogwu on their way the bridal procession. When the to Okpako. The bridal train could procession got there he went and have avoided the areas of the Royals held the Okanga, which Samuel because of the prevailing fluid Ogezi was beating and the two of situation. Instead, the band (royal them started struggling over it. drum) plodded on even when While this was going on Godwin challenged or advised by the royals Onoja came from behind with a not to abuse them in the song. The knife and pierced the Okanga. drum being used was a royal one. It Fighting then ensued and the is the right of the Royal kindred in throwing of stones by the youths Onwa not only to own, keep and began. While the stone throwing play the drum when the need arose; was going on a thatched house but also for the keeper of the drum to nearby was set on fire. When that collect money for its use. The Royals house was burning the Non-royals claim the drum can only be played took revenge by burning the house for a royal wedding. The non-royals of a Royal. said that it could be played for Those who argue that the Royals anybody who paid for the services of used the occasion as a smoke screen t h e O k a n g a a s c u s t o m a r i l y to launch an attack on the Non- prescribed. royals ignore the argument put The story from the non-royals is forward by the Royals that the slightly different. What happened provocative display of joy and on that day is that one Oche happiness along a route which could Onmonya had courted Mercy have been avoided was pre- Adoche and paid dowry but later meditated and intended to invite the the girl jilted him. So when Oche Royals who had been in a bad mood Onmonya heard that she was to be over a rescheduled local election, married to Ikwebe Eje on that day, which one of their kith and kin was he organized boys to disrupt the barred from contesting. Whatever wedding. When the wedding the arguments and counter- procession was coming Otokpa arguments that are brought up, this Odogo came and informed Oko singular incidence had catastrophic Ochai who tried to attack the consequences for all that were procession but Ocheme Ogbo involved.
27 HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF VIOLENT CONFLICTS IN AGILA LAND
The panel carried out extensive A number of deaths and casualties investigation into the remote and were recorded. Many buildings immediate causes of the conflict as were either burnt or damaged and well as a thorough investigation into properties looted. Over two the historical, social and cultural hundred persons claimed to have underpinnings of the building of the had their buildings and farm Agila nation-state and kingship produce destroyed and properties among the Agila and its evolution looted. The estimated cost of through the years. A number of properties destroyed was at over people, many of Agila extraction N65million. The feud also led to from all the segments, were called to displacement of the Royals to a new testify. At the end of its mandate, the settlement outside the Main Agila. report of the Puusu Panel did not see Owing to the monumental scale of the light of day. There are the intra-ethnic conflict, the then allegations that some of the Benue State Military Government arrowheads of the crisis waded in to deployed security personnel to the suppress the report findings. It is area and thereafter instituted a interesting to note here that all the judicial commission of inquiry to sides spoken to during the project look into the causes of the crisis. It yearn for the release and full was headed by Justice Terna Puusu. implementation of the Puusu Report.
The Otse Agila, Left, exchanges pleasantries with Prof. David Ker (OON), WEP board of trustees member
28 CHAPTER 5
CONFLICT MITIGATION AND PEACE-BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN AGILA: THE ROLE OF STATE & NON-STATE ACTORS
The government (at both state and Suswam's visit to Agila in January local levels) through its various 2008 to assess the peace situation agencies have to some extent been after an inter-ethnic onslaught is actively involved in resolving the another case in point. There was also boundary dispute. Some of the a joint peace meeting between Benue recent attempts included the setting and Ebonyi states in July 2008 where up of a new buffer zone by the Ado it was formally resolved that the and Ohaukwu Local Government interstate boundary be properly Councils; the field tracing and demarcated. provisional demarcation of the The Institute for Peace and Conflict boundary by state designated Resolution (IPCR), a government professionals between 1986 and think-tank on issues of peace and 2001; the attempt at tracing the conflict in Nigeria and Africa, with boundary of Agila Forest Reserve in the Justice Development and Peace 1997; joint meetings of officials of the Commission (a non-state faith- National Boundary Commission, based organization), in June 2008 federal surveyors and the two State jointly organized a meeting with the Governments in 2000 and the Benue and Ebonyi warring subsequent field tracing and communities to attempt a resolution provisional demarcation of this of the age-long boundary dispute. boundary by a joint field team (the The meeting comprised delegates of team's report was submitted in traditional rulers from the two 2001), and the stationing of mobile communities; commissioners of police units at Agila and Ngbo since police from the two states, the the 2005/ 2008 crises. However, field work on retracing and Deputy Inspector General of Police mapping, featuring ethnographic (Operations), the director of the surveys have never been smooth. State Security Service from both states, officials of the JDPC as well as The Ado local government council officials of the National Boundary on its part has hosted peace Commission. One of the major meetings between the communities outcomes of the meeting was getting of Agila and Ngbo, and between the the agreement of the two state local councils of Ado and Ohaukwu. governments to jointly develop the Benue State's Governor Gabriel
29 CONFLICT MITIGATION AND PEACE-BUILDING ACTIVITIES IN AGILA: THE ROLE OF STATE & NON-STATE ACTORS areas in dispute for the benefit of the key actors in the conflict was equally two communities. Though the IPCR noteworthy. The Methodist and stated that they were not aware of Catholic churches are the religious the internal conflict, their however denominations active in Agila. Both aware of the interstate boundary have used their positions of c o n f l i c t b u t e x p r e s s e d t h e authority among their flock to willingness to collaborate with WEP manage the inter-community in getting involved in the process as conflict. The churches were not well as developing a systematic spared during the clashes as many approach in dealing with the intra- s t r u c t u r e s w e r e b u r n t a n d ethnic issue. The Institute requested desecrated. Leaders of the Methodist WEP and UNDP to share the Church in the affected areas have findings of the mapping process m a d e v a r i o u s a t t e m p t s a t with the IPCR so that the latter can reconciling the Agila and Ngbo strategise on how best to intervene. communities. Following a strategic conflict Copies of the proceedings of joint assessment in the project locations peace and reconciliation initiatives the Justice Development and Peace under the auspices of the church Commission (JDPC) decided to from Benue, Ebonyi and Enugu consider the Agila-Ngbo interstate states obtained during the field work conflict as one of its top priority indicate a call to parties involved in areas. In 2007 the JDPC decided to the dispute to profer practical initiate two separate meetings with solutions to the conflict from the the parties with a view to identifying context of sacrifice, forgiveness, the root causes of the conflict, its concession/compromise for peace actors, their positions, interests, and and harmony. needs. Each meeting provided an The church has also joined forces avenue for verification of facts and with the Idoma Traditional Council information sharing. After initiating in resolving the conflicts in that area. the process by having the separate The paramount ruler of the Idoma meetings with the parties, the JDPC nation, His Royal Highness was able to bring them to the Agabaidu Elias Ikoyi Obekpa, Ochi negotiating table with other Idoma IV, during one of such stakeholders such as the Institute for exchanges with the Methodist Peace and Conflict Resolution, Church, charged elders and opinion National Human Right Commission leaders of warring communities in ( H R C ) , a n d t h e C h r i s t i a n his domain to tackle the challenge Association of Nigeria (CAN). posed by the incessant communal The role of religious institutions as conflicts in their areas and ensure
30 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY lasting peace in Idoma land. formally present him with a copy of the resolution and peace agenda The royal father made the plea while issued at the end of a three-day Ado welcoming the Archbishop of the prayer and peace revival conference Methodist Church in Nigeria, Dr. held in Otukpo. Joseph Oche Job who was on a peace mission to his palace in Otukpo. He The conclusion that can be reached particularly made reference to Agila is that very few individuals and where he lamented the continued o r g a n i s a t i o n s h a v e p l a y e d bloody tussle amongst indigenes of prominent roles in mitigating the the area over chieftaincy issues, intra-ethnic conflict among the advising that the people must put Agila. Perhaps due to the sensitive their heads together and come out nature of the conflict many have with a generally acceptable deal on shied away from intervening. the matter. While commending the Another explanation could be the efforts of the church to finding fact that there has been no record of lasting solution to the chieftaincy physical attacks or outbreaks of and boundary conflicts in Agila, the violence so the assumption would Ochi Idoma expressed the readiness be that there is peace in Agila land of the Idoma Traditional Council to given that the communities in Agila work in tandem with the people and are in different settlements. This is a the church to ensure that peace wrong assumption as it is highly reigns in the area. Archbishop Job on probable that a chain of events his part had intimated the a r i s i n g f r o m u n r e s o l v e d paramount ruler that he and a group fundamental issues could trigger off of concerned Ado Christians were at another round of violence. the palace of the Ochi Idoma to
Acting Otse Agila, Chief Mike Agbese, third from left, signs a peace accord as WEP Executive Director watches
31 CHAPTER 6
THE IMPACT OF THE AGILA CONFLICT ON DEVELOPMENT
6.1 Economic Impact goods and services can be sold or exchanged, there are no business Before the Nigerian civil war in the activities taking place in the 1960s, subsistence agriculture was community for the fear of being the dominant economic activity of attacked by the Ngbo people. This the informal sector in Agila fear is mirrored in the Ngbo community, thus ensuring regular community. This development has supply of local foodstuff to town disempowered them economically dwellers. This pre-war informal and has added to the hardship economic activity in Agila b e i n g e x p e r i e n c e d b y t h e community generated the much community but more especially needed income for the women, and among the women who are daily also provided a sure way to faced with the challenge of economic self-reliance for the providing for the family in terms of women in particular. The small- food, water, etc but are constantly scale businesses also provided faced with kidnapping, killings and services to the generality of the abduction. people and Agila community in general. The production and 6.2 Political Impact marketing of local foodstuff to town d w e l l e r s c o m p l e m e n t e d Various studies have given analyses government efforts to provide food on the level and degree of political to the public but during the civil participation in many societies. war, however, these economic Milbrath (1965) argues that, activities were severely disrupted members of a society can be divided because the Agila had to relocate into four categories in terms of their from their villages, thus making it degree of political participation. easy for them the Ngbo people in These are: Ebonyi State to take over their land. (a) the politically apathetic, who are unaware of the political world Since the war, the 1997 intra- around them; communal crisis further deepened (b) those involved in spectator the situation, as currently, the Agila activities such as voting and taking people do not have a market where part in thuggery or discussion about
32 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY politics; while the customary law ensures (c) those involved in transitional that they remain insignificant in the meetings or making financial society. contributions to a political party; (d) the fourth group are described as Some of the women and, indeed, gladiatorial. This seeks and holds men in Agila community confessed public office or control party affairs. that since the crisis in Agila community, this intervention was Using Milbrath's model to locate the first time women were allowed Agila community position on the to participate actively in the peace political scale, one discovers that process. It is perhaps, because a many are apathetic and uneducated. women organization that is in Few are mere spectators, this is charge of the project activities, particularly so with rural elite, while which explains why women had to s o m e a r e m a i n l y u s e d a s be recognized to play critical roles. instruments in terms of involving In a state where women are them in meetings and provision of considered as insignificant in information. As far as politics is political and developmental concerned in Agila community, an activities, it is worthy to note that insignificant number of people are development cannot thrive, hence gladiatorial. The urban elites the issue of women participation in (godfathers) decide who becomes, peace processes as well as political for instance, the local government arenas must be considered as vital chairman and all other related for development to take place. political positions whether they are capable of handling the positions 6.3 Social Impact and bringing about development to the community or not. Agila community can be said to be the least developed in Benue State Women, for instance, do not have a even though it is one of the s a y i n a n y p o l i t i c a l communities in Benue State that has meetings/activities, even where prominent sons and daughters in peace discussions/processes are positions of authority and taking place though they bear the leadership (both in military and brunt of the conflicts. They are civilian governments) and whom usually considered second class can influence the development of c i t i z e n s a n d a r e h i g h l y the community. The deplorable discriminated against in many state of the roads, the lack of respects, forced by the cultural electricity, and commerce has made norms to play the second fiddle the situation terrible for the people
33 THE IMPACT OF THE AGILA CONFLICT ON DEVELOPMENT of Ado local government area and, situation is at a particular time and indeed, Agila community for any they would go to any length to meaningful development to take ensure that the conflicts deepens. place. We state that until the urban elites- rural conflict sponsors realize that Like any other society affected by the only way to bring about c o n f l i c t , 9 5 % o f t h e A g i l a development is the empowerment Community/persons that have of the young people in a positive been abducted or killed in the manner, then the societies to which violent conflict are women. This has they hold claim and ancestral roots serious repercussions on the lives of to will remain theatres of chaos, women socially and in their u n d e r d e v e l o p m e n t a n d reproductive activities. It is worth retrogression. noting that in the past, both royals and non-royals intermarried, 6.4 Psychological Impact however since the violent intra- communal conflicts in 1997, no Truth telling dampens the desire for social activity such as the vengeance, thereby eliminating acts Masquerade, neither marriages nor of retributive violence, and it has births have been able to bring the t h e r a p e u t i c v a l u e , h e a l i n g Agila community together due to psychological trauma of victims and the royals versus non-royals saga survivors. This in turn facilitates which has brought untold hardship reconciliation among warring to the people and community of groups, and dampens the risk of Agila because of some selfish recurrence of war. But does truth individual's political interest. telling in fact have such salutary psychological effects? Some Many of the young people in Agila evidence indicate that victims and community have taken to drugs and survivors prefer that the "truth" be political thuggery as those who are told and "justice" be done, believing to help have taken advantage of the that it will bring relief from striking poverty that has engulfed psychological pain, anguish and the community and would rather suffering. But are victims' positive sponsor the killings and maiming of expectations of the truth-telling others in the name of royals versus process generally met after the truth non-royals leadership tussle. Some has been told and justice dispensed? of the so-called leaders have become Do victims actually experience conflict entrepreneurs, as their anticipated psychological benefits? source of livelihoods depends Does truth telling in fact dampen heavily on what the conflict feelings of vengeance? These and
34 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY many more are the questions that are symptoms that were particularly the case of the intra-Agila noticed during the field work and community conflict raise. interviews we had.
The consequences of human rights The lack of information and abuses, including sexual assaults are interaction among the community not only physical but also members had a great impact psychological. Studies suggest that a psychologically and socially high level of psychological trauma is disconnected from each other. In associated with the displacement view of this, the peace process and those exposed to the various created a widow for interactions and forms of human rights abuses. Most networking which culminated to the of the people affected by the conflict symbolic cleansing of conflict out of who were interviewed exhibited Agila which was tagged “Operation signs of distress on physical, Clean Out Conflict in Agila Land by emotional and behavioral levels. It is the women group and youths also reported that, on the emotional though, initially the project only level, depression, anger, anxiety, targeted 100 beneficiaries, the fear and resentment were observed. project ended up having a multiplier And finally, withdrawal from effect on the whole community friends and family, changes in through the subtle delivery of peace- normal behavior patterns, inability building messages. to function the way they used to do
Truth telling dampens the desire for vengeance, thereby eliminating acts of retributive violence, and it has therapeutic value, healing psychological trauma of victims and survivors
35 CHAPTER 7
SETTING UP EARLY WARNING MECHANISM IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Engaging in Conflict Prevention without an Early Warning System is like entering into a cave without a torch - William Godwin Nhara (1996)
7.1 Defining Early Warning Warning System. Systems Early warning is ultimately aimed to Early Warning is a tool for assist in addressing the 'root causes' preparedness, prevention and of conflict and must allow for the mitigation with regard to disasters, d e v e l o p m e n t o f p r o p e r emergencies, and conflict situations. understanding of situations, their While preparedness, prevention development, conditions for and mitigation, as the three pillars of resolution and guidance to better an Early Warning System, are of settlement. It entails ways of c r i t i c a l i m p o r t a n c e i n forestalling or alleviating the worst understanding the purpose of such a effects of conflict, including early system, it should be borne in mind intervention to transform or resolve that even if the detection mechanism conflicts. is perfect, it is of no use unless there is the capability for a timely reaction. Most conventional conflict early In this regard, the provision of warning systems generate macro information alone does not l e v e l a n a l y s i s a n d p o l i c y constitute Early Warning. Such prescriptions that are generally information should serve a specific based on a snapshot rather than a purpose. One of the critical issues is dynamic view of the changing the origin of the information and situations on the ground. In fact, the data, and the time frame in which it majority of references to conflict has been developed. The receiver of early warning are top-down, inter- such a forecast and what is done governmental early warning with the information provided systems with limited (if any) links to become critical in determining the local communities. The field of success or failure of an Early conflict early warning is therefore
36 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY shifting towards a more bottom-up cardinal feature of the approach to approach, emphasising the need for setting up an early warning system something like an indigenous “local for conflict prevention in Agila. information network” to get a better notion of “the view from below”. Following the pre-project contacts, advocacy and mapping exercise, the Focal points are crucial and an Project Team critically designed a integral part of any Early Warning structure for the formation of system. They represent the real networks in Agila that would have communities and are closer to the the character of an early warning domain of conflict. These focal and response system, as well as the points will need to be trained to be person specifications of the aware of the importance of their networks' constituent. Elements work, as well as the nature of considered included Information indicators constituting situations (identification of reliable persons as that warrant early warning. It is on well as the target group), Action this premise of the preceding that (identification of audience, W o m e n E n v i r o n m e n t a l exchange of information on crisis Programme-led intervention in when tensions are evident), Agila was based mandated by the M o n i t o r i n g a n d I n i t i a t i n g United Nations Development appropriate preventive measures. Programme (UNDP): The UNDP Central to the success of the framework entail supporting the networks was in gathering identified community to effectively information. It was paramount that utilise skills and tools to track, that the selected persons must be monitor and rapidly responding to reliable, well prepared, and have the conflict in their locality, ensure the necessary background knowledge effective implementation of the of the issues as well as that of Agila. conflict early warning and response Having considered elements such as system in the community as well as these, the Team went ahead to begin enhancing effective partnership to assemble the proposed network between community based groups team members in full consultation and officials at the state and local with the Agila community leaders as government levels in responding to well as the local civil and security conflict. authorities. The Team then This indigenous bottom-up developed the training modules approach with respect to Agila was with the resource consultants who unique in its own way. It had were engaged to facilitate the mainstreamed gender in view of the technical sessions during the representation of women as a training workshops. Being aware
37 SETTING UP EARLY WARNING MECHANISM IN AGILA COMMUNITY that a successful early warning Crisis' in view of the limited s y s t e m g i v e s t h i r d - p a r t y reportage of the conflict. It then intervention the opportunity to put became imperative for the Team positive, confidence-building that for any early warming measures to play, WEP's strategy mechanism to be successful, the w a s h i n g e d o n a d v o c a c y , media became part and parcel of diplomacy, neutrality and tact in the process. Irrespective of the fact handling all the information that some have argued that the acquired from the conflict mapping Nigerian media have been exercise as well as the advocacy and occasionally been found wanting pre-contact drives. in the way and manner the contents of their coverage are The building blocks for the early presented, they nevertheless have warning system as adapted by m a i n t a i n e d a l e v e l o f WEP is based on WANEP's (West professionalism, ethics, objectivity Africa Network for Peacebuilding and caution in reporting some Nigeria). The steps are: conflicts and crises in Nigeria. This (a) Identifying the proximate makes them indispensable conditions partners in conflict prevention (b) Defining the indicators from the standpoint of early (c) Monitoring the indicators warning mechanisms. (d) Analysing the information (e) C o m m u n i c a t i n g t h e Media representatives were met warning during the conflict mapping (f) Receiving and believing the exercise, and some were invited to warning be part of the conflict early (g) Acting on the warning warning mechanism that was (h) Consistent support and being set up in Agila via the inclusive participation networks that were formed. For in Early Warning the media the point stressed was aimed at positive-journalism to 7.2 The Role of the Media in Early stimulate space to productions Warning System in Agila and publications which emphasis peaceful resolutions of conflicts One of the preliminary findings in and collaborative problem- the field on the conflict situation in solving. Agila was the dearth of media coverage of two dimensional conflicts. The crisis was even termed by some as 'The Forgotten
38 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
7.3 Formation of Networks by through the appropriate skills and Women & Youths: Precursors to knowledge on the nitty-gritty of Early Warning Mechanism in monitoring, early warning and Agila crisis prevention, alternative dispute resolution, advocacy and Imminent to the setting up of early negotiation skills as well as warning systems in Agila was the networking took centre stage. This brainstorming session at the was done in course of two major Information Sharing Workshop at training workshops. The networks Makurdi in September 2009. have commenced the formal Under the expertise of the resource process of registration with the persons participants were guided appropriate civil authority and to strategise on the way towards have outlined activities they hope establishing early warning to start implementing. mechanisms. To get the salient issues among the groups present To kick-start the process and (traditional leaders, women and overcome initial challenges, the youths), a break-out session groups received personal cash scheme was employed and each of donations from some personalities these groups were asked to come (during the project's life span) up with concrete steps in including the WEP Executive achieving and sustaining lasting D i r e c t o r ( N 4 0 , 0 0 0 ) , t h e peace in Agila as well as representative of UNDP (N20, preventive measures to forestall 000), the LGA Ado Executive outbreaks of violence. Part of the Chairman (N100, 000), the Benue practical measures adapted by the State Surveyor General (N5, 000), groups of traditional leaders, and a number of Ado/ Agila women and youth groups was the indigenes (Barrister Rose Ojabo formation of groups that would N5, 000; Hon. Rose Ameh N2, 000; work for the promotion of peace/ Princess Orkar N20,000; Chief peace-building activities as well as Mrs. Regina Agbese N30, 000). monitoring of signs that would, 7.4 Training Workshop on among other things, lead to the Monitoring of Early Warning breakdown of peace. The women Signs, Alternative Dispute group was far more vocal and Resolution (ADR), Advocacy & articulate in their proposed Negotiation Skills strategies. Given the conflict situation in Agila Empowering the networks as including the internal and external formed by the youth and women dimensions, the workshop was groups as well as that of elders
39 SETTING UP EARLY WARNING MECHANISM IN AGILA COMMUNITY meant to provide participants with with the resource persons to requisite skills for monitoring early develop the content of the agenda warning signs, ADR and negotiation for all the trainings which was and advocacy techniques. designed to cover these and the overall aim of the trainings. The training's technical sessions were handled by Mrs. Betty Bassey Central to the understanding of (of the Institute for Peace and these was a persistent awareness of Conflict Resolution, Abuja), Mrs. the linkages developed between the Grace Atim and Mr. John Tor Tsuwa sessions, small group assignments (both of the Benue State University, in the entire duration of the Makurdi). The training manual trainings, and recap sessions to adopted for use was Developing ascertain level of comprehension of Capacity for Conflict Analysis and the previous sessions. During the Early Response. This training manual workshop, participants were on developing capacity for conflict randomly assigned to small groups analysis and early response was to measure their comprehension of prepared with the support of the the sessions or review the details of Conflict Management Capacity the some of the sessions before Building Project of the UN reconvening in a plenary to discuss Department of Economic and Social t h e t o p i c s / i s s u e s u n d e r Affairs, Division for Public consideration. Administration and Development M a n a g e m e n t . T h e t r a i n i n g Present at the 5-day training was the framework presented in this manual Special Adviser to the Benue State is mostly based on the West Africa Government on Security Matters Network for Peace-building Col. Aboho Rtd, in his remarks at the (Ghana) as well as FEWER's early workshop appreciated the work of w a r n i n g a n d r e s p o n s e WEP in the area of conflict methodologies. resolution. He stated that the present administration in the state In order to build the participants' was aware of the long standing capacity to understand the issues, c o n f l i c t i n A g i l a a n d t h e concepts and sources related to the underdevelopment it has caused the subject, the training combined a place. Early in the life of the present participatory methodology of administration, the Governor of concept clarification, case studies, Benue State, His Excellency Barr real-life experiences in different Gabriel Suswam visited Agila to contexts and situations on the side of ascertain things for himself both participants and trainers. The following an Ngbo attack on the Project Team worked in tandem community. Col. Aboho said the
40 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY government was willing to partner causes of conflict, the human and with any agency or organization in political needs, why conflict the attempt to bring about peace and mapping, and overview of the development for the Agila people. elements of conflict, conflict stages, He challenged the Agila people to be dimension of conflict, stakeholders partakers in generating solutions to analysis of the conflict, why the problem. Col. Aboho solicited monitoring and early warning WEP intervention with other response, different method of conflict situations in the state. resolving conflicts. At the end of the five days training a communiqué The content of the training had was issued and jointly signed by the among others Gender analysis of the Otse Agila and one of the Clan Heads conflict, early warning issues, (see below contents of the monitoring, theories of conflict, communiqué). COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF A 5-DAY TRAINING WORKSHOP ON MONITORING OF EARLY WARNING SIGNS, ADVOCACY, ADR AND NEGOTIATION SKILLS, BETWEEN 12 TO 17 OCTOBER 2009 AT GBIHI ROYAL HOTELS, MAKURDI
The workshop was designed to enable participants understand and identify the causes of conflict, the nature, the actors, stages and dimensions and how to resolve it. During the workshop the major causes of conflict in Agila land were identified to include land dispute, chieftaincy dispute and political factors.
The stakeholders in the conflict were also identified as women, youths, chiefs and elders within and outside Agila land. The workshop also brought out the issue of monitoring to help participants identify early warning signs of conflict.
It also brought out the need for the incorporation of women in the peace generating process. It was therefore agreed that the stakeholders in Agila land should apply negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration and conciliation in order to settle dispute between them. It was finally agreed that for peace to return to Agila all the parties involved must embrace peace, accommodate others feelings and make compromises where necessary.
7.5 Training on Peace opportunity for participants to Network Formation enhance further their capacity in peace-building in their community This training was the last major and also support women's activity under the project networking for peace and security involving a large number of i n A g i l a . T h e n e e d f o r participants. It provided the
41 SETTING UP EARLY WARNING MECHANISM IN AGILA COMMUNITY strengthening networking and engage other actors and how to continued interaction between the empower women and youth to Agila Community and other take a central role in this process, critical stakeholders in peace- and how to strengthen and building was a key component of consolidate the capacities of the action. Examined during the organizations and networks training also were opportunities formed during the process. and challenges of collaboration, the need to share information, The highlights of the workshop were the plans presented by each achievements, breakthroughs, and of the groups for peaceful co- the methods and mechanisms of existence ion Agila land. Table 1- 3 networking. shows the plan as presented by the The issues discussed included how groups. to better take advantage of best Group work on Strategic Plan practices in order to network and development for Peace Network communicate more efficiently and Participants were divided into broadly, how to monitor early three groups. The youth, women warning signs and report and council of elders appropriately, how to effectively
42 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Table 1:Youths
Table 2: Council of elders Project title: Promoting peace in Agila land
43 SETTING UP EARLY WARNING MECHANISM IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Table 3: Agila women Unite for peace
The three groups agreed that they - WEP cannot embark on the peace process - Ado LGA alone but would require identifying - State and Federal governments individuals and other organizations both within and outside Agila land Women groups also identified the to form peace allies. Thus, the following groups; following organizations were - Women for peace in Agila i d e n t i f i e d ; A g i l a Y o u t h s - Market women Development Association; Agila - Catholic Women Organizations. V i g i l a n t e G r o u p ; A g i l a - Committee of friends Development Association; Ai-oba - Age grade (hunters) group; Agila Youths - Peace and love association Initiative For Peace in Agila Land Other groups are; Other coalitions identified by the - Youth youths include: - UNDP - Agila Traditional council of - WEP Elders - JDPC - Women unite for peace in Agila - Council of Elders - Young Alhaji Foundation (YAF) - Agila in Diaspora - Global 2000 (Carter Foundation) - Religious Leaders - Red Cross Society - Local Government, State and - European Union (EU) Federal - UNDP
44 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Women for peace in Agila another developed their interim programme - Organize a social gathering as follows: - Training people for monitoring - Calling of stakeholders meeting - Embarking on the registration of - Inviting all the leaders of coalition the network with the corporate - Moving from one church to affairs commission
Sweeping out animosity & conflict in Agila land, in a symbolic ceremony that brought all segments of Agila together. It was led by the women
45 CHAPTER 8
THE FINDINGS, CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED
8.1 Report Findings political system, that is change in royalty, the Otse Agila. In respect of 1. Findings on the conflict the intra conflict, WEP Team that the situation in Agila have indicated a immediate cause of the crisis was dual dimension nature: a protracted the attack on the bridal train in inter-ethnic conflict and bitter land March, 1997. dispute with Ngbo, a neighbouring community in Ebonyi which shares 3. The colonial constructed boundary with Agila and thus boundaries within Nigeria are Benue State; and an intra-ethnic contained in the 1936 boundary conflict among the community description and the Definition of the members classified as the Royals Countries Proclamation of 1954. versus the non-Royals (chieftaincy) Parameters such as courses and dispute. While each of the distances, physical features, existing communities and parties involved farm boundary and meridian argue convincingly and trade turning points were used. i n n u e n d o e s a n d c o u n t e r accusations on each other, the 4. Many of the boundary resultant consequence of the bitter conflicts across Nigeria are tied to and often bloody clashes has had issues of land squeeze space, adverse effect on the collective well- competition over access to being and socio-economic stability resources, and disputed jurisdiction of the parties involved as well as of certain traditional rulers and engendering an atmosphere of chiefs. mistrust, suspicion and tension. 5. There exists a conflict on land 2. The Team discovered that the boundary between Benue and conflict in Agila has been in Ebonyi State (Benue/ Ebonyi existence since the 17th century. The interstate boundary). This conflict first being the interstate boundary dates back to the 1930s when the conflict between the Agila and Ngbo district re-organisation in the communities of Benue and Ebonyi Kabba, Munchi and Muri provinces States, and the second being of the was reported stabilized. In intra-ethnic which is based on the particular reference to boundary agitation for a change in traditional conflict between the Agila and the
46 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Ngbo, it is a historical certainty that 7. Professional field work the colonial authorities of Northern started sometime in 1999 with the Nigeria demarcated this boundary, use of the Agila Forest Reserve traced it severally with beacons and Ordnance to checkmate the protests then set up the Agila Forest Reserve given over the use of names of rivers by the 1959 Ordinance No. 75 to like Okpinya, Idaka etc. But the serve as a buffer zone between the work was frustrated by one of the Agila and the Ngbo. communities. Field tracing again started between 2006-2007 and this 6. This boundary sector has time the whole boundary was witnessed a lot of Igbo immigration traced/ identified. Cartographic into present day Benue State. The production proved that the affected local government areas are boundary was plotable and so could Ado and Oju of Benue State with be traced on the ground. It was their Ishelu, Ohaukwu, Izzi and however discovered that one of the Ebonyi of Ebonyi State. The communities had broken the pillars boundary stretches over a distance which were constructed by the of about 130km.The boundary is colonial surveyors during the early heavily dissected by the rivers and delimitation. In September 2008, the streams with no good roads linking monumentation stated at Oju/ the border communities. The border Ebonyi subsector and 1 ½ months corridor is left undeveloped. The were used. The Ezzi/ Ado subsector area is rich agricultural land and this was met with resistance and when has attracted many Ezza, Izzi, Ngbo the Ado local government had and Ishieke people of Ebonyi State provided all the needed logistics for origin to Benue State. The migration the Joint Technical Team in the started long ago and has resulted in location including police as the Ezzi Benue State losing huge chunks of local council could not meet the her farmland to Ebonyi State at the requirement of the Team. The Team advent of colonial administration. charged direction to Ishelu local The colonial administration set up council and completed the work at this boundary, adjusted it several Ishelu/ Ado subsector but could not times to favour the Ibo immigration start at Agila/ Ngbo (Ado/ and finally set the boundary in the Ohaukwu) subsector). 1930s. This boundary is known to the border communities and is being 8. That the Ngbo people have respected by them with the submitted a petition before the exception of the Agila/ Ngbo National Assembly, calling for segment. Here the Forest Reserve among other things, a peaceful has been destroyed and the area is adjudication of the boundary farmed. dispute and a dialogue with the
47 THE FINDINGS, CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED
Agila. The petition, we were told, District Head of Agila has rotated was neither copied to the National between the Osiroko and Efofu since Boundary Commission nor the 1715 until today. Benue State government. 11. The Team found that the 9. In Agila community, the issue of Royalty and Non-Royalty team found out that the society is had existed in Agila as far back as patrilineal and to a limited extent the eighteenth century and nobody matrilineal in some aspects of their among the present day Agila people traditional, social and political know when the tradition of Royal or systems. In Unlike the other the custom of Royal culture started Districts in Idoma land, in Agila it is in Agila. possible to inherit property and office from one's mother's lineage on 12. The Team also found that no certain prescribed conditions and government since the beginning of situations. For instance, one can time when Agila came into being ascend to the throne of Otse Agila if has ever tried to find out how the he is a female descendant, and can operation of the traditional system on prescribed oath, renounce until the outburst of the 1997 crisis completely his patrilineal lineage when the Justice Puusu commission and opt for his matrilineal lineage in of inquiry came into existence, even accordance with the prescribed rites then, the report of the commission is of passage. yet to be made known public and the recommendations therein. 10. The Team found out that since 1715 to 1745 main ruling 13. During the reign of Chief houses had been established so that Philip Onazi Agbese as the District since then only two lineages the Head, there began agitation from Osiroko and Efofu lineages have mainly the Non-royal group been occupying the seat of Otse spearheaded by the Akpoge Agila, in rotation. However, Ogbilolo political elite group for according to oral tradition, one Otse change in the Agila social and Ome and Otse Okpe from Onwa and traditional authority system. Osudu presently regarded as non- 14. The Non-Royals demanded royal kindred's respectively has at for a change with their eye on the one time or the other ruled Agila District Headship of Agila, and the chiefdom, however, no one was able abolition of what they call the to state the time frame when the existing social structure of Royal Onwa and Osudu kindred's and Non-Royal in Agila so that they produced Otse Okpe and Otse Ome too can have a go at the change and as one time District Heads of Agila. the change to be immediate, so that But we were told that the post of
48 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY the non-royal group can qualify for 18. As long as the intra conflict the post of District Head of Agila. continue to linger on, the interstate boundary dispute between the 15. The Royals argued that such Ngbo and Agila communities in change is not feasible, unwarranted Benue and Ebonyi will also continue and contrary to the tradition and to strive, this is because the Ngbo custom of Agila people. The royals people will continue to build on the traced their origin to Apa, Idah back fractured nature of the Agila to their present location. According community to drive further their to them all other Idoma people in the desire to acquire more land for 22 Districts in Idoma do so. And that family since the so-called boundary the non-royals are of female is not inhabited by the Ngbos, but descendant of Ogwa's children are merely used for farming. of Benin not of Apa Kingdom. That their royalty is founded on custom 8.2 Challenges & Lesson Learned and tradition of Agila people. The mapping exercise presented 16. The Agila conflict is often some challenges to the Team. For regarded by some as 'The Forgotten example, most of the cases studied Crisis' as it has received little media are historic processes and in the case attention. Previous efforts and of internal crisis in Agila took place attempts at managing the crisis and over a decade ago. Some key resolutions by state and non-state individuals and actors involved in actors have not borne much positive the processes have since died and results. Agila remains divided these events are interpreted through within itself along the so-called a historical lens informed by 'royal and non-royal' lineages and contemporary developments. this has not helped in the efforts of A number of key issues were resolving the boundary dispute, considered under this heading, even with the involvement of critical focusing on how to sustain the institutions such as the National capacity of the networks to do peace Boundary Commission, the state w o r k . D u r i n g t h e t r a i n i n g governments of Benue and Ebonyi, workshops, many cited the need for security agencies, churches, traditional leaders and non- a long-term commitment to the governmental organizations. networks working in the area of peace and conflict. They also urged 17. The Team was informed that donors to support capacity- during the intra conflict many buildings building. Discussion have also were either burnt, damaged and centered on difficulties relating to properties looted worth millions of naira. fundraising, an essential component of sustaining the networks, as well
49 THE FINDINGS, CHALLENGES & LESSONS LEARNED as the early warning mechanisms. empowerment among such people Some participants noted that it is who otherwise may work in especially challenging to ensure isolation from each other, and c) funding for community-based spread sensitivity and skills to more associations and they cautioned strategically placed people, against channelling money through contributing to creating what is the state and local government metaphorically referred to as critical authorities. mass or critical yeast. This poses a challenge for WEP as the Agila Some of key actors interviewed Peace process winds up: providing during the process expressed on-going support and follow-up to caution against embarking upon the networks. On-going, long-term major new initiatives without financial, organisational and proper reflection. There is no need to personal commitment on behalf of “reinvent the wheel,” they said and those working on the ground in it is important to reflect on the terms of ensuring early warning strengths and weaknesses of responses would go some way to previous initiatives with respect to ensuring empowerment and the interstate boundary issue when supportive networking which are designing new programs, taking the regarded as crucially important in strengths and weaknesses of building capacities for peace. previous initiatives by both the state and non-state actors into account. One other challenge that might compromise the slight gains made Training has an important role in the towards peace and development in conflict transformation repertoire Agila District are the high levels of for several reasons: It can i) sensitise poverty, ignorance, illiteracy and for conflict causes and dynamics in unemployment. Hundreds of the environment in which one youths across the District are still works; and ii) strengthen skills for out of work. A largely number of dealing with conflict and the them is seeking a living from sensitivity for (intended and farming, petty trading, narcotic unintended) consequences of drug peddling, and theft. Even for specific activities. Training local the few educated and gainfully activists, training other trainers and employed people across Agila, training third-parties can, in k n o w l e d g e a n d a c c e s s t o a d d i t i o n , c o n t r i b u t e t o a ) information and technology of the supporting and strengthening 21st Century, which could improve people who work for a shift towards opportunities for personal life-style constructive conflict management, and community development, is b) build networks of support and weak. Basic computer know-how is
50 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY yet in the infancy, due mainly to a social networks, peace building, combination of factors including advocacy activities, education levels costs, availability and/or access. In and access to information about new the township of Igumale, for technologies. example, computers are mainly used on a rather small scale by the Getting a better grasp of the conflict situation meant going beyond the bank, and to a lesser degree, the Ado laid down Terms of Reference. local government council. Secondly, the factional nature of the A significant majority of tertiary- Agila community portended a level students in most disciplines challenge given that the Team has to lack basic computer skills. Few visit each community and conduct students and individuals can afford interviews/ research in the same to use computers and are only just fashion as the previous to avoid beginning to explore this option. perceptions of non-neutrality and There is no real enthusiasm from all impartiality. sectors to encourage people to Another challenge that confronted b e c o m e c o m p u t e r l i t e r a t e . the team was the illiteracy and Nonetheless, the mapping results language barrier of some of the r e v e a l e d t h a t t h e r e i s a n b e n e f i c i a r i e s d u r i n g t h e o v e r w h e l m i n g d e m a n d f o r intervention, most particularly computer literacy among the youth during the training sessions, across Agila striving to use this skill however this was mitigated through as a gateway to employment, to translations which slowed the improving business opportunities, process.
Agila women leaders pose for a group photograph with WEP project staff
51 CHAPTER 9
RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
As a fractured society, Agila violent conflicts likely to occur. Community faces conflict security Agila community, from the 18th complexity: that of having to century has long-standing problems reconcile with the Ngbo boundary of royals versus non-royals, though disputes and the various principal this issue was never projected the actors in the intra conflict (Royals vs. way it is today. It is this fear and Non-royals) in the interest for suspicion which had continued for community development and long, manifesting in various phases nation building. At the same time, that culminated in this violent the leadership of the acting Otse c o n f l i c t . I t i s t h e r e f o r e Agila, Chief Michael Agbese, and recommended that, such long indeed the whole community must standing differences should be be sensitive to the external (urban- addressed with the view to rural conflict sponsors) connections removing fear and suspicion in with the community politics in order to avoid the re-occurrence of Agila. In fact, the community must the ugly situation. r i s e u p t o d e m a n d f o r developmental programmes and 2. Though WEP and UNDP has projects rather than the supply of been able to facilitate a meeting of arms for the destruction of the future the Agila elites for the first time in (youth) leaders. The traditional twelve years since the violent practices which accord women less conflict in 1997, it is recommended social status have to be carefully that the government follow up on examined and reviewed in favour of this process to bring about lasting women and their status. Against this peace in Agila. b a c k g r o u n d , t h e f o l l o w i n g recommendations are made: 3. Agila community has the most successful sons and daughters 1. Advocates of the historical in the whole of Ado LGA, but in theories of conflict are reluctant to terms of development, Ado records look for sweeping analysis for all as one of the least developed local conflicts. But there is agreement councils in the whole of Benue State, among them that there are standing providing arms and inciting the conditions and situations that make youth towards violent conflicts
52 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY destroying properties worth of 5. A lot of people lost their millions and killing of the people means of livelihood during the will not in any way bring conflict given that most of them are development to the community but peasant farmers, and their farm w o u l d r a t h e r c o n t i n u e t o lands have been taken away without impoverish and weakens their the hope of having getting it back or capacity to participate meaningfully standing on their feet again. Such in economic and political activities. persons should be provided with To this end, it is recommended that, the means such as micro finance for the government and indeed the small businesses in order to sustain prominent sons and daughters of themselves. Agila should provide strategic empowerment for their youth and 6. Government should embark women. They should be provided upon extensive rural development with basic skills and helped to programme with the provision of acquire competences to enable them some basic infrastructure such as participate in economic activities in rural electrification, good water both the informal and the formal system and all-season feeder roads, sectors of the economy. Education schools, basic health services among will also enable them to think for others. These, apart from improving themselves and voice out on issues on the living standard of the rural that concern them. people, will also provide an enabling environment for micro- 4. The activities of International economic activities for the people. organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme 7. Ultimately, the burden of (UNDP), the NGOs, churches and a rebuilding is the responsibility of host of others have played key roles the Government of all stakeholders in highlighting the conflict in Agila but mostly on the part of the and also helping them to overcome government. In order to effectively their difficulties and to become emerge from the trauma of the past integrated into the society, it is twelve years, major institutional, recommended that they should political and social reforms are continue with their activities and see necessary to establish a culture and that women and the youth are environment that will nurture the moved to higher levels for healing process. meaningful contribution for national development through 8. F r o m t h e i n f o r m a t i o n various empowerment strategies. gathered in the field, we discovered that there is indiscriminate use and
53 RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS possession of firearms in Agila and undertaken due to its fractured most of the people using these arms nature and the dual dimension of are under aged and not licensed. We the area under study but also the recommend that Government sets actors involved in the conflict. Again up machinery to control the present given the short period of five indiscriminate use of fire arms and months for the implementation of process of re-integration should be the whole exercise was quite initiated by the Bureau of Local intensive and the gravity of issues Government and Chieftaincy was and is still being addressed. It is Affairs as soon as possible. worthy of note that this has further placed WEP in a strategic position to 9. We recommend that due to intervene in even more complex the proximity of Agila to the border issues and projects. The principle of between Benue, Ebonyi and Enugu neutrality must at all times prevail in States, coupled with frequent any peace project and with this c l a s h e s , t h e r e i s n e e d f o r principle at the back of the WEP government to construct a road that team a variety of diplomatic will give a clear demarcation strategies both in the short and long between the Ngbo people and the term were employed towards the Agila community. This will also targeted minimum objectives. provide the opportunity for commerce and other economic At this point we wish to state that activities to resume between the Governments, inter-governmental communities. a n d n o n - g o v e r n m e n t a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , s o c i a l a n d 10. Finally, it must be noted that, educational institutions and other no matter what other external actors civil society players need to combine might do towards peace in Agila their efforts to encourage real peace. land, it is only the Agila people that The long suffering of the Agila would bring about lasting peace in people have heightened the their community. i n t e r n a t i o n a l c o m m u n i t y ' s awareness for intervention through Conclusion the UNDP in order to promote lasting peace, such an opportunity T h e p r o j e c t S t r e n g t h e n i n g should not be wasted. Community Based Early Warning and Conflict Monitoring Mechanism in To survive as a human being is Central States has been one of the possible only through love, peaceful most challenging projects WEP has coexistence and harmony. And when Thanatos is ascendent, the
54 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY instinct must be to reach out to those resist in our nature what we know we love, to see in them all the we must resist, and to affirm what divinity, pity and pathos of the we know we must affirm. Love is the human and to recognize love in the only force that finally can counter lives of others even those with the force of death, the death instinct. whom we are in conflict, love that is One cannot go through an like our own. experience of violent conflict where loved ones are killed and one is It does not mean we will avoid helpless and not understand the conflict or death nor does it mean palpable power of love, the power of that we as distinct individuals will that one act of reconciliation and survive. But love, in its mystery, has forgiveness. We therefore call on the its own power. It alone gives us Agila people (Royal and Non-Royal) meaning that endures. It alone to unite for the sake of harmony and allows us to embrace and cherish development. life. Love has the power both to
Participants at high level meeting of Agila Sons & Daughters, pose for a photograph with UNDP resident representative
55 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Annexes
56 Annexe 1
Bibliography (Abridged) Comparative History and Policy Analysis. Lagos, Panaf Publishing Aborisade, Oladimeji (ed.) 1985, Local Government and Traditional Bobboyi, H. & A. M. Yakubu (eds.) Rulers in Nigeria Ife: University of Ife 2005. Peace-building and Conflict Press Resolution in Northern Nigeria: Proceedings of the Northern Peace Abraham, G. 2001, “Africa and its Conference. Kaduna: Arewa House boundaries, a legal view: from colonialism to the African Union” in C a r n e g i e C o m m i s s i o n o n Clapham, C et al (ed.) Big African Preventing Deadly Conflict (1997) States. 2001 (ed.), “Preventing Deadly Conflict F i n a l r e p o r t ” , N e w Y o r k Abubakar, Abdulsalami A. 2001, http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sub Regional Integration and Conflict sites/ccpdc/pubs/rept97/finfr.ht Management in Africa: ECOWAS and m the Challenges of the Twenty-first Century. Annual Distinguished Codesria, 1999, “The Political Lecture, Institute of Governance Economy of Conflicts in Africa”, and Social Research (IGSR), Jos Africa Development, CODESRIA Quarterly Journal, Vol. XXIV, Addison, T; P. Le Billon & Murshed Numbers 1 and 2 S. M. 2003, Conflict in Africa: The cost of Peaceful Behaviour Journal of Collier, P. 1998, “The Political African Economics, 11(3) Economy of Ethnicity”, Center for the S t u d y o f A f r i c a n E c o n o m i e s Adewuyi, Taiye O. 2005, Spatial and Publishing, Oxford Working Paper Temporal Analysis of Ethno-religious Number 55 Conflicts in Northern Nigeria Vol I Diamond, L. 1988, Class, Ethnicity Akinwumi, Olayemi, 2004, Crises and Democracy in Nigeria, London: and Conflicts in Nigeria: A Political George Allen and Unwin History Since 1960. Münster: LIT Verlag E g b o n , M . ( 1 9 9 4 ) , S o c i a l Responsibility and The Nigerian Mass Asiwaju, A.I. 2003, Boundaries and Media: Struggles And Tactics For A African Integration: Essays In Balanced Media Coverage Of Crises,
57 ANNEXE 1 Media Review Goor et al. (eds.), Between Development and Destruction An Federal Government of Nigeria Enquiry into the Causes of Conflicts in 1999, Constitution of the Federal Post- Colonial States, Ministry of Republic of Nigeria. Foreign Affairs, The Hague, Netherlands Garfield, Richard M., & Neugut, & Alfred I. (2000), The Human Lake, D. A. and Rothchild, D. 1996. Consequences of War In Barry S. Levy 'Containing Fear: The Origins and & Victor W. Sidel (Eds.), War and Management of Ethnic Conflict' Public Health Washington D.C International Security, 21(2) American Public Health Association Lund, M.S., 1997, Preventing and Garfinkel M. R. and S. Skaperdas. Mitigating Violent Conflicts: A Revised 2000, Conflict without Misconception Guide for Practitioners, Washington or Incomplete Information. How the D C : C r e a t i v e A s s o c i a t e s Future Matters in Journal of Conflict International Resolution 44(6) Ogba, O. (1998). Political Dimensions Ibrahim, James ed. n.d. [but post- of Regional Military Cooperation in the 1998] The settler phenomenon in the Management and Resolution of Middle Belt and the problem of national Conflicts African peace review Vol.2. integration in Nigeria. Jos: Midland No. 1 Press Okafoe, F.U. (ed.) 1997, New IPCR (Institute for Peace and Strategies for Curbing Ethnic Conflict Conflict Resolution). 2002. Strategic in Nigeria Fourth Dimension Conflict Assessment, Nigeria: Publishers Consolidated Report. Nigeria: Institute for Peace and Conflict Otite, O. and Albert, I. O, 1999, Resolution, The Presidency Communal Conflicts in Nigeria, Management, Resolution and IRIN, A. 1999, Nigeria: IRIN Transformation Ibadan, Nigeria: Background Report on Communal Spectrum Books Conflicts, IRIN: United Nations Humanitarian Information Unit, Otite, Onigu, and Isaac Olawale Internet Services, Lagos Albert, (eds.), 2001, Community Conflicts in Nigeria: Management, Kokole, O. 1996, “Ethnic Conflicts Resolution, and Transformation. versus Development in Africa: Ibadan: Spectrum Books Ltd Causes and Remedies”, in L. V. De
58 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Rupersinghe, K., 1993, Early Warning and Preventive Diplomacy: A Umechukwu, P.O.J. 2001, Mass D i s c u s s i o n P a p e r , L o n d o n : M e d i a a n d N i g e r i a n S o c i e t y International Alert, February Development issues and Problems Enugu: Thompson Printing and Samarasinghe, S. W. R. and Da Silva, Publishing Co. K. M. 1993. Peace Accords and Ethnic Conflicts. International Centre for Walsh, M.T. & Blench, R. M. (eds.) Ethnic Studies, Sri-Lanka. London Resources for Understanding Conflict and New York: Pinter Publishers in Nigeria: Studies conducted 2003-06 (CD-ROM). Cambridge: Mallam Schmid, A.P., 2000, The Thesaurus Dendo Ltd. and Glossary of Early Warning and Conflict Prevention Terms, London: Yakubu, A.M., R. T. Adegboye, C. N. Forum for Early Warning and Early Ubah & B. Dogo (eds.) 2005, Crisis Response Conflict and Management in Nigeria since 1980 Volume One: Causes and Tuden A. & Plotnicov L. eds. 1970, Dimensions of Conflict Kaduna: Social Stratification in Africa New Nigerian Defence Academy York: The Free Press
59 Annexe 2
Glossary Conflict: The result of parties disagreeing about the distribution of Actors: Whosoever (individuals, material or symbolic resources and groups, and institutions) that bears acting on the basis of these part or contributes to conflict; perceived incompatibilities and/or influenced by it (positively or negatively); and/or involved in C o n f l i c t A n a l y s i s : A handling conflict comprehensive look at all aspects of a particular conflict, providing a Advocacy: Interventions or appeals "big picture" understanding of the to decision makers, power brokers, profiles, dynamics, actors and actors and other stakeholders causes of the conflict.
Beneficiaries: Recipients of outputs C o n f l i c t E n t r e p r e n e u r : deriving from specific interventions Unidentified individuals or groups and participants in the intervention that cause or fuel conflict for selfish end Capacity Building: Activities aimed at improving the expertise and skills Conflict prevention: Any attempt of personnel in relation to the to stop conflict from happening responsibilities and tasks which between individuals, groups or they will carry out institutions; and/or efforts that seek to halt a dispute from becoming Causes: Such elements that violent through proactive means contribute to grievances, they include structural (factors built into Conflict Sensitivity: The awareness policies, structures and fabric of a of the causes of historical, actual or society), proximate (factors that potential conflict, and of the provide room for violent conflict or likelihood of further conflict and its its escalation); and triggers (acts, likely severity, in terms of events etc that set conflict off) promoting an understanding of the interaction between the intervention Civil Society: A realm in which and the context. citizens freely group together according to their own chosen Conflict (Violent): Acts of open interest. It is different from the state hostility. Displays of psychological and market or physical force to resolve disagreements unilaterally
60 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Context: The environment of ex ante: Prior to the occurrence of an operation, which ranges from the event micro to the macro levels, e.g. community, local government, Programme: A proposed plan with a state, country etc. medium- to long-term focus and possibly without a defined end, Demand-driven: Bottom-up or often incorporating strategic people-driven decision-making objectives, multiple projects and process on goods/services needed activities by the society Project: Time-bound and specific Development: Activities that seek activities typically contributing to a to bring about and/or promote the larger programmatic objective, economic, political and social which are planned, implemented, condition, environmental condition, monitored and evaluated in relation stability and the quality of life of all to the issue or issues that they seek to segments of the society address
D o n o r : P h i l a n t h r o p i s t s o r Project Cycle: A framework that institutions (local & international) comprises of four key phases that make available grants and other p l a n n i n g , i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , forms of financial aid or assistance to monitoring and evaluation governments and civil society or groups N e e d s A s s e s s m e n t : P r e - intervention assessment of the D y n a m i c s ( C o n f l i c t s ) : A context in which humanitarian, relationship or interactions that development and peace-building exists between the actors in a organizations operate in order to particular conflict situation at a identify entry points and plan their particular time work
Evaluation: A one-off assessment Monitoring: Systematic and that takes place at the end of a continuous examination of a project, but can also be carried out as project's actual outputs and impacts a mid project review. It is done in during implementation relation to stated goals and objectives Sectoral Approach: A partnership Ex post factor: After the occurrence between donors and government of an event based on a government-led national
61 ANNEXE 2 poverty reduction frame work project or intervention and conflict within which there are programme factors and dynamics, set down as priorities for specific sectors e.g. required what to measure health, education etc Intervention: Policy, activity, S u p p l y - l e d : T o p - d o w n project or programme designed to (paternalistic) determination of reduce or address a development what the social needs of the people need, conflict environment or are potential conflict
Triangulation: A mix of data Management: Supervision of the gathering methods, such as desk entire process of the implementation study, qualitative surveys, expert of the intervention i n t e r v i e w s , s t a k e h o l d e r consultations and feedback Mainstreaming: To comprise as a workshops to present and discuss part. To bring about by integration conclusions. or “inclusion”
Planning: Act of identifying Micro: Minute quantities, objects or problems, explaining their causal values' and /or small Area. relationship and developing effective solutions Meso: Middle, moderate
Goal: Actors' long term aim or Macro: Long, great, big, large, etc ambition Peace: Characterized by harmony, Government: The system or order, development, justice and machinery that exercises rules over mutual coexistence a given territory and people Partners (International): Different Implementation: The process of stakeholders who are working realizing an objective and/or the together to achieve common goals operationalisation of an idea or and objectives proposal. It involves regular review to enable plans to be adjusted as Peace-building: Strategies put in necessary place to ensure peaceful relations and strengthen viable political, Indicators (conflicts): Milestones socio-economic and cultural identified in order to monitor and institutions capable of mediating evaluate the interaction between a conflict, and to strengthen other
62 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY mechanisms that will either create or c o n t e x t w i t h i n w h i c h t h e support the necessary conditions for intervention is to take place sustained peace Scenarios: An actual or hypothetical Peace-enforcement: Operations assessment/projection of what including the use of an armed forces, is/will happen next in a existing or threat of such use, in order to time frame compel combatants to cease their fighting and seek peace Sector: A part or division of (e.g. national economy, private sector, Peace keeping: The prevention or public sector, health sector) termination of violence within or Situation Analysis: An analysis of b e t w e e n s t a t e t h r o u g h t h e the state of affairs in a given place intervention of third party neutral a n d w i t h r e g a r d s t o s o m e military, police, or civilian observers p h e n o m e n a a b o u t w h i c h information is sought as a basis for Profile: The characteristics of the action
63 Annexe 3
Summary Report of Project information that gave the Team a Activitie deeper insight into the nature of the conflict, the intricacies and The realisation of key objectives and dynamics and the identification of the overall aim of the intervention some critical actors to meet during b y W o m e n E n v i r o n m e n t a l the mapping exercise, and the Programme (WEP) lay in the formation of the PICs that was implementation of specific project highly gender balanced. In view of activities. These ranged from the fractioned character of Agila making prior contacts with the there was need for the Team to be project beneficiaries, information balanced in its approach in dealing sharing workshops following the with each of the communities. conflict mapping exercise, high- level meetings and two training Information Sharing Workshop sessions. In this section, we present summary reports of these activities In order to critically validate the to give an insight into the process findings made during the conflict and the results achieved. mapping exercise in Agila and develop strategies for finding Preliminary Conflict Assessment lasting solutions to the conflict situation as well as promote In July 2009, WEP Project Team elements of dialogue and conflict made contacts with some critical p r e v e n t i o n , a n i n t e r a c t i v e s t a k e h o l d e r s i n A d o L o c a l Information Sharing Workshop was Government Area and selected organised. The workshop was held some of the beneficiaries to serve on at Makurdi, 18 19 September 2009. the Project Implementation P a r t i c i p a n t s i n c l u d e d Committee (PIC). The aim was to representatives of the aggrieved brief them of the project and seek parties in Agila community and the their support and partnership. larger section of Ado Local Those who were met during this Government Area: elders and period included the leadership of traditional leaders, women and the Ado local government council, y o u t h l e a d e r s , m e d i a traditional leaders as well as women representatives and officials of the and youth leaders in Agila (across Ado local council. the divides). Concrete achievements at the beginning of this process was Also invited to the workshop also the hand of support that was was the Benue State Surveyor extended to WEP as well as the General and a representative of positive disposition to divulge some UNDP. It is instructive to note that
64 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY even though they had desired findings of the conflict mapping observer status to the workshop, exercises. However, it provided an they unwittingly got drawn into opportunity to initiate a peace guiding the delicate dialogue and process between the factions of discussions that took place during A g i l a C o m m u n i t y t h r o u g h the workshop. r e b u i l d i n g r e l a t i o n s h i p s , reconciliation, compromise and The choice of Makurdi as venue for consensus at all levels; from the the workshop was informed by the traditional leaders, women groups polarised situation in Agila, to the youths. The aim was not only occasioned by the internal crisis that uniting the factions to enable to had divided the community into engage in a more proactive and two major factions (and another positive way the boundary dispute splinter one) since 1997, could not with their Ngbo neighbours, but permit holding the workshop in any also in ensuring that there is fertile of the splinter-communities. This ground for development of the matter was discussed with UNDP community that has suffered neglect and agreement was reached to hold and degradation over the years the workshop in the Benue State while the intra-conflict lingers. The capital at an additional cost to project as implemented by WEP was UNDP. careful not to leave out any faction in the process, as neglecting any would The workshop's technical structure make the possibility of the conflict was basically a presentation of the re-emerging very real.
Participants, resource persons, WEP project staff all pose for a group photograph during one of the training sessions
65 ANNEXE 3 During the workshop, a closed-door change their ways for the better too. meeting was arranged and held To chart a new way forward and for with actors representing the two whatever wrong that happened in major factions in Agila. Present at the past among the groups, the t h e m e e t i n g w e r e s e l e c t e d UNDP representative apologised to traditional leaders, the Ado LGA the factions of Agila in the interest of Chairman and a member of his peace, he said this is no sacrifice too Council, a youth and women much to pay for peace to reign. He representative, the Benue State called on the leaders to resolve that Surveyor General, the UNDP whoever ignites or provokes others representative, and the WEP Team. to violence will incur the wrath of the Agila nation and the entire Issues discussed included the society. He called for enhanced question of who becomes the Otse consultations between the leaders of Agila, the lingering divide among Agila. the Agila and how this impacts on their collective confrontation of the The Surveyor General of Benue boundary dispute with the Ngbo. State, Surveyor Zacharias Ade, Each party was able to discuss the appreciated the contribution of issues frankly and openly. The need everyone in the room in making f o r r e s t r a i n t , h e a l i n g a n d peace a reality. According to him, a reconciliation and a change in body house divided cannot stand and language was advocated. The makes the process of boundary Chairman of Ado LGA called for demarcation daunting. He appealed self-discipline and calm among the to the Agila communities to unite traditional rulers. He stated that and agree among themselves and leaders must be able to make encourage harmonious existence sacrifices for peace and look for a and exchange visits. To make a best way out of the quagmire. He symbolic sign of peace, he called the said he would support and two traditional leaders who were contribute to any initiatives that present at the closed-door meeting would bring back peace to Agila. He to together lift up the Executive said it was important to forget the Director of WEP who was on her past and proffer solutions to be able knees pleading to the factions for to forge ahead. On his part, Prof. peace to reign in the community. David Ker (OON) called the meeting This was done to the delight of all. a unique and historical opportunity to improve the current situation Part of the strategies employed and through sustained interaction and a practical steps taken for peace to change of body language among the reign in Agila during the workshop major parties. Once this was done, included the formation of networks the followers would expectedly by the women and youth groups.
66 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY S y m b o l i c A c t i o n s activity alongside the youths of both Ceremonial Sweeping Out communities who had also Conflict by Women in Agila arranged to hold a meeting the same Land day to encourage and show solidarity for the women. Following the resolution by the Agila people during the two-day The women alongside the WEP Information Sharing Workshop Team also paid a courtesy call on the organized WEP with support from council of elders who coincidentally UNDP, the women of both communities (Apa-Agila and Main had their meeting going on during Agila town) decided to come the exercise. It is also important to together on Saturday the 26th of state that prior to this day the September 2009 under the Agila women of both communities had Women Unite for Peace to carry out come together to form a body and a peace sensitization exercise elect their executives. These featuring a symbolic sweeping of executives were presented to the the entire community. According to council of elders who advised and the women, this symbolic sweeping admonished them to uphold virtues of the community will serve as a that would indeed bring about mark to cleanse both the Royal and lasting peace in the communities. non- Royal lineages, who are the The WEP team leader assured the genesis of the internal crisis that elders of the felicitations of UNDP erupted Agila since 1997, of evil. and assured them of the support to ensure peace is restored and The event commenced at 10 a.m. sustained in Agila. with the arrival of the women group from ApaAgila and were received The symbolic sweeping of the by their Agila counterpart. The community coming to end, the reception of women from Apa-Agila women gathered and for the first was warm and emotional as tears time in more than a decade flowed down the cheeks of many refreshed themselves to the who had not seen their siblings and amazement of some of the men in relations for over a decade the community who watched from a distance while a good number The sweeping exercise lasted about identified with them. Amongst the six hours as the women joyfully men who identified with the women sang and danced throughout the were Chief Otokpa Edeh (Main community while praying and Agila), Chief Obande (Apa-Agila) sweeping. It is important to note that and Chief Michael Agbese. about 300 women turned out for this The occasion also witnessed the
67 ANNEXE 3 presence of media practitioners,, peace-building and reconciliation especially the Manager Radio Benue process. The sweeping was carried (Zone C) substation. out by both Agila and Apa-Agila women with the youths and When interviewed, the President of community leaders participating. Agila Women Unite for Peace expressed her profound gratitude to In his opening remarks Hon. WEP and UNDP and stated that her Ocheme, former Vice Chairman joy knew no bounds as she had long Ado LGA, stated that UNDP's waited for that day. She assured the intervention in the Agila crisis is WEP team of her determination to timely. He further said that apart ensure and promote lasting peace from the conflict that Agila is and unity amongst the women in the experiencing in recent years, water community as she also said she is another problem in both Agila and lacked words to express her joy and Apa-Agila, though the quality of appreciation to God, for such a water is good, the terrain is made up timely intervention. of weak clay soil that does not retain water. In terms of diseases, Hon. Chief Ede, while expressing his Ocheme said Agila used to happiness, went further to state that experience guinea worm epidemics, more still needed to be done most which have reduced as a result of especially as peace had returned to intervention by government the community. He emphasized through the Water Environment infrastructural development as a and Sanitation (WES) unit of Ado major way to ensure that peace LGA with the support of Water Aid remains in the community. This and in which WEP is also building according to him would engage the the capacity of the communities youths and indeed the entire under Community Total Led community and keep them busy Sanitation (CLTS). giving them little or no time to engage in conflicts. The acting Otse Agila, Chief Mike Agbese, granted an interview to one Symbolic Sweeping out of the journalists present. One of Conflict: Second Round such questions was after the experience sharing workshop, how The second round of Sweeping out did the chief assess the behaviour of Conflict in Agila by Women Unite his people? Chief Agbese in for Peace in Agila took place on 10th response said that change is evident October 2009 at Apa-Agila. The especially in terms of interaction, activity is one of the resolutions by even at the peak of the conflict, the Agila men and women as part of the
68 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
Following the symbolic cleansing, Agila women call on the traditional leaders
Apa-Agila people who lived along UNDP and WEP for this wonderful the only major road linking the two initiative. He further stated that the communities did not molest any community members trekked for person from the other side of the about three kilometres, which was a divide, as they are considered wonderful thing. He equally stated themselves brothers and sisters. that people should change their idea of using their resources for buying T h e s w e e p i n g c o m m e n c e d arms to fight their brothers; instead afterwards, covering a distance of they should concentrate their about three kilometres. resources to sponsor their children or relatives in schools. He equally The Chairlady of Women Unite for solicited UNDP to assist in tackling Peace in Agila stated that women the poor infrastructural base of are rallying points for any Agila. Anybody who wants to fight development, be it political, social or and the conflict to linger should use economical, so women should his or her own children, he advised. consider the peace process as a baby. She reaffirmed that this is because Chief Agbese stated that since peace every woman knows, when, where has been restored in Agila, he is and how to talk to her baby as well presenting this request to WEP and as their husbands, it is women that UNDP that the problem of water will make this process successful. supply could be achieved because the youths' are ready to ensure the Chief Agbese, in his closing sustenance of the project. remarks, appreciated the efforts of
69 ANNEXE 3 On how to monitor the peace stakeholders, parties and actors process, Chief Agbese said Agila involved in the Agila peace process people have their ways of doing for frank discussions on the issues, things; the elders, youths, women thus providing grounds for and children have their punishment convergence and resolution of the whenever one of them commits any bone of contention which is the offence, so when UNDP eventually royals versus the non-royals. disengages, Agila people should be able to continue from where UNDP Involved in facilitating the meeting stops in ensuring that peace is was the Benue State Government maintained and sustained. through the offices of the Deputy Governor, HRH Oche Idoma of Mrs. Elizabeth Jeiyol, who Idoma Land, the Special Advisers represented the Executive Director on Conflict Resolution and Security. of WEP, in her remarks stated that The Benue State Government what she observed in Agila made sponsored its officials as well as her believe that even if UNDP were members of the State House of to pull out, the youths and women Assembly and some community will continue doing things that will members to participate in the empower them and will have meeting. The chairman of Ado Local something to sustain the peace Government led the Council team process, as sustainable peace in comprising officials and staff to the Agila will stimulate development meeting. The meeting opened with a partners to assist the community prayer in both English and Idoma rebuild its decayed infrastructure. languages.
High Level Meeting of Prominent Opening Remarks by UNDP Sons & Daughters of Agila Representatives
A High Level meeting involving a Mr. Matthew Alao of the UNDP number of prominent sons and emphasized the need to design a daughters of Agila extraction was lasting peace process in Agila and in held on Tuesday 20 October 2009 at p l a n n i n g s t r a t e g i e s f o r the United Nations House, Abuja, development. Giving a broad under the aegis of WEP and UNDP. overview of the project, he stated that the purpose was to develop and Although not initially planned for test a pilot conflict early warning during the projects conception, the system and a rapid-response meeting was deemed necessary by mechanism in Agila, however, the both UNDP and WEP as it became scenario changed when the i m p e r a t i v e t o b r i n g m a j o r intervention started.
70 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY dialogue and communication can The proliferation of arms in the only begin when people tell each conflict area was a matter of concern other hard truths and that each and he therefore called on delegates person is open to accepting certain to frankly discuss issues involved to truths and facts. He appealed for ensure the success of the Agila peace frankness, openness, understanding p r o c e s s . H e s t a t e d t h a t and willingness on the side of the demobilization, disarmament and parties to forgive each other. reintegration of former combatants is government business and a He said conflicts have devastating situation where the government of effects and that rebuilding takes a Benue State is fully involved in the long time and a lot of resources. A whole processes that would lead to climate of peace is a necessary healing of wounds and bring about condition for development and the l a s t i n g p e a c e i s h i g h l y key actors and stakeholders should recommended. He appealed to all work towards this. He said the conflict merchants to channel their role of women in the process is resources to the development of the commendable and that they needed area instead of sponsoring crises the support of all and sundry. and violence. Some critical questions were asked of the Opening Statement by Priscilla government and other stakeholders Achakpa, Executive Director WEP on how to resolve the crisis and other key issues. Ms. Achakpa traced a brief history of the consultancy service WEP is In his comments, Dr. Abiodun providing to UNDP. The desire to Onadipe (UNDP) stated UNDP's make a positive change propelled interest in the process (as enunciated WEP to apply for the consultancy by Mr. Mathew Alao) and hoped the and intervene in Agila. She went meeting would help the process further to explain how the project succeed. In dealing with the started with the help of UNDP, how resolution of the inter-communal WEP was selected, how mapping of conflict in the area, it was necessary the conflict was conducted in Agila for the Agila people to do away with community, assuming that the crisis internal frictions and divides. The was just a boundary dispute internal dimension of the crisis was between the Agila and Ngbo an unintended result of the project community, but discovering that but then its management will impact there was a more debilitating positively on resolving the external c o n f l i c t w i t h i n t h e A g i l a conflict. He stated that healing, community. These discoveries were
71 ANNEXE 3 startling to say the least, particularly The special adviser informed on the internal nature of the conflict. participants that the Benue State As a result, WEP sought UNDP's Governor and the Deputy Governor permission to expand the Terms of (who chairs the Benue State Reference and deepen the level of Boundary sub-committee) sent their intervention. She informed that the good tidings to the UNDP and WEP main purpose of bringing the for facilitating a meeting where prominent actors in the Agila critical issues on peaceful co- conflict to Abuja was to facilitate existence would be discussed, went honest dialogue in breaking the f u r t h e r t o s t a t e t h a t t h e impasse that followed the violent administration of Governor Gabriel clashes over a decade ago, as well as Suswam is very much disposed to beginning a lasting process towards the intervention in ensuring peace in resolving the boundary dispute any part of the state and the work of with the Ngbos of Ebonyi State. non-state actors is critical to the process and very much welcomed. She went further to briefly assess the He commended UNDP and WEP for project thus far, stating the process the attempt at resolving the disputes WEP went through to bring the in Agila. Agila community together, like the Information Sharing Workshop, the He admitted that the state subsequent formation of the women government had met in the past and youth groups. She listed some of with representatives of Ebonyi State the few activities that were being government in the attempt to carried out at Agila community. She resolve the boundary dispute commended the Surveyor General between the two states and that the of Benue State on his enormous Agila/Ngbo axis had proved to be a efforts and support towards peace- difficult one. Certain challenges building in Agila community. She marred the field work of the Joint informed the participants that the Technical Team that was constituted peace-building exercise in Agila was b y t h e N a t i o n a l B o u n d a r y one of the numerous activities WEP Commission. He said it was was going to undertake in other therefore imperative for the people parts of Benue State. of Agila to resolve whatever B e n u e S t a t e G o v e r n m e n t differences they had among Delegation themselves as it is a prerequisite to negotiating with the Ngbo i. Special Adviser to the Benue community. State Government on Conflict Resolution ii. P e r m a n e n t S e c r e t a r y ,
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Internal Affairs, Office of the Agila. According to him, everyone Deputy Governor was desirous of peace and called on Benue State is vulnerable to delegates to be very open in different kinds of crises. Efforts in discussing issues that divide the prevention have had results of community. He invoked the wrath varying degrees so the efforts of of the gods of Idomaland on any WEP in resolving the Agila conflict person working against peace in will be a test case that could be used Agila. He thanked UNDP and WEP in other conflict locations in the for the particular interest in Ado state. He appealed to WEP to ensure Local Government. He said peace p r o p e r d o c u m e n t a t i o n a n d would continue to reign in Agila transmission of project findings and land and offered prayers for the lessons learned. continuous peace in Agila land.
On the issue of infrastructural iv. Representatives of Youth d e v e l o p m e n t i n A g i l a , t h e and Women Groups Permanent Secretary confirmed that Both representatives were grateful work was in progress on the especially for the steps taken so far, Otukpo-Agila road through their participation in the peace Igumale. The National Boundary process and peace-building Commission had also requested for activities, and pledged their the completion of this road and the commitment to continue working presence of community projects towards peace in Agila. While the along the border. On disarmament youth leader thanked the UNDP a n d i n t e g r a t i o n o f f o r m e r and WEP for the intervention in the combatants, he said that this was an crisis and bringing peace to Agila issue that could not be handled by community, thus addressing the use the state government alone but of illicit drugs and hard drinks by would require the involvement of youths, the women leader said that other stakeholders notably UNDP the women will strive to embrace and he called on WEP to incorporate peace by talking to their husbands, this in the final report. t h e i r c h i l d r e n a n d a m o n g themselves and to work harder to iii. R e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f m a k e p e a c e w i t h i n A g i l a Ochi'Idoma community a reality. T h e r e p r e s e n t a t i v e o f t h e Ochi'Idoma Elias Ikoyi Obekpa said V. Chief Samuel Edeh Otokpa His Royal Highness was extremely (Clan Head, Agila) d e l i g h t e d w i t h t h e r e c e n t Chief Samuel Edeh Otokpa is one of development in respect of peace in the clan heads in the non-royal
73 ANNEXE 3 segment of Agila. He called for a p e a c e p r o c e s s w h e n W E P new pro-peace mindset in Agila. He approached him for discussions on said elites should be part of the the internal dimension of the healing process in the community conflict, but the outcome of the and not be responsible for division. information Sharing Workshop in He decried the lack of infrastructure Makurdi, the process of neutrality in in Agila and called on the which WEP had undertaken in the government to do more in this whole process but most especially respect. the success stories that had came of the process made him have more vi. Chief Michael Agbese (Ortse confidence in the organization of Agila, Acting District Head of UNDP and WEP, which made him Agila) to be more involved in the process. He declared that elders are Of particular interest was the fact contributors or stakeholders in any that since the intra conflict in 1997, situation. He asked a critical UNDP through WEP was the only question on whether peace should organization that had been able to return to Agila and the answer was a bring them (Royals versus Non- r e s o u n d i n g Y E S f r o m t h e royals) together for dialogue and participants. He said bickering that it was not an accident that Agila should give way to constructive was chosen as a pilot location for dialogue. peace process by the UNDP. He asked for patience as the results of vii. Chief Dan Agbese the peace-building efforts would be His statement was two-fold: first in slow in coming and added that English and a longer version in the peace building was not an easy task. local Agila dialect. He expressed personal delight in meeting those viii. Representative of Chief Mike that have began the peace and Onoja healing processes in Agila, a The representative sang in the local community that has witnessed d i a l e c t b e f o r e m a k i n g h i s internal and external upheavals. He presentation. According to him, the recalled his personal efforts at negatives should give way to the different times in ensuring that the positives stating that enough was crisis within his community did not enough. There was the abundance of escalate but with minimal success. both natural and human resources He pledged his support to ensuring in Agila and that if the community sustainable peace and reconciliation was united, anything could be in Agila. He said initially he was achieved. For 'outsiders' (UNDP apprehensive as to the success of the and WEP) to take the bull by the
74 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY horns in tackling the Agila issue, Munchi and Muri provinces was then he Chief Mike Onoja was reported stabilized. committed completely in giving his full support. The colonial masters noticing the stabilisation (rate of migration/ unit He stated without equivocation that time being constant) decided to the resolution of the problem rested establish the Agila Forest Reserve between him (Chief Mike Onoja) Ordnance of 1959 in the Northern and Chief Dan Agbese. They are Nigerian Gazette. The southern however the best of friends who portions of the boundary of this communicate with each other and Forest Reserve coincided with the both are looking forward to boundary between the southern and establishing peace in Agila n o r t h e r n p r o v i n c e s w h i c h Community and that as a person he metamorphosed from the southern/ will stand by every move made northern protectorates established towards peace. by colonial administrators. ix. Chairman of Ado Local The Legal Notice 126 of 1954 defined Govt. Area this boundary making the Agila The Chairman Hon. James Edeh Forest Reserve Ordnance as a check stated once more that a resolution of d o c u m e n t a g a i n s t a n y b o d y the internal and external conflict in c o n t e s t i n g w i t h A d o l o c a l Agila would be a tremendous boost government area on all the four t o h i s a d m i n i s t r a t i o n . H e subsectors of the boundary. appreciated the approach taken by UNDP and WEP in resolving this Field Work and pledged the support of the local Work started sometime in 1999 government in the process. with the use of this forest reserve ordnance to checkmate the protests x. Surveyor General of Benue given by the Ngbos over the use of State names of rivers like Okpinya, Idaka Surveyor Zacharias Ade gave a etc. Here the Ngbos frustrated the summary of findings on the Benue/ work. Ebonyi interstate boundary issue. Field tracing again started According to him, there exists a between 2006 and2007 and this time conflict on land boundary between the whole boundary was traced/ Benue and Ebonyi State (Benue/ identified. Cartographic production Ebonyi interstate boundary). This proved that the boundary was plot- conflict dates back to 1935 when the table and so could be traced on the district re-organisation in the Kabba, ground. It was however discovered
75 ANNEXE 3 that the Ngbos had broken the General's advice, the Permanent pillars which were constructed by Secretary added that there is a well the colonial surveyors during the established boundary; therefore the early delimitation. government is working towards In 2008, more precisely on the making its clear definition a 1 6 t h S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 8 , t h e possibility. He said all efforts should monumentation started at Oju/ be made both by the government Ebonyi subsector and 1 ½ months and the Agila community to work were used. The Ezzi/ Ado subsector together and not complicate was met with resistance and when matters. the Ado local government has provided all the needed logistics for Discussions and Comments the Joint Technical Team in the S a m u e l O n a z i f r o m A g i l a location including police as the Ezzi community appreciated the efforts local could not meet the requirement of UNDP and WEP for bringing of the Team. The team charged peace in Agila. He also said that direction to Ishelu local government everyone should avoid self denial and completed the work at Ishelu/ and need to admit their faults in the Ado subsector but could not start at entire episode asking for genuine Agila/ Ngbo (Ado/ Ohaukwu) desire for peace on the side of subsector. everyone. He expressed his doubt that everyone present at the meeting The Surveyor General advised the was sincere on transmitting the Agila people not to be deceived by message of peace to Agila anybody claiming to come and community. He asked WEP some dialogue with the community on the critical questions: boundary problem as government Was there any mechanism put in has taken over the matter. He said no place to address issues of ensuring form of dialogue or signing of any peace in Agila? d o c u m e n t g i v e n t o A g i l a If everyone has agreed they had community should be accepted wronged someone, and then which because the government might should be pursued as the best move encounter a problem in helping in forward? the boundary issues. He also In reply the Executive Directive of appealed to Agila community to be WEP said the problem of Agila has very careful at this point because been recognized, therefore the their enemies might take advantage selection process for participants in of the fractured nature of Agila. the different phases of the project was purposely made to reach Adding his voice to the Surveyor everyone. She said in every problem
76 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY there is a solution and that any intervention that UNDP and WEP conflict is resolved amicably had come to their rescue. She said depending on the way and manner the peace issue should be taken it is handled. She said the seriously and appealed to everyone responsibility rest on the district to accept the challenge of bringing head of Agila to continue to ensure peace to Agila. She commended the peace as some level of differences Agila women for a job well done on and disputes cannot be resolved the formation of their association, house to house by WEP; there are the fasting and prayers, symbolic strategies the community could cleansing of conflict in Agila. In employ in solving these problems. support of the women's initiative, she pledged N20, 000 for the women In reply Chief Ede Otokpa also said unite for peace in Agilaland. that the selection process was done properly because every clan from Chief Mrs Regina Agbese said that the Main Agila was represented. there are two different people who were present, some to just listen and Hon. Ogaba Ede thanked the efforts others to listen and accept their of all the chiefs and the government faults. She advised the Agila people and said that any society that is built to forgive each other and proposed on inequality cannot guarantee the suggestions to help in the presence of peace. He said the development of the community. She fundamental issues on inequality also supported the women should be addressed in Agila as initiatives for peace by donating several government officials has N30, 000 cash towards the been sent to resolve the conflict in registration organization with the Agila but with no success, therefore Corporate Affairs Commission the issue of non-royals and royals (CAC) tagged Women Unite for should be seriously addressed in Peace in Agilaland. other to avoid future occurrences of conflict. Hon. Mrs Rose Ameh, a member of the Ado Local Government Council, Princess Orkar said that Agila advised that there was no point in should make among them an pointing accusing fingers and example of peace. She cited an blaming each other, whether as example of America who finally royal or non-royal, everyone is equal elected Barack Obama (a black and therefore should work together African American) as president. She towards peace and begged said that everyone has their government support in the whole grievances but it is with God's peace process.
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It was observed that poverty is the formed. He also spoke about the tap root for all problems. However need to empower the youths for there is the need for planned enhanced livelihoods. development in which the youths and women will be empowered UNDP Resident Representative's rather than the divide and rule Comments & Closure strategy which currently is in place. The Resident Representative of the UNDP acknowledged the presence Developing of Communiqué & of delegates to the high level Resolution for Peace in Agila meeting. He stated that the issue of At the end of the meeting's peace-building was an important exhaustive deliberations and one for UNDP not only in Nigeria discussions, a communiqué and a but for the rest of the world as it statement was issued and adopted pertains to development. He in plenary. The text of the appreciated the trust Agila had in Communiqué is presented below: the UN and also thanked Agila and the Benue State government for The Chairman of the Ado LGA supporting the peace process. He expressed happiness and gratitude informed participants that Benue towards the success of this program state is one of the six states in Nigeria and donated the sum of N100, 000 in that the UN is focusing on and support of the peace process. would go extra length in supporting the peace initiatives. The meeting The youth leader requested for was officially closed by UNDP funds for the registration of the Resident Representative. youth network that has been
The High Level Meeting of stakeholders on the Agila internal crisis was held in the UNDP hall, UN House Abuja to discuss at the higher level the way forward on the road map to peace in Agila land. The Benue State delegation was led by Hon. Titus Madugu while the Agila community was led by Chief Michael Agbese. The Ochi Idoma was represented while the UNDP was led in delegation by Dr. Aboidun Onadipe. Ms. Priscilla Achakpa led the delegation of Women Environmental Programme. The Chairman of Ado Local Government was in attendance. After exhaustive deliberations, the following resolutions were reached:
1. The meeting commended the efforts of the Benue State government in resolving the boundary dispute with Ebonyi State and requested that the state should not relent in her efforts at the ongoing demarcation and monumentation exercise.
78 2. There must be internal unity and peace between the community members to enable resolution between the Agila and Ngbo to be addressed.
3. The issue of the royal and the non-royal as a conflict in Agila should be referred to Idoma area traditional for consideration. The meeting frowned at the way the conflict has taken the community back and sued for arrest of this situation to allow development to come back to Agila.
4. The federal and state governments are requested to consider efforts at developing Agila. Such development as roads like the Agila Igumale and Agila Ngbo are of paramount importance as they are tied to the security of Agila people.
5. There should be conscious efforts by the state government to increase staff strength to the government school and the community school in the area to boost the quality education.
6. The meeting resolved also that the Local government chairman should grade the road to Agila from Igumale and update the medical facilities in the Agila clinic and attach a youth corp doctor there.
7. No part of Agila community should be fooled into signing an agreement with the people of Ngbo on the interstate boundary.
8. The state government should repost a judge back to the grade II customary court now that peace has returned.
UNDP is urged to show case Agila as best practice in the resolution of crisis.
UNDP Resident Representative addressing participants at the high level meeting at UN house, Abuja
79 Annexe 4 Terms of Reference
PROGRAMME: Governance and Human Rights
ACTIVITY: Strengthening Community Based Early Warning and Conflict Monitoring Mechanism in Central States
Background Information: local actors as well as deep-seated Nigeria faces significant challenges divisions among the latter, have to its development efforts in the hampered these efforts. form of sporadic eruptions of violence in various parts of the While a number of laudable efforts country, such as the Niger Delta and have been launched at the local level the central states. These episodes of to mediate an end to the protracted violence over resources and identity inter-ethnic and inter-religious expressed in Nigeria is common to violence, these efforts have yet to m a n y d e v e l o p i n g s o c i e t i e s coalesce into an infrastructure for undergoing rapid change and may sustained management and be linked to the fact that the mitigation of penrennial disputes development process inevitably over land, resources, indigenes and causes conflicts, as significant settles issues, representation and resources and relations between local rights that manifest as political groups and sectors are redefined, or religious conflicts. a n d n e w p o w e r e q u a t i o n s established. Central Nigerian states have been especially prone to violence in In recent years, Nigeria has brought recent years, largely along significant resources to bear on communal or religious lines. These addressing violent internal conflicts, conflicts over land, pasture, including a strong recognition on boundary demarcation, chieftaincy the part of federal authorities that rights, have particularly affected these conflicts could threaten Plateau, Nassarawa, Taraba, Bauchi, Nigeria's cohesion and stability if Kaduna and Benue states. left unaddressed. Federal and state governments have been working Justification: closely with civil society to support a T h e r e l a t i o n s h i p b e t w e e n number of peace-making efforts in development and conflict has long these conflict flashpoints. However, been established. Violent conflict mistrust of officialdom on the part of invariably impacts on national
80 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY development through destruction skills and tools to track, monitor and and vandalisation of property and rapidly respond to conflict in their loss of lives ultimately deepening locality; the level of poverty and lowering the To ensure the effective country's human development implementation of the conflict indices. Thus development and early warning and response peacebuilding must be regarded as system in the community; integral parts of the social, political T o e n h a n c e e f f e c t i v e and economic realities in Nigeria. partnership between CBOs in Minimizing conflict and sustaining this community and officials at peace are imperative, albeit difficult the state and local government tasks that require the support of levels in responding to conflict everybody especially CSOs with the in the pilot community. required experience, skills and Working with and through c a p a c i t y t o e n g a g e p u b l i c traditional authorities, and i n s t i t u t i o n s a n d o f f i c i a l s . amplifying the voices of Government has taken initiatives to women and young people, address violent conflict but recent facilitate processes that allow developments in Plateau state have communities affected by shown that peacebuilding cannot be conflict to play a prominent left to government alone. role in resolution.
Purpose Specific Tasks T h e m a i n p u r p o s e o f t h i s Identification/mapping of intervention is to develop and test a conflict issues/factors/actors pilot conflict early warning system in the community. as well as a rapid-response Develop/adapt training mechanism in the Agila community m a n u a l a n d o r g a n i z e in Benue state sharing a contentious p e a c e b u i l d i n g s k i l l s border with the neighboring w o r k s h o p s f o r community in Ebonyi state, which C B O s / g o v e r n m e n t has resulted in violent clashes and officials/media. Focus may heightened insecurity. include conflict mediation t r a i n i n g c o m m u n i t y Objectives workshops and/or arbitration The objectives of the intervention forums. are: Facilitate the establishment and testing of an early warning To support the identified and early response system for community to effectively utilize
81 ANNEXE 4
the community. report will describe work Activities and processes that carried out and results strengthen the capacity of civil obtained. The CSO will present society organisations as findings to UNDP and based facilitators of peacebuilding on feedback from UNDP, the processes; CSO will provide a final report. Set up a peacebuilding . Final Report within 2 (two) network of CBOs/individuals w e e k s a f t e r r e c e i v i n g in the community. comments on the draft final report. The final report will Reporting and Deliverables describe the overall work The CSO is required to submit the carried out and results Following reports: answering to the objectives (1- 4) stated in 2 above. . Inception Report submitted not later than 2 weeks after Project Outputs/Deliverables: c o m m e n c e m e n t o f t h e C o n f l i c t i s s u e s i n t h e assignment. The report will community mapped and outline understanding of the documented Terms of Reference, overview Training manual developed of methodology and data and tested analysis that are planned to be Early warning and early used along with the work plan, r e s p o n s e m e c h a n i s m describing how work will be developed and tested in the scheduled and providing community. milestones for completion of I d e n t i f i e d C B O s / N G O s key activities. trained on how to monitor and . Monthly Reports submitted no respond to conflict issues in the later than one week after the community end of the month describing Existence of peacebuilding a c t i v i t i e s u n d e r t a k e n , network/individuals in the successes recorded, challenges community. faced (and how they were C o m p e t e n t addressed or mitigated) and CBOs/NGOs/Individuals to lessons learned within the monitor/respond to conflict reporting period. issues within the community. . Draft Final Report submitted within the time frame of the Qualifications: assignment and not later than Interested CSOs must have: week 12 of the assignment. The
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Substantive and technical Proven ability to train, build expertise of not less than 10 capacity and provide timely years in one or more of the policy advice following areas: Proven strong networking and o C o n f l i c t a n a l y s i s a n d advocacy ability assessment. Good knowledge of the north o Facilitating multi-stakeholder central zone, including the national/local dialogues for political, economic and social tension reduction. dimensions, and their relation o B u i l d i n g c a p a c i t i e s t o to the main engines of conflict manage/prevent/reduce in the zone. conflict. o C o n f l i c t s e n s i t i v e Duration: 3 months programming.
83 Annexe 5
G u i d e f o r D i s c u s s i o n s & - Underlying tensions that may Interviews have provoked the conflict Understanding the Conflict: What is Parties about? History and Root Causes, Identification of all parties involved positions and interests at stake, in the conflict dimensions of conflict; what resources are at stake? Issues Understanding the Parties: Who are What fundamental issues define the they? What is their base of authority conflict? and influence of leadership? Are there people who are benefiting Phases from the conflict? What are the critical phases in the Understanding the Larger Context: escalation of the conflict? Identify indigenous efforts & institutions for managing conflict External Influences The external influences can be many The Context and varied. These influences can be Geographical location of the conflict broadly divided into those that feed and particularly its regional setting into the conflict and those that work Demographical details (social and to alleviate it. In the mapping cultural distinctions that exist and the conditions of life that influence process it is necessary to know about the conflict) Analysis of economic the external influences that impact and developmental trends in the negatively or positively on a conflict area conflict. History Effects What is the conflict's history? There What has been the effect of the is need to develop a time chart for conflict and its impact on the conflict, outlining its duration, development? Economic, political, significant dates, periods of conflict escalation, mediation attempts, and social and psychological any other event of significance. Root Causes Women and Youths - Identify the events that triggered How have women/ youths the conflict experienced the conflict? What - Historical, political, social, happened to them? economic, cultural dimensions of How were the elderly affected by the the conflict conflict?
84 Annexe 6 Archival Documents
85 ANNEXE 6
86 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
87 ANNEXE 6
88 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
89 ANNEXE 6
90 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
91 ANNEXE 6
92 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
93 ANNEXE 6
94 CONFLICT IN THE MIDDLEBELT REGION OF NIGERIA: ENGENDERING PEACE IN AGILA COMMUNITY
95 ANNEXE 6
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97