Visions and deeds for a peaceful Nigeria

Christian and Muslim children in the interfaith peace village Gurku in Nigeria. Photo: Mathias Waldmeyer/Mission 21

Nigeria remains in the headlines. In Africa's most populous country, the crisis in the northern parts of the country is visibly worsening. The lines of conflict run through various sectors and social groups. As part of its Dialog International series, Mission 21 invited experts from Nigeria to an online discussion on October 21 entitled "Interreligious conflict or climate war?" in order to better understand the development and discuss ways out of the crisis.
The guests, who are working in various projects for the population in Nigeria, made the complexity of the situation visible in the conversation on the one hand, on the other hand they conveyed with their reports that the people are persistently involved in peace-building projects.

Climate heating and social pressure
John Danboyi works as coordinator of the Peace Training Centre (PTC), which offers workshops on nonviolent conflict resolution, among other things. In the north, nomadic, predominantly Muslim herders and sedentary, mostly Christian farmers are clashing with increasing violence. He observes how increasing drought due to the climate crisis is driving this development. Herders sometimes destroy fields in search of food for their livestock, and on the other hand, livestock is stolen from them. Individual groups become criminals, attack villages and kill the inhabitants.
For Aisha Junaid Bello, religious leaders are partly responsible for the hardening of relations between religions. The Muslim works for the non-governmental organization LCGI, a partner organization of Mission 21. It is important to name the climate crisis as a cause of the problem, she says. Aimu Sunday also works for the LCGI, coordinating its work in the city of Jos. He emphasizes that conflicts in Nigeria are primarily caused by economic factors, and that this is often not made clear enough.

Microcredits and peacebuilding workshops
For Yakubu Joseph, coordinator of Mission 21 in Nigeria, it is also the authorities who are doing too little to address the root causes of the conflicts. Yakubu was brought in by moderator Claudia Buess of Mission 21, when the internet connection to Aimu broke down.
All four experts agreed that it was important to strengthen the local people all the more consistently. Aisha does this, among other things, with small loans granted by the LCGI. This enables women to set up a small business. The LCGI also combats prejudices with interreligious offers. Aisha says she experienced a "Vocational Training" in which young people began to participate in hostility and then exchanged phone numbers and became friends.

Fighting poverty with vocational training
For John, it is central that participants in peacebuilding workshops recognize that for both religions, Christianity and Islam, peace is a central element.
Finally, Yakubu emphasizes how crucial vocational training is for young people, training such as that offered by the church EYN. Mission 21 also supports the work of EYN. This opportunity is an important step out of poverty, says Yakubu.
Over 30 interested people took part in the dialogue conducted in English, listened and also asked questions in the chat. The gratifying interest in this challenging topic is also a sign of hope in these difficult times for Nigeria.

Text: Christoph Rácz

â–º Mission 21's peacebuilding in Nigeria
â–º Next Dialog International on 24.11. at 6 p.m.: "Right to education for girls and women in Tanzania".

 

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