Centre trains Benue traditional rulers on conflict resolutions

The Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue (HD) has said that mediation and negotiation training will boost the experience and equipped the traditional rulers with knowledge and skills in management and conflict resolution.

The Country Manager of HD, Dr. Chris Agoha, said this on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of a three-day ‘Mediation and Negotiation Training for Benue State Traditional Rulers’.

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He expressed hope that the participants, at the end of the training would be eminently qualified as first responders in efforts to prevent, mitigate and resolve local level conflicts, before any external interventions where applicable.

“With HD’s continuing engagement in Benue State, we hope that the training of traditional rulers would see improvement and lasting peace in the communities within their respective domain,” he said.

He also that the centre began its mission to prevent, mitigate and resolve armed conflicts through dialogue and mediation in Benue State in November 2017 at the invitation of the state Governor Samuel Ortom.

He said, “The preliminary interventions included conflict assessments which offered a window into the major conflict issues and actors in the state.

“Following the assessment, HD established a Benue Mediation Process comprising representation from 10 ethnic communities, religious leaders, traditional rulers, women leaders, youth leaders, leaders of community development associations and respected opinion leaders.”

The Tor Tiv, Prof. James Iorzua Ayatse, who is also the Chairman of Traditional Rulers Council in Benue State, said the training would further equip them with the knowledge and skills in conflict resolution.

He said that the important role of traditional rulers is maintenance of peace, law and order in their domains and this training is about mediation, negotiation and conflict resolution.

“The training is important because it will further equip us with the skills and tools to do what we have been doing in a more scientific, systematic and organised way.

“So, we expect that the training will be interactive, we will share with them our experiences and they will bring the tool that they have that will help our particular needs and situation in our domains.”

On his part, the Director-General, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Malam Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, represented by the Director of Multi-Channel, Mr Iorhen Kwange said Benue needed peace because the state contributed immensely to the unity and progress of the nation.