Dividers and connectors in peace building

Hunger is one of the strong dividers in human existence while abundant food is a strong connector that brings people together. Hunger has turned some people to slaves, thugs and hero worshippers. Even the devil knows the danger of hunger and how food can make some people foolish in worshiping creatures in preference to the creator. Poverty has made some poor people worshippers of the rich. Imagine how the devil wanted to distract Jesus with food. “Filled with the Holy Spirit, Jesus left the Jordan and was led by the Spirit through the wilderness, being tempted there by the devil for forty days. During that time, he ate nothing and at the end he was hungry. Then the devil said to him, if you are the Son of God, tell this stone to turn into bread. But Jesus replied, Scripture says: Man does not live on bread alone (Luke 4:1-4). The desire to turn stone to bread is a serious source of conflict. Some are ready to take human life to occupy leadership positions to amass so much wealth that would enable them keep the poor as perpetual slaves. Even the climate change in the world today is the effort of the human person to turn stone to bread. This has affected green vegetation, aquatic life, deforestation and environmental pollution which have become parts of the dividers in the world.

We can go further to identify the types of conflicts in the different context and places in Nigeria. This would assist the Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) and all who have passion for peace building through sacrificial and sincere dialogue to address these challenges. This is one of the reasons for the National Consultative forum that was organized by NIREC on February 27, 2019 at NICON Luxury, Abuja. Every National Inter-Religious Council in Africa is requested by the African Council of Religious leaders (ACRL) to organize this forum in preparation for the 10th world Assembly of Religions for Peace (RfP) in Lidau, Germany. The entire world is in need of peace hence the commission paper in preparation for the world assembly states that violent conflict, war and terrorist attacks are most obvious expressions of aggression, intolerance, and disharmony in our world today. However, widespread inequality, exploitation and oppression have now become destructive and devastating around the world.

Hunger is a product of injustice in the distribution of resources. This is why it is very sad that injustice in Nigeria has taken a ‘structural’ form of conflict and violence. Greed for power and governance has made politics appear like a very serious divider at all levels of human existence in Nigeria. Desire for prestige positions has separated some close relatives and friends in the political history of many nations. This has made politics a double edge sword that can even penetrate the unity that exists in religion and traditional institutions. Over-ambition for political positions have turned neighbours into guerilla warriors with their native communities as battle fields for guerilla warfare. So, the desperation to win elections has turned election fields to battle fields. Whereas leadership ought to be a connector in the political, social and religious life of the people, those who should be leaders have made themselves rulers who promise to turn stone to bread for their supporters. A true leader ought to be a connector because he or she ought to transcend party, tribe and religious affiliation. It is only good governance that can eradicate all forms of conflicts and violence. How do you access an election where some people are celebrating their victory over their dead victims? How do you access an election where indigenes mobilize militia to kill their own kindred just because of political differences?

This is why one could be right to conclude that the greatest divider in peacebuilding today is ‘democratic coup’ where power is taken against the will of the electorate. It is worse if this power is not used for the common good and the result is anger, deprivation, conflict, loss of value for life and violence. It is sad that some political actors who promote conflicts and violence do not fall from the sky. They live among us and belong to different communities. They are not atheist. They profess faith in God either as Christians or Muslims. These people perhaps believe in prayer and fasting. They believe in life, death, hell or heaven. The Christians have started the Lenten season, a month of fasting, penance, repentance and change of attitude. In times like these, Christians must hearken to these words of the Prophet: “It is the Lord who speaks – come back to me with all your heart, fasting, weeping, mourning. Let your hearts be broken, not your garments torn, turn to the Lord your God again, for he is all tenderness and compassion, slow to anger, rich in mercy and ready to relent (Joel 2:12-13). According to Pope Francis, God is never tired of forgiving us; we are the ones who are tired of seeking his mercy.

The Actors of conflict or peacebuilding could be an individual, organization, community, traditional rulers, religious leaders or political leaders. To contribute to the peacebuilding process, we must renounce ourselves and our selfish desires. Jesus Christ instructed his followers: “If anyone wants to be my disciple, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake will save it (Luke 9:23). I believe very strongly that whoever wants to be a peacebuilder with a sincere intention to prevent conflict, resolve conflict and transform conflict in the context of NIREC must be ready and willing to make sacrifice. It is not enough to have a higher degree to be a peacebuilder and conflict manager. This is why delegates to NIREC must be men and women who have passion for dialogue. They must be warriors over their temperaments. The monetary benefits should be secondary. According to Jesus Christ, “Seek first the kingdom of God and every other thing will be given to you (Matthew 6:33). In this context, the Kingdom of God is perfect peace. Blessed are the peace makers, they shall be called children of God (Matthew 5:7). Every peacemaker is a potential Saint. The Great Saint, Pope John Paul II says: “Do not be afraid to be Saints. Follow Jesus Christ who is the source of freedom and light. Be opened to the Lord so that he may lighten all your ways.” Every NIREC delegate should strive to be a connector in peacebuilding.

Every peacebuilder and conflict manager should be an actor and a connector who must through dialogue engage the funders, promoters, dividers and beneficiaries of conflict to see the need for conflict transformation as an integral part of humanity. God did not create human beings in isolation hence no man is an island just as no tree can make a forest. As long as human beings live in different forms of communities, the quest for peaceful co-existence is inevitable. The most visible structure of Government’s support for peacebuilding and nation building in Nigeria is the existence of NIREC. It would do the nation a lot of good if every Christian and Muslim could identify with NIREC as a family and model of peaceful co-existence. This   divine obligation would promote a culture of non-violence. Consequently, NIREC delegates need personal and institutional skills that would enable them take Nigeria to a level where the citizens do not merely survive on the remnants of the rich but live and experience life in abundance (John 10:10). There is need for an expanded NIREC that must go behind the fifty delegates to the grass roots that would actively involve the youths and women. This would enable NIREC to transform negative peace of oppression, discrimination and inequality to positive peace of a just and fair society for all and the restoration of relationships. To be happy in life, we need structures that can sustain peaceful societies and NIREC has the capacity and potentials for this mission. Let us therefore make the world a better place. Let us be among the connectors and refuse to join the dividers in peacebuilding. When there is a will, there is a way so let us make paradise on earth by the grace of God. Let nothing stop us now!

Rev. Fr. Cornelius Omonokhua is the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Inter-Religious Council (NIREC) ([email protected])