Bishop Charles Yohana is the chairman, Taraba State Peace Initiative(TSPI). He tells STEVE OSU efforts by his group at restoring peace to the state and warns of the danger of allowing the present situation to further degenerate into 2015
Peace Initiative
Okay, thank you very much. Taraba State Peace Initiative is a formation that is targeted at brokering peace between the two major religious groups in the state; Christianity and Islam and the multi-tribal units in the state and the nation in general. Our aim is to broker peace and ensure harmony of the religious and tribal groups that form the state and this include even the non-Christians and non-Muslims- that is our traditional religion. So, mainly that is the purpose of our existence.
How far with the initiative?
Before we came on board three months ago, there was already a problem on ground and we immediately swung into action. We met with the Fulani, the Jukun and the Tiv people and other tribes that came in to witness the accord like the Hausas. We initiated the peace accord that was signed in Wukari to bring the crisis to an end and we were also instrumental to implementing the accord. .
It will interest you to know that we have our peace ambassadors in all the sixteen local governments drawn from both Christian and Muslims. In all, we cannot say it is easy for us, it is indeed very challenging. Peace negotiation is a novelty, is a new thing in this part of the world. We have been used to militancy in settling our scores with others. That is why it is a common thing to see people going back to breach it. We don’t have to be angry with them because, it is practically a new thing to them.
We have been meeting with them and extensively discussing to see how we can bring an end to the situation. For instance, I am a Bishop and my deputy is the Chief Imam of Izala Mosque. So, what we are also doing is to use our holy books to appeal to the conscience of our people about the fear of God. We speak to them on the need to respect humanity and human rights. We are not relenting on all these, and I believe we will soon succeed.
Challenges
Yes, the situation in Bali is that most of the Fulani herdsmen that were chased away in Benue and Nassarawa states migrated to Donga and Bali local governments. When the problem in Donga started, they were pushed to Bali and Bali seems to be a safe haven for majority of the Fulanis. Bali then became exhausted in terms of grazing field for the Fulani grazers and Tiv farmers. The grazers were at loggerhead with the Tiv farmers because majority of the visiting Fulanis came with their cows and they needed enough grazing land.
Some of these visiting Fulani herdsmen came with anger that they were forced to leave Benue and that the Tiv people should also go back to Benue because they did not see Bali as really the native place of the Tiv. Bali is like a Fulani settlement because the Emir of Bali is a Fulani man, so they find Bali to be a home. So, when they came, they came with an anger that “look the Tiv people sent us away from staying in their own land, so we are now going back home, why must we continue to accommodate you. You too go back to where you belong. Go back to your brothers so that we can have enough grazing land for ourselves.’ That is the problem in Bali. But as I am talking to you, we have visited the area and we brought the national vice president of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, who is also a native. He has come to join the peace initiative. We went there and sat down with the traditional rulers of both tribes and these points were highlighted. We are now compelled to return to the government with a recommendation that the visiting Fulani from Benue should be allowed to go back. Let the Benue Tiv receive back their Fulani brothers, by so doing it will give room for peace negotiation.
We all agreed on this and as I am talking to you, my governor, the acting governor has gone ahead to meet with the Sultan of Sokoto to talk to the Tor-Tiv to call back his Fulani resident in Benue back home. If that is done the Fulani in Bali will have enough space to graze and then allow the Tiv people to go back to their farms and farm as usual. But you know time is not on our side, the raining season is fast going and if we don’t do these things fast, it is going to be hunger in Taraba and other neighbouring states.
His knowledge of the crisis
Up till now, we have not heard anything from prominent politicians in southern Taraba making a statement on the crisis particularly that of Wukari very recently. Residents are fleeing. This is unfortunate. This is crisis between brothers. This is internal challenge that should be handled by the Aku-Uka and I believe he is really doing something about it. This is outside normal Taraba crisis we are handling. The government has deemed it right to settle the two warring brothers in the next one week so that they can reconcile and resolve their differences and bring the crisis to a stop.
Fate of the displaced people
The displaced people are being taken care of by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA). The state government is equally taking care of them. All those injured who are in the specialist hospital are being taken care of by the government. Government has also organized small camps to shelter the displaced. Government is equally in touch with those that fled to Benue and Nassarawa states.
Taraba Peace Initiative is working around the clock to ensure the displaced people are reconciled on time because the longer it stays it will become a problem to our social wellbeing, economy and to our political system. If this crisis should draw to the election period, it will not be palatable for us. We are also praying to God that this issue will be resolved on time because this is a religious state. We also organize prayer and fasting among the two religions to pray to God for restoration of peace.
His message to the state.
Okay, thank you very much. I advocate for prayers and fasting. Nigerians are highly religious, but we hardly practiced the teachings of our religions. Most of these people fighting, you will see them carrying Qur’an and Bible, some of them would wake up and pray before going out to cause trouble. You see, the problem is when there is an overriding interest, religion is put aside. More so, these people do find time to pray and still come back to fight. We are religious, but we don’t have the fear of God.
You journalists should help us propagate this message so that people will have the fear of God. If people have the fear of God we will never find ourselves in this type of problem.
