By Gbegbe Sunday.
The Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrim Commission,(NCPC), Rev Dr. Yakubu Pam, has called for urgent assistance for Plateau State to cushion the effect of the prolonged crises that ravaged the state since 2001.
Shere hill in Plateau state.
Rev. Pam made the plea while delivering a keynote address at the maiden Kamkur Samuel Foundation, KSF, Plateau Peace Conference which held Tuesday 21 September 2021 at the SARAU Event Centre in Jos.
“Plateau has witnessed a lot of crises that has left thousands of Internally Displaced Persons without food, clothings or shelter scattered in different IDPs camps in the state”, he noted.
The NCPC boss said the events of the recent past where many people were killed in different crises spots between July and August this year took place while he was performing the 2020 pilgrimage in Jordan.
He said that many people believed the crisis that broke up in Jos in 2001 would have ended in two to three days but regretted that it had prolonged to over 20 years.
Rev.Pam said for the crises to end, all Plateau elites must come together to speak with one voice and shun violent acts that usually end up in ethnic motivated speeches and sentiments.
“It’s time to come together and speak with one voice. we must end these crises. Anything can happen with anybody and the need for us to come together so that Plateau will bounce back again”. Pam urged.
Speaking on the topic “Peaceful Coexistence”, he said there were many crises that exist in the world but “the duration of time for our conflicts have been over 20 years, almost compared to that of Afganistan, Israel and Gaza, which he said had dragged for a longer time”.
“Over 60 per cent of leaders are responsible for the deep problems we have in prolonging the Jos crises. We must avoid sentiments and speak with one voice.
“Leaders must speak for all and not for one side alone. To end the crises, we must learn some lessons from the Kingdom of Jordan”
Rev Yakubu Pam stated that Jordan has 10 per cent Christians but they live in complete harmony with their bigger Muslim population.
You can’t differentiate who’s a Muslim or Christian even in their government set up.
“We must see humanity in people. We must stop retaliation and encourage our youths to be engaged in meaningful ventures”.
He said we can move forward if we all make research into the lingering problems of Jos and how we can handle them like Jordan, who has 10% Christians and they’re living peacefully, adding that the most important thing is that they’re all Jordanians.
The NCPC Boss said, here in our country, we look at each other suspiciously because we don’t trust one another.
According to the NCPC boss, “if we use violence in solving our problems, the problems will continue to move on”.
He said the killings and slaugtering of little kids is so disgusting as they are human beings.
Rev Pam opined that the road map to achieving peace in Plateau state is, we must run away from revenge.
He decried the way and manner killings has been assumed as normal where a whole household can be wiped out.
He said we require a lot of work and commitment and the government contribution to help us to live together.
“There’s need to engage everyone and especially our youths. The peace meetings that have been held so far have produced fruits and said most of the crises are created because of merchants of violence.
“It’s not time to make speeches but to speak to the authorities and those in government must stand up to condemn this violence and promote peaceful living.
Rev. Pam said, we need all relevant actors to be engaged in the peace building process by making sure we all live to this ideal in life. we all need to respect these ideals for peaceful existence.
“If we need to promote togetherness, we must look at the Youths and how they can coordinate their talents by raising soft loans to support them to fight poverty and engage them in business.
” The youths are the hope and future of Nigeria. The youths and women needs to be spoken to and be encouraged as they are good in businesses.
“We must encourage voices of justice, who must speak to end the prolonged crisis. We talk of peace without justice. If we all come together to talk about being fair, justice must be seen to be done,”he added.
He said we need good governance as corruption is fast destroying the country.
Rev.Pam said the best way for Plateau to bounce back would be to go back to the drawing board and institute dialogue and encourage people to ventilate their minds.
