During an intensive training session with David Jensen as guest speaker
at the annual nonviolence conflict transformation conference.
The second annual conference with the
theme LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT ON PEACE
BUILDING for the year 2015, came and was successfully held at Columbus,
Ohio, in the United States of America, between the 21st and the 25th
of September, 2015.It was organized by the John Pofi Foundation in
collaboration with the Centre for Nonviolence Conflict Transformation,
Rockford, Illinois. Through education and training, and social engagement, the
Centre seeks to institutionalize and internationalize Nonviolence and Conflict
Transformation as a process that reduces conflict, human suffering and promote
the establishment of Peaceful Society.
The Centre also engages in activities
and projects that foster mutual understanding among people, where training in
kingian nonviolent processes are used to reconcile conflicts and to build
peaceful, sustainable and inclusive communities that promote human rights,
economic and social justice for all.
This year the event drew seven (7)
participants from Nigeria, namely Rev. Dr. John Pofi (head of the delegation),
Mr. Abok Izang, Mr. Mallias Nenwie, Garos Reng, Ruth Ali Mente, Marian Kure,
and Yemi Adekunle. Six (6) participants are from Plateau State, while Yemi
Adekunle is from Ibadan, Oyo State.
In addition, there were over 45
participants who were part of the conference via Skype at the John Pofi
Foundation Office in Jos, Nigeria.
Participants who were part of the
conference using Skype at the John Pofi Foundation Office in Jos, Nigeria
THE JOURNEY
Participants
departed the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on the 18th of
September, 2015 at 10:10 pm with a 12 hour layover at Frankfurt, Germany,
before proceeding to O’Hare Airport in Chicago. Participants arrived at 8:00 pm
on the 19th of September, where they were received by Rev. Dr.
Yakubu Bakfwash, the Director of Training, John Pofi Foundation U.S. A. They
were later hosted to a Nigerian meal at his home, at the Trinity University.
That same night he drove the
participants to Rockford, from where they proceeded to Columbus, Ohio for the
conference. They arrived Miss Ellyn Ahmer’s home at 1:00 am Sunday morning.
With gratitude to God almighty, the participants had a safe trip. Yemi Adekunle
arrived Rockford from Lagos Sunday, the 20th in the evening at
about 5:00pm
Yakubu Bakfwash, David Jensen who lived and worked with Rev. Dr Martin
Luther King Jr.
and John Pofi
WELCOMING OF
PARTICIPANTS BY THE HOSTESS
After receiving a
warm welcome by Miss Ahmer, Joey and Pastor Sam Sarpiya, By 8:30am participants
were taken to Rockford Community Church for service. Service commenced at
9am, after being taken round the Church complex and given an orientation on the
history of the Church. During the Service, two of the participants were called
upon to briefly state the reason for the trip to the States and the work and
challenges faced back home over Boko Haram insurgency. After the service, over
some snacks, there were interactions with the church members, where ideas were
shared.
Sunday afternoon
was a time of meeting with more CNCT staff over a barbecue dinner in honor of
the leader of the delegation. Our hostess in Rockford was elated at having us
in her home, where she said, and I quote, “I am happy to hear the sound of
laughter in my home once again”. It was also a time of adapting to the weather
and the traditional meals of the United States for the participants
.
CONFERENCE
REGISTRATION
On Monday morning
the 21st of September, registration for the conference
commenced. Documentation took place and conference materials were distributed,
while participants were informed that the lead facilitator, David Jehnsen
Galena would not be able to come down to Rockford due to his tight schedules,
therefore, plans were made for us to meet up with him at Columbus Ohio the
following morning.
TRIP TO OHIO
By 8am on Tuesday
the 22nd, the 9 hour journey to Columbus began. It afforded us the
opportunity to see the beauty, nature and the people, as we travelled through
three states; Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. The team that travelled comprised of
six co-facilitators from Illinois and seven participants. We had a safe trip
and arrived Columbus at about 7pm. We were warmly welcomed at the Church of the
Brethren by David Jensen and others. After settling down, we were briefed on
the following day’s activities before having dinner at 7:30pm.
John Pofi and Rick Polhamus exchanging pleasantries and JPF International Director USA, Yakubu
Bakfwash having a close chat with a colleague.
THE CONFERENCE
PAPER 1 –PRESENTED
BY ELLYN AHMER & BESSIE ALBERTY
NON VIOLENT
COMMUNICATION- A Language of compassion-
Marshall Rosenberg
NONVIOLENT
COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES/CONSCIOUSNESS
-Power with
relationships
- Go beyond
rightness, wrongness (judgment)
- Dismantle enemy
images
- Recognize
universal human feelings rooted in needs- life enriching /life alienations
- Create personal
responsibility for feelings and healthy expression
- Make requests
rather than demands
- Give and receive
empathy, reflection, curiosity
- Protective use
of force
- Show general
appreciation
- What action
contributed to well-being, what feeling was met- pleasureful feelings from
fulfilment
Both facilitators
emphasized the need for us as leaders to:
1. Learn to train our minds to go beyond
automatic reactions to what we see and hear, by taking time to consider what
goes on around us-what did we see? What did we hear? How does it affect us?
2. Take responsibility for ourselves by not
being hurt when another person views issues differently from us. I should not
be annoyed because you see things in a different light.
3. Understand that the civil rights movement
tells others we care for you rather than saying I know right and go beyond you.
4. Know the difference between a request and a
demand. If I make a request and the other person says “no”, I should not get
angry. If I get angry, it means I made a demand. Rather I should plead with the
other person, ensuring he/she understands.
5. Remember that we should not reject
feedback, although it is sometimes seen as criticism.
6. Learn how to deal with change
7. Learn to negotiate. We negotiate because we
want peace. This leads to a win-win situation. Avoid the blame game-the use of
the words they, them, and those is wrong. Learn to refer to individuals.
8. Learn to respect authority. There is a
reason for authority, and if you want to receive respect, you must learn to
give respect.
9. Learn to listen.
The conference
in session
AFTERNOON
WITH DAVID JENSEN
He asked participants to:
a). Share an experience that stands out in
violence
b). Identify one thing we would like to
take away from the conference. There are new innovations in peace building that
would be shared.
All participants and co- facilitators
shared one thing, after which David said he had heard a lot of experiences. He
also said at the end of the conference we should be able to mobilize skills,
and individuals who will change things. A video clip was shown from which we
learned the following:
1. Change
comes with a price.
2. The
leadership were committed to nonviolence 100%.
3. If
we understand, we can overcome our fear.
4. There
is strength in being together.
During the lecture session with David
Jensen
AFTERNOON
WITH MATT GUYNN (Via Skype)
Matt talked about “General Community Organizing”.
He said he believed everyone has the capacity to contribute to nonviolence in
the community; woman or man, young or old, prominent leader or living in the
community has a role to play. Part of our work is how we can encourage each
other, recognizing each one’s role in leadership. He also stated the following:
·
The nonviolence
perspective says we all have a role to play. We can all participate.
·
You are already rich in
resource, skill and wisdom.
·
We all have an
experience, particular light to shine on the matter.
·
The beloved community
is the framework for the future.
·
We shine more when we
give love and experience love.
Therefore within the community we
should:
1. Have
a personal improvement-know how to behave wherever we find ourselves, there is
an effect we have on people.
2. Have
collective initiatives.
3. Understand
that cultural change goes beyond us
4. We
have to develop our own contributions to nonviolence.
Matt Guynn
INTERACTION WITH DAVID CONTINUED.
A
second video was shown, in which the question “WHO WAS MARTIN LUTHER KING” was answered. From the clip we learned
the following:
·
King’s philosophy
doesn’t apply to a particular group. It was universal, no matter where they
lived, beliefs, color of skin or cultural background. That is why he is
celebrated all over the world. Places where he never set foot.
·
The power of the people
is stronger than a bomb.
·
Concept of love for
fellow man.
·
Self-preservation.
·
Part of the team
believed each enemy had a good side.
·
Martin Luther King
produced leaders than any other movement.
·
How to respond to life,
anger, and violence is by putting down your guns.
·
As civilized people we
must come up with a new approach.
·
We have to make changes
in ourselves before we can make changes.
·
Martin Luther did not
give in to the threat of death.
·
You cannot win a battle
unless you know who your enemy is.
·
How do we create
awareness so we do not repeat history? Could we speak as a voice in any form of
advocacy? We live in a global society that has history. We need to understand
this history.
THURSDAY
24TH SEPTEMBER. MORNING SESSION WITH DAVID
The day started with reflections from
which the following were deduced:
·
Paternalistic attitude
is status quo. Politicians are democratic with themselves at the top and are
paternalistic with those at the bottom.
·
As a nonviolence
worker, in 7/10ths of a second one can decide and make eye contact with an
assailant, then move into a dialogue with such a person.
·
One should learn to
move into prevention by creating an awareness of the consequences of conflict.
·
Non-violence means
apathy, sympathy.
·
Nonviolence means the
desire for vengeance is there but it is not used. It is a way of life for
people. You assume responsibility and move nonviolence concept towards change.
Participants who were part of the conference using Skype at the John Pofi Foundation Office in Jos, Nigeria
GROUP WORK
We
went into two groups, each with a different case study. We were asked to carry
out the following:
·
Find out priorities.
·
Look for the truth that
will trigger, to get to the fundamental issues that will deal with the other
issue.
·
Seek an understanding.
What will change all this?
From
the case studies we got to know that:
1. Majority
scape goats the minority.
-
What is wrong in the
Majority that makes them scapegoat the Minority?
-
How do we resolve that
independence of the Minority?
2. There
is something that goes on in the minority that keeps them from protecting
themselves.
3. We
need to look at issues independent of the minority.
4. We
need to look at the framework. If we don’t, the minority will lose out.
Participants
learned the six steps required to use what we have achieved. The three types of
leadership were brought to bear, looking at their life cycle, diversity and
their functional process.
We
also looked at Social Action Research and Social Action Change-another way of
examining how these methods work. Then we looked at the 7 questions and how to
use them.
7
QUESTIONS:
1. What
is happening?
2. What
are the emotional facts?
3. What
would you propose as a plan?
4. What
will make people feel better?
5. Is
there a more severe problem?
6. Who
should we talk to?
7. What
are the seeds of solution?
We are therefore to implement the
following:
1. Faced
with isolation, we do solidarity.
2. Faced
with silence, we speak openly.
3. Faced
with fear, we understand each other.
4. Faced
with violence, we negotiate with everyone.
EVENING
WITH RICK POLHAMUS
This was the last session of the
conference at Columbus. Rick took a couple of hours giving us practical
solutions using real life experiences in the Gaza strip at Israel where he
served with the Christian Peace Makers. He said the following are crucial in
peace building:
·
Whatever you commit to,
you commit totally.
·
People know how to deal
with violence, but they don’t know how to deal with nonviolence.
God says ask and you
will be given.
During the evening lecture with Rick Polhamus
PRESS
RELEASE BY JOHN POFI FOUNDATION (JPF) ON ACT OF KILLINGS PERPETRATED BY
CRIMINALS IN MANY PART OF PLATEAU STATE, NIGERIA. (2)
This a statement issued 21st September, 2015 in Rockford of the state of Illinois, United State of America on the occasion of a staged peaceful protest to commemorate the WORLD PEACE DAY and to sue for peace on the unabated killings of innocent citizens in Plateau state, Nigeria.
PROTOCOL
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press.
It will amount to no peace anywhere and everywhere if all we do is to watch and remain silent in the face of gory bodies carelessly thrown in our neighborhood; innocent citizens hacked to death with no help even from the authorities who have sworn on oath to protect them. We will be doing a lot of injustice to humanity if our silences become louder than our collective voice for action. John Pofi Foundation JPF will not allow the inaction of the majority to become a norm of the concerned few.
This a statement issued 21st September, 2015 in Rockford of the state of Illinois, United State of America on the occasion of a staged peaceful protest to commemorate the WORLD PEACE DAY and to sue for peace on the unabated killings of innocent citizens in Plateau state, Nigeria.
PROTOCOL
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press.
It will amount to no peace anywhere and everywhere if all we do is to watch and remain silent in the face of gory bodies carelessly thrown in our neighborhood; innocent citizens hacked to death with no help even from the authorities who have sworn on oath to protect them. We will be doing a lot of injustice to humanity if our silences become louder than our collective voice for action. John Pofi Foundation JPF will not allow the inaction of the majority to become a norm of the concerned few.
JPF
in accord with the above expressed, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, we
marked today to stand with our brothers and sisters killed daily in their
farmlands and homes, whose only crime is being hospitable and civil to their
aggressors. Civility must not be mistaken for foolishness, criminals whose
stock-in-trade is to kill and maim must understand that the cool-headed character
of the Plateau state citizens must not be provoked.
The patience of the innocent citizens of Plateau state have been attacked and angered to stupor, this must not continue and we insist, this must stop! The singular purpose of this peaceful protest is to lay bare the agony of these forgotten voices dying in so-many villages in Plateau state to the authorities concern and the international community. JPF believe in the sanctity of life and its protection irrespective of their religious and ethnic differences, citizens must be protected whether they live in a
remote area or in the city. Lives are equal and everyone must be treated equally with requisite security it deserves.
Since 2001 to this unfavorable time, Plateau state has recorded cases of attacks and killing of innocent citizens to varying degrees among which include but not limited to the vandalization of properties, invasion of homes and cattle rustling of unprecedented magnitude. On separate occasions we have witness over 65 villages destroyed, more than 70,000 people displaced and leaving a distance away 500 hundred people dead. This is heinous to put it mild and it must stop!! Yes, this must stop!!
This ugly situation as we speak has brought teaching and learning processes to a halt in all affected communities, community markets meant for daily businesses in all the affected villages are all destroyed. These innocent citizens are left practically helpless to make any meaning for living. Sick mothers and children are now in most vulnerable state to worst diseases, in fact, the army of children growing without any formal education as the result of their destroyed communities is a dangerous
signal that we may be breeding some sets of Boko Haram in the making, should this trend go unabated. The fact that many crops are destroyed and cattle rustled is an inkling that we are in for scarcity of food in the offing. JPF is standing firmly today to share in this pain with the victims; we must speak loud enough for the world to hear their cry of anguish through our voice this day. On this note our distinguished members of the press, we wish to bring to your notice that JPF in its determination to not just join what has become a culture of traditional mourners in Plateau state but daring all hurdles
to investigate some root problems fueling the insecurity and proffer recommendations where necessary. In this light ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, JPF got the following in its findings;
a. That most securities have been moved away from the tension areas leaving behind only some handful number of them who cannot stand the enemies when attacks are made.
b. That even with the inadequate soldiers on ground for the operations, there are confirmed reports that the soldiers on ground are insufficiently equipped with enough arms to fight the enemies when they lunch an attack.
c. That there are elements of Boko Haram well trained members among the attackers considering the capacity and gravity of crimes perpetrated b these criminals.
FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS BY JPF REVEALED THE FOLLOWING;
i. We understood that most cattle routes that were created by FADAMA 2 project as the result of expansion of farmlands by the locals and to avoid cases of land encroachment has been taken over by the locals leaving the herdsmen with no access routes for their grazing.
ii. That there are systematic gang of criminals drawing it membership across both tribes and religion whose stock-in-trade is rustling cattle and invading homes for robbery.
iii. That there are cases of some unidentified cabals exploiting the volatile security situation to make their selfish gains.
iv. That there is also a noticed case of deliberate failure on both side sabotaging efforts of security agents to secure peace in most areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
JPF wish to recommend as follows;
1. Authorities concerned should get more security deployed around the tension areas with sufficient weapons to tackle the criminals.
2. Experience shows that Mobile police men will be more effective than soldiers because soldiers chain of command is strained with bureaucratic bottle-neck while it's not the same case with the Mobile police force.
3. Both communities should be provided with adequate presence of securities to avoid cases of criminals taking advantage of their absence in any of the areas to perpetrate crime.
4. There should be dialogue approach to reopen cattle routes that have been taken over by the local farmers.
5. There should be appropriate measures for disarmament from both the communities as it’s believed that dangerous weapons are illegally in hands of different people.
6. Security personnel need to step up their tactics and skills because the criminals faced with have some sophistication and elements of Boko Haram.
7. Communities must cooperate to point at known criminals among them whose stock-in-trade is rustling and robbery.
These among many others if addressed will help a long way to curtail the insecurity problems in Plateau state.
Thank you for listening.
The patience of the innocent citizens of Plateau state have been attacked and angered to stupor, this must not continue and we insist, this must stop! The singular purpose of this peaceful protest is to lay bare the agony of these forgotten voices dying in so-many villages in Plateau state to the authorities concern and the international community. JPF believe in the sanctity of life and its protection irrespective of their religious and ethnic differences, citizens must be protected whether they live in a
remote area or in the city. Lives are equal and everyone must be treated equally with requisite security it deserves.
Since 2001 to this unfavorable time, Plateau state has recorded cases of attacks and killing of innocent citizens to varying degrees among which include but not limited to the vandalization of properties, invasion of homes and cattle rustling of unprecedented magnitude. On separate occasions we have witness over 65 villages destroyed, more than 70,000 people displaced and leaving a distance away 500 hundred people dead. This is heinous to put it mild and it must stop!! Yes, this must stop!!
This ugly situation as we speak has brought teaching and learning processes to a halt in all affected communities, community markets meant for daily businesses in all the affected villages are all destroyed. These innocent citizens are left practically helpless to make any meaning for living. Sick mothers and children are now in most vulnerable state to worst diseases, in fact, the army of children growing without any formal education as the result of their destroyed communities is a dangerous
signal that we may be breeding some sets of Boko Haram in the making, should this trend go unabated. The fact that many crops are destroyed and cattle rustled is an inkling that we are in for scarcity of food in the offing. JPF is standing firmly today to share in this pain with the victims; we must speak loud enough for the world to hear their cry of anguish through our voice this day. On this note our distinguished members of the press, we wish to bring to your notice that JPF in its determination to not just join what has become a culture of traditional mourners in Plateau state but daring all hurdles
to investigate some root problems fueling the insecurity and proffer recommendations where necessary. In this light ladies and Gentlemen of the Press, JPF got the following in its findings;
a. That most securities have been moved away from the tension areas leaving behind only some handful number of them who cannot stand the enemies when attacks are made.
b. That even with the inadequate soldiers on ground for the operations, there are confirmed reports that the soldiers on ground are insufficiently equipped with enough arms to fight the enemies when they lunch an attack.
c. That there are elements of Boko Haram well trained members among the attackers considering the capacity and gravity of crimes perpetrated b these criminals.
FURTHER INVESTIGATIONS BY JPF REVEALED THE FOLLOWING;
i. We understood that most cattle routes that were created by FADAMA 2 project as the result of expansion of farmlands by the locals and to avoid cases of land encroachment has been taken over by the locals leaving the herdsmen with no access routes for their grazing.
ii. That there are systematic gang of criminals drawing it membership across both tribes and religion whose stock-in-trade is rustling cattle and invading homes for robbery.
iii. That there are cases of some unidentified cabals exploiting the volatile security situation to make their selfish gains.
iv. That there is also a noticed case of deliberate failure on both side sabotaging efforts of security agents to secure peace in most areas.
RECOMMENDATIONS.
JPF wish to recommend as follows;
1. Authorities concerned should get more security deployed around the tension areas with sufficient weapons to tackle the criminals.
2. Experience shows that Mobile police men will be more effective than soldiers because soldiers chain of command is strained with bureaucratic bottle-neck while it's not the same case with the Mobile police force.
3. Both communities should be provided with adequate presence of securities to avoid cases of criminals taking advantage of their absence in any of the areas to perpetrate crime.
4. There should be dialogue approach to reopen cattle routes that have been taken over by the local farmers.
5. There should be appropriate measures for disarmament from both the communities as it’s believed that dangerous weapons are illegally in hands of different people.
6. Security personnel need to step up their tactics and skills because the criminals faced with have some sophistication and elements of Boko Haram.
7. Communities must cooperate to point at known criminals among them whose stock-in-trade is rustling and robbery.
These among many others if addressed will help a long way to curtail the insecurity problems in Plateau state.
Thank you for listening.
CONCLUSION
With
gratitude to God Almighty, the John Pofi Foundation, the Centre for Nonviolence
for Conflict Transformation, Rockford, and the support of the Plateau State
Government, participants had a safe trip to and from the States. While in
Columbus, the team passed through a thorough training on Leadership Development
which by His grace shall be maximally utilized with the hope of effecting the
desired change in light of the current challenges of attaining and sustaining a
lasting peace not only in Plateau State but the Nation at large. Long live
Plateau State, long live the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
MORE PHOTOS AT THE CONFERENCE
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