Stakeholders, community leaders, youths and religious leaders on Saturday gathered in Ilobu for a town hall meeting organised under the “Preach for Peace” initiative to promote reconciliation, peaceful coexistence and lasting solutions to recurring communal disputes involving Ilobu, Ifon and Erin-Osun communities.
The meeting, themed “Building Bridges: Healing Communities – Together for Peace,” was organised by the Future Builders Initiative under its Preach for Peace project in partnership with PEACAD Network, bringing together residents, religious leaders and development advocates to discuss ways of resolving recurring communal clashes linked to land and boundary disputes in the affected communities.
Speaking at the programme, the Executive Director of PEACAD Network, Akinremi Olawale, described the crisis as a long-standing land and border dispute that could only be resolved through collective dialogue and compromise among the affected communities.
Olawale, whose organisation partnered with the Future Builders Initiative on the project, urged youths to reject hooliganism, violence and the use of weapons during communal disputes.
“The youth are always at the center of these conflicts and they suffer most from the consequences. They should shun violence and work together to find lasting solutions,” he said.
Also speaking, youth ambassador for Ilobu, Mumeenat Ojo, said participants had been trained on conflict management, mediation and community peace-building strategies.
According to her, the initiative was equipping young people with the knowledge needed to promote peace and educate secondary school students on conflict resolution and harmonious living.
“We have been taught how to manage conflict and mediate among conflicting parties. As ambassadors from Ilobu, we are expected to return to our communities and preach peace,” she said.
Another participant, Owolabi Mutiu, attributed the recurring conflicts among the communities to lack of love, cooperation and mutual understanding.
He stressed the need for dialogue among the communities and increased sensitisation of youths, whom he described as the major actors affected by the violence.
“The best way to resolve the conflict is for the communities to come together and discuss the problem. Youths also need to understand the disadvantages of violence and the benefits of cooperation,” he stated.
Chairman of the Ilobu Development Union, Alhaji Azeez Tiamiyu, said the three communities had historically coexisted peacefully before divisions and communal sentiments deepened tensions.
He appealed to the government not to abandon ongoing peace-building interventions, noting that security presence and mediation efforts had gradually restored calm to the affected towns.
“We have lived together for generations. There is no substantial reason for these conflicts. We should strengthen love and unity among the three towns,” he said.
In his remarks, Islamic scholar Jamiu Abdulraheem called on the government and traditional institutions to remain impartial and proactive in addressing communal disputes.
He warned against allowing political interests and favoritism to undermine peace efforts, while commending the Future Builders Initiative and PEACAD Network for promoting reconciliation and dialogue among the affected communities.
The stakeholders collectively stressed that continuous engagement, youth sensitisation and government support would be crucial to sustaining peace and preventing further communal crises in the area.
Advertisement
