NAN-DS-8
Peace
By Mohammed Lawal
Zaria (Kaduna State), Feb. 22, 2018 (NAN) Ireland’s Ambassador to Nigeria, Amb. Sean Hoy, says holistic dialogue is the major path to lasting peace in Nigeria.
Hoy said this in his keynote address at a lecture entitled “Road to Peace: Lessons from the Northern Ireland Peace Process” held at Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the lecture was organised by an NGO, “Like Minds”, in collaboration with Ireland Embassy in Nigeria.
According to him, dialogue gives the authorities the opportunity to identify and understand the clear picture of a problem.
Citing himself as a victim and a survivor of a conflict, Hoy recalled that he grew up in an environment different from that of his father and suffered isolation from people due to four decades of conflict in his country.
He said the people of Northern Ireland observed that the best way to peace was to lay down their arms and embrace one another through dialogue, to give way for peace.
“What many considered impossible may be possible when it comes to search for lasting peace.
“When it comes to peace, peace building is a slow work; it is hard; it takes time; it fails; it restarts; and it is ever cinematic.”
In his speech, the ABU Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, said the lecture was most auspicious especially in Nigeria.
The vice-chancellor, who was represented by his Deputy (Administration), Prof. Kabir Bala, said Nigeria was faced with many different conflicts including Boko Haram, Niger-Delta and herdsmen/farmers clashes, among others.
He, however, said that the Boko Haram menace in the North-East had been contained substantially.
Garba said that any experience that would be shared from Northern Ireland or any country was most welcomed.
“ABU has been in the centre stage in providing solutions to socio-economic problems, especially in the last two decades.
“In view of the cosmopolitan nature of the university, whatever comes out of ABU is usually of high quality and provides some grounds for solving national problems.
“This also a good place for this programme. Conflicts are not only present in this region but also in all other parts of the country,” he said.
NAN reports that the panel of discussants included Dr Abubakar Sadiq, Dr Muhammad Kabir-Isa and Dr Muhammad Lawal-Tafida all of ABU. (NAN)
KLM/YMU/NKO
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Edited by Yakubu Uba/Nkechi Okoronkwo